THE COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHIATRIC UNIT IN THE GENERAL HOSPITAL
COLIN M. SMITH M.D.1, and
D. G. McKERRACHER M.D.2
1 Deputy Director, Psychiatric Research, Saskatchewan Dept. of Public Health; Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Univ. of Saskatchewan
2 Professor of Psychiatry, Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
The effect of admitting an unselected group of 90 committed psychiatric patients to an ordinary, open general hospital psychiatric ward was studied. Comparisons with 90 unselected regular patients were made by means of rating scales of behaviour and psychopathology, and by nursing and medical observations. The results are consistent with the belief that a well-trained staff can now manage practically all psychiatric admissions in a general hospital. The implications are discussed.
