Jayashri Kulkarni 1 , Emmy Gavrilidis 2 , Stuart Lee 2 , Tamsyn E Van Rheenen 2 , Jasmin Grigg 2 , Emily Hayes 2 , Adeline Lee 2 , Roy Ong 2 , Amy Seeary 3 , Shelley Andersen 3 , Rosie Worsley 2 , Sandra Keppich-Arnold 3 , Simon Stafrace 3 Show Affiliations »
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the impact of creating a female-only area within a mixed-gender inpatient psychiatry service, on female patient safety and experience of care. METHOD: The Alfred hospital reconfigured one of its two psychiatry wards to include a female-only area. Documented incidents compromising the safety of women on each ward in the 6 months following the refurbishment were compared. Further, a questionnaire assessing perceived safety and experience of care was administered to female inpatients on both wards, and staff feedback was also obtained. RESULTS: The occurrence of documented incidents compromising females' safety was found to be significantly lower on the ward containing a female-only area. Women staying on this ward rated their perceived safety and experience of care significantly more positively than women staying where no such gender segregation was available. Further, the female-only area was identified by the majority of surveyed staff to provide a safer environment for female patients. CONCLUSIONS: Establishing female-only areas in psychiatry wards is an effective way to improve the safety and experience of care for female patients. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014.
OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the impact of creating a female-only area within a mixed-gender inpatient psychiatry service, on female patient safety and experience of care. METHOD: The Alfred hospital reconfigured one of its two psychiatry wards to include a female-only area. Documented incidents compromising the safety of women on each ward in the 6 months following the refurbishment were compared. Further, a questionnaire assessing perceived safety and experience of care was administered to female inpatients on both wards, and staff feedback was also obtained. RESULTS: The occurrence of documented incidents compromising females' safety was found to be significantly lower on the ward containing a female-only area. Women staying on this ward rated their perceived safety and experience of care significantly more positively than women staying where no such gender segregation was available. Further, the female-only area was identified by the majority of surveyed staff to provide a safer environment for female patients . CONCLUSIONS: Establishing female-only areas in psychiatry wards is an effective way to improve the safety and experience of care for female patients . © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014.
Entities: Species
Keywords:
female-only; gender safety; gender-segregated model; mixed-gender; ward safety
Mesh： See more »
Year: 2014
PMID： 25358653 DOI： 10.1177/1039856214556322
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Australas Psychiatry ISSN： 1039-8562 Impact factor: 1.369