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Assessment of inpatient treatment of mentally ill patients in Thailand: Implications for practice
Robert Anders
Associate Dean; Professor; Director of School of Nursing, University of Texas at El Paso, United States of America
Darawan Thapinta
Associate Professor, Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Srinuan Wiwatkunupakan
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Voranut Kitsumban
Instructor, Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Siriluck Vadtanapong
Instructor, Faculty of Nursing, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Abstract
Given the demand for services, psychiatric facilities in Thailand, strive to provide quality care despite limited resources. Patient quality of care initiatives are limited. The purpose of this investigation is to assess the quality of inpatient treatment among a group of acutely mentally ill hospitalized Thai patients.
This study presents important data on the standards of care provided to mentally ill patients at one inpatient facility in Thailand. This study is one of the first to look at the inpatient care for Thais with a diagnosis of an acute mental illness. Areas for improvement identified in this research include master treatment planning and documentation of care, patient teaching, and management of aggressive behavior. This study provides an insight into the patient profile and major nursing problems facing Thai nurses. The article also highlights areas of concern such as the high use of ECT and mechanical restraint.
How pervasive these deficiencies are in other settings is not known. The findings in this study were shared with the professional staff. It is hope that the nursing staff armed with the results of this study will develop performance improvement activities to improve the quality of care.
Keywords
mental health, inpatient treatment, nursing care, resources, methods, quality care, standard of care, ECT, mechanical constraint, Thailand
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