The Door Switch is an anti-ligature device that helps prevent inpatient suicides.
The Door Switch is an anti-ligature device that helps prevent inpatient suicides.
The Door Switch's new design now retrofits on double acting doors. http://youtu.be/WfQojyvcVog
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In the article Designing for Behavioral Health Facilities authors Sine and Hunt explain the unique design requirements of behavioral health facilities as opposed to other medical facilities. They emphasize that facilities should avoid an institutional look and be made to look as residential as possible for the comfort of the patient.
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In the article Inpatient Suicides: Recommendations for Prevention published by the Joint Commission in 1998, we see the first mention of inpatient suicide being a problem. Two years prior to this article, The Joint Commission started sending out “Sentinel Event Alerts” to bring awareness to adverse events in the medical field. This was the 7th of over 40 issues that have currently been released by The Joint Commission.
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In the article Safety Goals for Behavioral Health, The Joint Commission explains that patients risk for suicide is a concern and hospitals should address this concern. This is a one of 15 top safety goals that the Joint Commission’s advisory group has listed a top priority issue to address.
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Suicide prevention in psychiatric facilities present a unique set of problems. While no facility can be entirely safe and risk free, the majority of persons who attempt suicide suffer from a treatable mental disorder. Inpatients of psychiatric facilities are therefore considered high-risk: The environment should avoid physical hazards.
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