This research concerns the recording of safety measures in acute mental health wards of psychiatric hospitals in the greater area of Athens. The practices of control and testing on patients performed by nurses are also reported. The total sample consists of 14 acute inpatient psychiatric wards. The results indicated that important differences were noticed in the controls and prohibitions. Moreover, the main characteristic was the lack of protocols and measures of safety, a situation that burdened nursing practice. The lack of rules and strategies that would promote the safety of patient, professionals and therapeutic milieu, were brought into light by nurses’ quotes.

Key words: Security rules, safety measures, acute inpatient wards, banned item

E. Koukia, E. Giannouli, N. Gonis, A. Douzenis (page 162) - Full article (Greek)