A Psychiatric Service as an Integral Part of a Community General Hospital

Abstract

In these times when psychiatric treatment is becoming more acceptable to the general hospital and its community, it is important to explore the many ways in which optimal treatment and training can be made available at least expense and maximal utilization of existing personnel. The authors present a valuable account of their very successful experience of integrating psychiatric services into their community general hospital without the establishment of a segregated psychiatric unit. The benefits accruing to this approach in terms of patient care, community service, and teaching value for all personnel concerned with good patient care are discussed in detail. The special relevance of the trained psychiatric nurse to the success of such programs is underscored.