Ward 5A - psychiatric for hospitalization at an active state

Ward description: The ward is characterized by providing quality and professional treatment to the adult population (18-62) who suffer from mental disorders that require treatment in a hospital setting, including outpatient setting, which enables a gradual return to the community, with the patient staying at the ward from morning time and until noon and then goes back home. The ward's staff considers the hospitalization period as a crossroad for balancing and multi-disciplinary change aimed to return the patient at a better and optimally balanced mental state to a reality adapted to his needs and abilities. The guiding goal is maximum improvement of the patient's quality of life, and his release when his state and the reality to which he returns, minimize repeated hospitalizations as much as possible. To achieve that combined teamwork is utilized with the families and community entities, with the patient at the focus of all efforts.

 
The ward's treatment approach promotes treatment within group, individual, and various biological treatment solutions.

The ward's staff consists of: Physicians, nursing personnel, a social worker, a psychologist, an occupational therapist and a medical secretary.

The patients are admitted to the ward through the hospital's emergency room as per a ward round.

Unique activity of the ward: Since 2007, the ward serves as a pioneering ward on behalf of the Ministry of Health in a project for the computerization of psychiatric patient portfolios.
 

Training: The ward is recognized by the Scientific Council of the Israel Medical Association for full-time internship in psychiatry.
The ward coordinates study activities of the center's interns in: Nursing, psychology and social work.
This activity includes the design of a study program and close monitoring of its implementation, for interns at the ward in particular and at the center in general.

The ward is a branch of the Faculty of Medicine at the Haifa Technion, and serves as the main facility for the psychiatry studies of medical students.

Ward structure: Restricted wing: Hosting patients in need of a restricted settings. Exit and entry of inpatients from the wing is possible depending on the patient's mental state. Only immediate relatives or other significant visitors may be allowed to enter the wing, as per the decision of the treating physician.

It is forbidden to enter the visitation room with cell phones.
It is forbidden to bring potentially dangerous items into the wing such as: Glassware, sharp objects, belts, cigarette lighters and matches.
Smoking in the restricted wing is permissible only at the yard and only at set times.
It is strictly forbidden to order in food for the patients in the closed wing.
 

The open wing: Accommodates patients whose condition was bettered. During the stay at the open wing emphasis is given to the rehabilitation process and the patients' reintegration in the community. Once discharged, patients continue to be medically monitored by physician from the ward, on Wednesdays and by appointment.

Staff activities -

Nursing staff - provides daily medication, medication guidance, monitors the patients' functioning and structuring order among the patients. In an attempt to encourage them to develop independence skills and to strengthen their capabilities and performance. The staff encourages the formation of social relationships between patients through active participation in in the ward's groups. In addition, the staff provides personal attention and guidance to families.

The psychological service - individual treatment talks are held, targeted on the crisis, or long therapeutic discussions. In addition, meetings are held to address the families. Once a week a group meeting is held under the direction of the psychologist, at the open wing, about preparing for discharge.

The social service - the ward's patients undergo a psychosocial diagnosis of their marital, economic and social status, in order to identify problematic aspects and assess the potential for rehabilitation. Depending on their state, an intervention program is implemented by the ward's social worker, in cooperation with the ward's staff and relevant factors in the community.

Occupation therapy: patients take part in occupational therapy in order to provide them with the tools and skills that will enable them to cope with life's demands. A patient staying in the restricted wing engages in short-term works and expressive tasks using various materials. A patient staying at the open wing meets with an occupational therapist for evaluation and diagnosis of capability and functioning, and is set with a treatment plan according to his ability and choice.

Activity groups at the ward -

• A discharge-preparation group led by Dr. ___________, the ward's psychologist.
  Music therapy guided by _______________ - using music as a mediating tool for airing emotions, feelings and for improved mood and mental state.
• A story group guided by __________ - story reading followed by a debate regarding the personal message and relevancy of the story per each patient.
• Preparing patients for their leave, guided by ___________ - planning the leave and assigning appropriate tools for coping during the leave.
• A sports group, guided by ____________ - the group meetings are held at the courtyard of the restricted wing, using ball games and various exercises for controlled physical exercise.
• A cards therapy group guided by __________ - the group refers to emotional aspects, awareness to feelings, social support and encouragement to expose one's inner self.
• Hygiene and Care Group guided by ________ - physical hygiene awareness, the importance of nail hygiene and prevention of fungus, damages caused by lack of hygiene.
• A therapy group guided by ________ - providing room for expression and invoking feelings of positive and negative emotions during admission.
• A group for dealing with the symptoms of an unbalanced mental state, guided by ____________ - providing tools to identify symptoms, the importance of taking medication and getting help from external sources, reducing concerns related to hospitalization.
• A group for learning the patient's rights and obligations during hospitalization, guided by ____________ - every patient shall learn his rights and obligations during his hospitalization period.
• A group for coping with a crisis, guided by ___________ - providing room for expressing emotions and awareness to feelings surrounding crisis scenarios and dealing with these emotions.
• A healthy nutrition group, guided by ___________ - characteristics of healthy nutrition, awareness to a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet.
  Research activity at the ward -

Ward 5A has for years been carrying out research activities, which mainly focuses on areas subjects such as: Epidemiological psychiatry, genetic study of affective disorders and schizophrenia, psycho-pharmacology, new diagnostic tools of ADHD:

• Treatment for clozapine-induced hypersalivation
• Comprehensive clinical and neurobiological characterization of a specific subtype of schizophrenia (Paranoid Type), and a search for effective pharmacotherapy.
• Clinical and epidemiological characteristic of patients with BMD and smoking and psychopharmacological and genetic research of depression disorder.
• Assessment of Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Polypeptide-Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (PACAP-BDNF) Signaling System Involvement in Etiology and Treatment of Major Depression.
• Clozapine fixed dose steady state plasma level and its relationship to the polymorphism of CYP1A2, CYP3A4, CYP3A5 and CYP2D6 in clinically stable schizophrenic adult patients.
• Development of a "Tool for the Objective assessment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder", in collaboration with Prof. Pinhasov - Department of Molecular Biology and Integrative Brain Science Center - Ariel (IBSCA), Ariel University of Samaria
• A pilot study testing the effects of TMS stimulation and neuro-affective, neuro-cognitive stimulation on depressed patients is currently in progress.

A feedback box is situated at the entrance to the ward, through which you can express your opinion.