Can child and adolescents psych be mixed on same unit?

[Shell5]

Does anyone know the legalities if children and adolescents can be on the same unit as long as their room is not right next door to the other just to save money.

Just curious because I know of a unit where the children and adolescents are together because the census is low a lot. Is this a legitimate reason?

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I don't think there are legalities against it, but it isn't a wise decision. I hope there is lots of staff monitoring things.

On the positive side, sometimes the olders will look out for the youngers...

[RN BSN 2009]

I've done clinicals at a large university teaching facility, and yes they were mixed

[RochesterRN-BSN, BSN, RN]

I am at a large university hospital in Rochester, NY and we actually had the units separated for years then they put them together and now once again they just separated them again. So it's legal. Does it work better separated? I think so. They do combine when census is low though--generally this is in the summer--no school and they are off on vacations and we don't see them---

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I worked on a unit for awhile where adolescent girls were together with geriatric patients. That did not work at all.

[Jules A, MSN]

I've been on a short term unit where young ones in the 5-7yo range were mixed with adolescents and was pleasantly surprised at how nurturing the girls were with the litle ones. You definitely do have to watch them closely though.

[Mr Ian]

As per my other post - mental health gets lumped into whatever suits operations and not common sense or clinical need.

[TsavarenaRN]

My facility keeps them on the same floor, adolescent girls on north wing, children age 5-12 on south wing. It does seem to pose more difficulties as there is only one elevator for all to share, one med window, 4 baths for showering, one nurse's station.

With a capacity of 20, we are allowed one RN, one LPN, and 4 Mental Health Techs. The kids and teen girls are not allowed to interact with each other at all, but the pinpoint planning that is required to keep them away from each other is extremely difficult as they all have to share the same facilities. One of the children called a depressed, suicidal, self mutilator, overweight teen girl 'big fatass cow'. Didnt' exactly brighten her day or mine. One of the teen girls ran down to the children's dayroom and flashed her boobs. I'm sure their parents would love to know that.

These types of incidences occur on a daily basis, although not always as extreme. Of course this is all documented and privaleges are taken away, doc is informed, nursing sup, and administration also; but the temptation to meddle with each other is always right there in their face. I feel like another staff memeber or two could help with this, but I just don't see it happening.

Getting to my point, it's a crappy set up and not as theraputic of an environment as these patients deserve. I really don't believe that it should be allowed at all.