CLSHPIRN

This area is staffed only by therapists. Patients are accounted for every 15 minutes (at the beginning of group, mid-group, and before group dismisses) and the bathrooms are informally monitored - but no official q 15 minute checks. Unfortunately the ligature points have not been eliminated. The patients on the treatment mall are usually higher level and we have had no incidents of attempted self harm in these bathrooms. Despite this, the potential for self harm remains a huge concern - as well as concerns about patient to patient sexual activity/rape/etc.

I apologize if there is another thread about this subject, but I've only been able to find one other post. I work in a small (120 bed) state-run psychiatric hospital. We provide intermediate care to primarily involuntarily/judicially committed patients with an average LOS of ~60-180 days. Our patient units and therapy areas are secure (locked). This is the question: How do similair facilities deal with patient safety in bathrooms? On the patient living units, our bathrooms are typically left unlocked but monitored by Nursing staff. During the day, most of our patients leave the living units and spend the day at another building called the therapy mall. On one side of this mall, groups are provided by Nursing staff, and the bathroom is left unlocked but patient use is monitored by Nursing staff. On the other side of the mall, groups are provided by Activity Therapists. On this side however, the bathrooms are left open, but there is no staff to monitor patient flow. Do similar facilities typically leave bathrooms unlocked? If so, how do you mitigate the associated risk - especially in light of NPSG 15.01.01? Thanks in advance for any comments!