Welcome

To
Inpatient
Psychiatry

Dear Valued Emory Healthcare Patient:

Welcome to the Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit.
Our mission is to provide our patients and families with the highest quality
care and service. The goal of treatment is to aid you and your family in
achieving and maintaining a higher function and quality of life.
Dealing with health care concerns is stressful for any patient and their
family, and we want your visit with us to be as productive as possible. The
guidelines that follow were developed to promote your mental health and
facilitate your independence.
It is vital for us to hear your thoughts about your care while you are here.
We look forward to receiving your opinion and feedback. We invite you to
partner with us to improve our care to you and your family, as well as future
patients and their families.
If you have any questions or concerns during your stay, please feel free to
contact me directly at 404-728-6915.
Margarete Brunache, RN
Unit Director
Psychiatry Services
Emory Wesley Woods Hospital

In-Patient Behavioral Health Units

Orientation Letter
We hope that your family members stay at Emory University Hospital at Wesley Woods meets your
expectations. We will do everything that we can to help you. There are a few basic guidelines listed
below to help us provide quality care and keep patients, visitors, and staff safe on the unit at all times.
Thank you in advance for following these guidelines.

Members of Your Health Care Team

The Emory inpatient behavioral health unit is a teaching facility for the Emory University School of
Medicine and the Emory University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. As a result of
this collaboration, the treatment team includes various members. You may ask any member of your
treatment team, including your Attending Physician, questions about your treatment plan.
By taking care of you and other patients, students and residents learn to be doctors and psychiatrists.
We are deeply appreciative of your participation in medical education.
Patient: You are the most important member of the team. We encourage you to ask questions and
express your needs. Your participation and cooperation is vital.
Your Family: With your permission your family may be included in treatment planning and discharge
planning decisions, and as a source of shared information important to your care.
The Attending Physician: The Attending Physician is a Medical Doctor (MD) and a board certified
psychiatrist. The Attending Physician supervises the medical care of patients.
Resident: The resident is an MD who is receiving specialized training in the field of Psychiatry. The
resident will be working closely with you and is supervised by The Attending Physician.
Medical Student: Medical students spend several weeks on the unit as part of their medical
education. The students also work with you under the supervision of the resident and The Attending
Physician

Registered Nurse: Your nurses keep you informed and serve as a link between you, your family, and
the other members of the team. The nurses provide the day to day care during your treatment, such
as medication administration, patient education, and group facilitation.
Nursing Technician/Patient Care Assistant: The nursing technicians assist you and support
independence in performing daily life tasks such as bathing, dressing, and tidying your room.
Mental Health Assistant: The mental health assistant provides education, support, coordinates
activities on the unit, facilitates therapeutic groups and may assist you in performing daily life tasks.
Nursing Student: Nursing students spend several weeks on the unit as part of their nursing
education. The students also work with you under the supervision of the Clinical Nursing Instructor
and Emory Wesley Woods Nursing leadership.
Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC): The CAC is available for assessments, interventions,
individual and group activities for addiction care and other therapeutic activities.

Care Coordinator: The Care Coordinator may be a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or Licensed
Professional Counselor. He/she addresses psychosocial needs, facilitates various groups, assists
with discharge planning and refers to community resources. You and your family may communicate
with him/her during the hospitalization.
Spiritual Care Advisors: Spiritual Health embraces the traditional religious care provided by
professional health care chaplains, but also expands beyond to include spiritual and cultural qualities
associated with whole person health. Rituals and prayers from particular faith traditions and active
listening continue to be important functions in responding to distress. Spiritual Health also
incorporates evidence-based interventions derived from a wide circle of spiritual practices such as
mindfulness and guided meditation, relaxation response, group, and individual sessions. Chaplains
provide spiritual health consultations that target symptoms and bring relief to affective behaviors that
impede health. Our role on the interdisciplinary team is critically integrated into Emory Healthcares
goal of caring for the whole person.
You will also meet housekeepers, transporters, lab technicians and pharmacists. Feel free to ask any
questions about how they contribute to your care.

Patient and Family Information and Guidelines

The goal of treatment is to aid you and your family in achieving and maintaining higher function and
quality of life. The information and guidelines listed below are designed to promote care and facilitate
your recovery and independence.
Treatment Plan: An individual plan of care is developed with you (and your guardian, if applicable)
focusing on problems and strengths to maximize treatment and promote health. The physician team
reviews the plan with you daily and asks for your input. Other members of the treatment team are
also familiar with your treatment plan and address specific issues within their professional practice.
If you do not want people to know you are a patient here, please inform the staff as soon as possible.
Visiting Hours and Guidelines: Visitation from family or friends is an important part of your care and
recovery. As patients are encouraged to participate in the therapeutic milieu of the unit, family and
friends may call 404-728-6222 to obtain information regarding visiting hours. No children under the
age of 16 may visit on the units at any time. This rule is for your childs safety. Adults must supervise
children at all times. You are responsible for giving all visitors the confidentiality code issued to
you during admission, or we cannot allow them to know you are here.
Gifts from Family/Friends:
Any packages that are brought to the unit for you need to be reviewed by staff before you receive
them. Your family may bring a single serving of food to you in a disposable container as long as the
food is agreeable with any special diet you are ordered. We serve only decaffeinated beverages here,
so no caffeinated drinks can be brought from home. For a complete list of items that cannot be
brought to the unit, please see the unit safety section at the end of this handbook.

Telephones are available

for your use during
free time.

Phone Use: We have two phones from which you can make
and receive calls. Personal cell phones are not used while in
treatment here. We will secure your cell phone with public
safety services, or you can arrange to have the phone sent
home. Please write down phone numbers that are stored in
your cell phone. The hospital telephone will be available for use
between the hours of 0900-1000, 1600-2000, and 2100-2200
(only outside of groups and other structured activities).

Telephone calls will be limited to 10 minutes.

A Word about Confidentiality:
You will be given a confidentiality code number at the time
of your admission. This code number helps us protect your
privacy while you are here and should be given to specific
family or friends you want to call or visit you while you are
here, and allows the staff to acknowledge that you are on
the unit. Otherwise staff will not disclose that you are a
patient here and will not honor the call.

Your confidentiality code

helps us protect your
privacy.

Please respect the privacy of other patients by not disclosing other patients treatment issues to
family, friends, or visitors.
Clothing: Because you will be participating in unit groups and activities during the day, you are asked
to dress in casual street clothes. Shoes, without laces, are required.
Valuables: We encourage valuables to be sent home when possible; alternatively, public safety will
secure valuables and return them to you at the time of
discharge. We do not have suitable space on the unit to store
Ask us to help you secure
your valuables, and we cannot be responsible if those items
are lost.
your valuables, or have

family take them home for

safekeeping.

Automobiles: Personal transportation is rarely needed while

hospitalized. Please notify us if you have parked your vehicle
on Emorys campus or in hospital parking.

Electrical Appliances: Small items such as hair dryers, and

electric razors, are allowed, if in good repair. Nursing staff will check these items for safety upon
admission. For additional safety, these items are labeled with the patients name and kept secure in
the multi-purpose room. You may ask to use them, and return immediately after use.
Personal Leisure Items: Reading materials and hobby items may be used during free time if they do
not pose a safety risk.
This is a non-smoking hospital. We have several smoking cessation tools available to assist you.

This is a non-smoking
hospital.

Medications: Medication given to you while here must be prescribed by the physician and dispensed
by the nursing staff at the scheduled times. Please ask questions if you have them you should know
the name, the actions, and any potential side effects of the medicines you are given. Medication
brought in at admission usually is returned to you, or may be disposed of at your doctors suggestion.
Groups: You are expected to attend all therapy and education groups. These groups are designed
with your goals in mind; they are based on the most up-do-date research about how to improve
symptoms and optimize health. You will be provided with a schedule of group therapies and there is a
schedule posted in the group therapy room.

Meals are served:

Breakfast: 8:00 am
Lunch: 12:00 pm
Dinner: 5:00pm

Meals: Meals are served to you in the common areas. We ask that
you are dressed in your street clothes at the breakfast meal. Pleasant
mealtimes are important on the unit and are times of socializing with
others. You will be asked to fill out food preference sheets each day,
one day in advance. Eating in your room is discouraged. Please do
not stash food in your room; this keeps our environment clean and
pest free.

You may be placed on a special diet depending on your health needs. The Food and Nutrition
Services staff will prepare your food according to this diet. If you have questions about your diet,
healthy eating or weight changes, please talk with staff; a dietitian consult might be ordered for you.
Free time activities: We encourage patients to socialize with others during free time. Please use the
common areas to socialize, and avoid potential conflicts by not visiting in each others room. We have
activity supplies available for you, or talk with the nursing staff about items you can bring from home.
Conduct: You are expected to conduct yourself in an appropriate manner while on the unit. Threats
of harm or fighting infringe on the rights of others and are taken seriously. Conflicts with peers should
be resolved with the assistance of staff if you are unable to resolve the situation.
You might make friends here with the other patients. We ask that you keep your relationship at the
friend level. We do not want anything interfering with your current treatment. The staff will observe all
the patients during the day and will make rounds at night, so that everyone can be safe and focused
on their treatment issues.
Environment: Emory Healthcare strives to provide surroundings that promote a caring environment
and quality treatment. You are asked to keep your room tidy and to make your own bed. Please pick
up after your activities in common areas. Housekeeping provides routine services such as cleaning
your restroom and emptying your trash can. Bed linens and towels are available upon request.
Please put your dirty linen in the proper receptacle.
Laundry: Washer/Dryer facilities are available.

UNIT SAFETY
Patient Safety - For Your Protection

In order to maintain a safe environment at all times, all potentially harmful items will be
removed from belongings upon admission or at any time during hospitalization when they
are brought to patients on the unit. Visitors will be greeted at the door and all bags and
other items will be searched at the nurses station before they are given to patients.
Potentially harmful items will be sent home or locked in a secure room on the unit until
discharge. These items include:
1. All medications including prescription and over-the-counter medications, eye drops, and
ointments.
2. Any item made from glass or with a blade or sharp point such as:
bottles nail clippers stick pins tweezers
metal utensils

craft tools metal nail files razors knitting needles metal combs
thumbtacks knives safety pins wire hangers scissors
3. Electronics or appliances with cords: cell phone, computer, i-pad, curling iron, hair dryer,
heating pad, and electric razor.
4. Other items that can be used for self-harm such as: cords, belts, shoe laces, ropes, dental
floss, yarn, guitar strings, metal soda cans/tabs, and plastic bags.
5. Any item containing alcohol, combustible fluids and all aerosol cans including: fragrances,
mouthwash, shaving lotion, hair products, cleaning products.
6. All illegal substances and weapons such as marijuana, cocaine, tobacco products, firearms,
and related items such as electronic cigarettes, matches, pipes, and lighters.
7. Any items not listed above that may present a potential hazard to others.

For safety purposes, please leave all of your valuables (except for car keys) in your vehicle.
No purses/handbags, computers, cell phones, or other valuable/potentially dangerous items
will be permitted on the unit. In accordance with HIPPA laws and to protect patient
confidentiality, no devices that can video, audio record, or photograph are permitted on the
unit by patients or visitors. If you have questions about a particular item, please ask a staff
member about the item prior to entering the unit. Thank you for your cooperation and your
assistance to maintain our safety at all times.