PSYCHIATRIC ISOLATION ROOMS

To date, there has been no survey concerning psychiatric isolation roo ms in France. We conducted a mail survey in 1993 involving all adult p sychiatric care catchment areas covering the French departments. The s urvey revealed an estimated number of 1560 isolation rooms. Isolation rooms were considered as absolutely necessary in all the departments b ut also as an unsatisfactory solution by one-third of them. Isolation rooms were usually small and poorly adapted to efficient patient surve illance. Furthermore, equipment was often inadequate, particularly for noise and fire protection. A serious accident (fire, suicide, escape) was reported by large number of departments. The rooms were used for agitated psychotic (84%) and psychopathic (16) people. Although reques ted by the physician, bur also in some cases by the patient, condition s of use and design of isolation rooms may be dangerous both for the p atient and the nursing staff Financial investment devoted to isolation rooms varies greatly and there is no specific control over the number of installation. Construction must comply with precise specifications defined in co-ordination with the experts involved.