Stay in the mental health unit

The in-patient services of our Mental Health Program are provided in pleasant, respectful and safe surroundings. Our professionals deliver specialized care centred on the patient’s needs in order to optimize their recovery. Their mission is to deliver short-term or extended care that includes the following components:

• a mental status assessment that leads to a diagnosis;
• patient treatment, support, rehabilitation and social integration;
• participation in developing a treatment plan and in discharge planning. These activities foster engagement by family members and community partners in ensuring the continuity of care.

A dynamic inter-disciplinary team

To provide assessment and overall treatment services, our in-patient services team includes various health professionals:

• psychiatrists
• clinical manager
• nurses
• nurse practitioners
• social workers
• occupational therapists
• physiotherapists
• recreation coordinator
• patient service associates
• administrative assistant

To ensure the quality of health care, we provide other specialized services by request, such as pharmacy, nutrition and medical consultation services.

Asking for help with your mental health can be stressful. This is why we would like to offer you a little tour of the hospital before you come and spend some time with us. With this video, you can familiarize yourself with our in-patient services in mental health and our recovery-oriented approach, and get a sense of what to expect during your stay at Montfort.

Description

Our department includes a number of beds divided among different areas related to the needs required by our clientele:

• intensive care
• short-term care
• gerontopsychiatry and specialized care requiring extended hospitalizations

Our in-patient services are now provided in renovated premises. These new surroundings are a reflection of our values: respect, compassion, excellence and engagement. They include private and semi-private rooms. Each area also has its own dining room, lounge and activity room.

Workplace violence prevention policy

We are committed to maintaining a healthy, respectful and safe environment for everyone. We have therefore instituted a policy designed to prevent violence in the workplace while encouraging a zero-tolerance approach to violence and harassment. Accordingly, no physical, verbal or psychological abuse and no harassment or discrimination will be tolerated.

Meals and snacks

Our Food Services offer meals and snacks at scheduled times. Patients with special dietary requirements (diabetes, food allergies, etc.) must inform staff.

Passes

Unless otherwise specified, patients are permitted to leave the building during their hospitalization according to a pre-determined schedule and patient privileges. Any other pass must be authorized by the physician.

Smoking

Our patient care unit has created a smoking cessation program to encourage patients to quit smoking. Incidentally, smoking inside the hospital is strictly prohibited. Smoking is permitted outside at designated locations only, according to the pass schedule and patient privileges. We hand out lighters and matches to patients as they leave the unit. However, patients must return these items to nursing staff on re-entering the unit.

Anyone who violates the rules pertaining to designated smoking areas may be fined.

Visiting hours

Visits are permitted at any time. In order to promote recovery or convalescence, certain restrictions may apply. The patient also has the option of restricting visiting hours during their stay in order to rest.

In addition, it is important that visitors respect the quiet hours between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

Duration of your stay

On average, patients remain hospitalized in the patient care unit for two weeks. However, this time can vary according to the patient’s mental health status, treatment plan, discharge plan and the availability of community resources.

Discharge from the hospital 

Patients participate in the development of their discharge plan during their hospitalization. This plan includes resources that will help the patients continue to recover in the community.

To foster continuity of care, our staff takes care to arrange the next appointment with out-patient or community services. We also contact the physician or health care team working with the patient to keep them informed about the progress of the hospitalization and the required follow-up.

On discharge day, we ask patients to vacate their room by 10 a.m.

Transitional Dicharge Model (TDM)

The Transitional Discharge Model (TDM) is a two-year research project partially funded by the Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario (CAHO) that aims to improve the patient’s transition from hospital to community.

This innovative, patient-centered, evidence-based approach will allow us to create a safety net around the patients leaving the in-patient services through two components:

1. Continued clinical staff support from a new transition team from the Montfort ambulatory care services until a community care provider can provide services to the patient;
2. Continued non clinical peer support from volunteers of Psychiatric Survivors of Ottawa (PSO), our community partner in this initiative.

Evidence indicates that TDM can help reduce the length of stay, the readmission rates, the number of emergency room visits and improve the quality of patient care for people diagnosed with a mental illness.

During admission on the in-patient services, the interdisciplinary team sends a referral to the Mental Health Program out-patient service’s transition team and to the PSO’s peer support coordinator if the patient requires and accepts these services.

Your opinion matters to us

We care deeply about the opinions of patients and their family members. Your comments will help us improve our care and services. Our patient care unit has established the Écho‑Action group. Patients are asked to participate by submitting their comments about the care they received during their hospitalization. On the day of discharge, we also ask patients to complete a survey before leaving.

Contact

To contact our patient care unit, dial 613-746‑4621, extension 3937. For admission to the unit, patients must report to the emergency department and consult a physician.