Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Odense
2015-2016
A homely and de-escalating environment
A homely and de-escalating environment can stimulate relationships, collaboration, and community, leading to greater security and preventing the use of coercion. This is the conclusion from the ‘Heart Space Project’ in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Odense.
In the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Odense, it has been possible to establish shared spaces for patients and relatives, creating a homely environment with mood-setting light and sound from the Wavecare sensory room. All of this supports patients’ need for presence, security, and gives them a sense of participating in the community. It minimizes the risk of conflicts, reduces the use of coercion, and increases interaction between staff and patients.
The project is a development initiative carried out in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Odense from May 2015 to September 2016. It is an implementation of the Regional Council’s initiative ‘Light in Psychiatry’ and part of the partnership agreements in Psychiatry to prevent conflict situations and reduce the use of coercion. The users and staff themselves have been involved in the design process.
The film is in Danish:
In the evaluation of the ‘Heart Space Project’ from the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Odense, it is evident that the project has largely fulfilled the success criterion of strengthening the patient community and spontaneous interaction. Patients feel more at home and feel seen and heard by the staff.
One of the reasons for the success is that the staff themselves have moved into the heart space instead of sitting in an isolated office. The heart space has thus become a magnet for patients and colleagues, providing a completely new gathering point that strengthens the sense of community and makes it natural for the staff to engage with patients in a more equal way.
“A community space with presence and togetherness has been created, much like we all know it from the kitchen and living area at home, where you can be together and also be alone together,” explains Project Manager Dorte Dalkjær to Syddansk Health Innovation.
“A community space with presence and togetherness, as we all know it from the kitchen and living area at home.”
Dorte Dalkjær, Project Manager
The ‘Heart Space Project’ consists of four focus areas, where a culture and interior design concept has been developed with zone-based layouts and informal environments. Wavecare has been behind the development of mood-setting technology with sound, light, and film, which has a calming effect on the patients.
Wavecare has been behind the development of mood-setting technology with sound, light, and film, which has a calming effect on the patients.
Moreover there is a focus area on new workflows with workstations in shared environments, and a focus area on visual guidance (wayfinding) that optimizes the use of various functions.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Odense treats children and young people aged 0-19 years. The department has 22 inpatient beds and is the only child and adolescent psychiatric department on Funen. Organizationally, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Odense is part of Psychiatry in the Region of Southern Denmark.
‘he Heart Space Project’ concluded that a homely and de-escalating environment can stimulate relationships, collaboration, and community, leading to greater security and preventing the use of coercion.
The evaluation also shows that the results are not achieved solely through the establishment of lighting concepts and interior design, but require persistent and inclusive leadership focus.
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