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Published Online: March 1959

OPEN WARD POLICY AT ST. LAWRENCE STATE HOSPITAL

HERMAN B. SNOWAuthors Info & Affiliations

Publication: American Journal of Psychiatry

Volume 115, Number 9

https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.115.9.779

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Abstract

1. The open door mental hospital is not presented as anything new since the precedent for this type of administration occurred 75 to 100 years ago as can be found in many hospital records and in the proceedings the American Psychiatric Association.

2. The open ward is not presented as a new therapeutic panacea that will cure patients of their mental illness.

3. It restores to the patient his dignity and pride which a locked door and a key had removed from him.

4. It relieves the patient of symptoms and tensions which have been superimposed on his original mental illness because of locked doors, grates on the windows and any other type of restriction and restraining instruments.

5. Many of the patients develop a sense of responsibility and a renewed interest in life.

6. The open door affects every department in the hospital.

7. The success of this program depends upon the attitude of the director of the hospital and how this attitude is instilled and transmitted through the channels and accepted at the ward personnel level.

8. It is felt that the open door is a tremendous factor in a therapeutic program in that it reinforces every phase of the general program to help the patients either adjust better or become well enough to leave the hospital.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

American Journal of Psychiatry

Volume 115 • Number 9 • March 1959

Pages: 779 - 789

PubMed: 13627255

History

Published in print: March 1959

Published online: 1 April 2006

Authors

Details

HERMAN B. SNOW

Director, St. Lawrence State Hosp., Ogdensburg, N. Y.

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OPEN WARD POLICY AT ST. LAWRENCE STATE HOSPITAL

Abstract

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