Planned Hospitalization At Sheppard Pratt

[OneNightOwl333]

Nobody will speak to you?

That's kind of crazy!

I've been to programs where they spend lots of...

They have a woman who works in admissions who sends out very mixed messages. On one hand she will tell (me) the patient, that she will inform my psychiatrist of updates and I will hear the news from my psychiatrist but then she turns around and does the opposite. It's like don't call me but I can call you if I so desire.

My experience so far has been quite stressful and confusing. First she tells me and my psychiatrist I wouldn't be accepted based on "I didn't meet the criteria." Then two weeks ago I get a random phone call and she is asking me insurance information. Telling me the number wasn't correct. I gave her the info. and asked why did she need it and she answered I was accepted.

I said "you do realize this news is very overwhelming". And, to myself and doc's office said "what happened to them notifying my doctor first"?. I went on to explain to her I had a trip planned with my son who had taken the time off from work and would be back on the 29th since they said I wouldn't be accepted. She said no problem there are 6 patients ahead of you.

Much to my dismay she calls ME the next day saying they had a bed open for me that Saturday knowing I had just told her I would not be in town. I asked what happened and she said there were discharges and others on the list chose not to come. This was right after the hurricane that hit the east coast and I thought "well maybe this isn't standard protocol" and why the suddenness of departures and patients changing there mind. I asked her what would happen to my spot and she said she would move me down the list. But, if to much time went by I would have to get a new referral.

She did mention no oil. Because a patient could slip. I need an foam egg crate topper to go on the mattress because of my back and she say's "oh the doctor will order it once you get here" I had big doubts whether I'd see a doctor on a Saturday. Nothing is asked up front of anything that may be needed or required. The packet they send out gives little space for the referring psychiatrist to write details. All we get is this one woman who is not consistent. I have compassion that it has to be a very demanding job and I am sure she is doing her best but at the same time I'm a psychiatric patient coming from several states away worrying about details I shouldn't have to worry about. I am not sure I want to go now. So this is my two cents on my experience so far.

 

[EveHarrington]

They have a woman who works in admissions who sends out very mixed messages. On one hand she wil...

Damn they must be popular! All my treatments-----I got in right away or had my choice of start dates. Of course this was a few years ago so who knows, all those places may be really busy now too.

 

[Cannottakethis]

@OneNightOwl333 it really is confusing. When do you think you're going now?

@EveHarrington Ive never had to wait before either. It does make me think they're doing this for the patient and not for the money though.

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

@OneNightOwl333 What I can tell you is there is a lot of competition for the TDU beds, and others before you not following thru is not unusual, if you got a bed you should take it, and it is not usual to get turned down and then accepted. The admissions coordinator actually sites down during the regular treatment team meetings (all the doctors, and some other staff), and discusses prospective patients. They try to get everyone in, and often getting accepted later happens as they get more info.

 

[OneNightOwl333]

Damn they must be popular! All my treatments-----I got in right away or had my choice of start da...

That's my point. It was to fast after telling me I wasn't accepted. The six people on the list ahead of me declined and with the discharges it brought me straight to the top. This was very confusing since she had said 2 weeks prior I wasn't accepted. They need more than one admissions person handling this. It could operate a lot smoother.

 

[Cannottakethis]

The admissions woman told my T that they don't do any processing there, only safety, and since I'm already in a partial hospitalization program she's not sure they can help????
@coffeeandcats you said you did processing right? I'm totally freaking out. I don't think this woman knows anything about what goes on on the unit.

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

The admissions woman told my T that they don't do any processing there, only safety, and since I'm alrea...

@Shells Put this in perspective, there are two things they do mainly, keep you safe since with PTSD self harm is common, the other is guide you and teach how to cope with ptsd.

You see a therapist there 3 times a week, but there goal there is to help with what might be going at the moment, any therapy that goes towards long term therapy is best done after Discharge.

Here is the two questions that they will focus on.

Are you having problems with self harm?
Are you having flashbacks, intrusive thoughts and images that you can't cope with?

 

[Cannottakethis]

I haven't figured out the quoting thing.

I am not having problems with self harm.

I am ABSOLUTELY having flashbacks, intrusive thoughts and images that I can't cope with. I'm afraid to close my eyes bc the images are always there. I can't participate in mindfulness exercises where you sit in a chair,feet on the floor with your hands in your lap and eyes closed because I start flashing back immediately as my childhood abuser put me in that pose. I have flashbacks while I'm freaking driving. My life is a shadow of what it used to be. It was bad enough when I went on SSD I to try to help myself but I haven't been this symptomatic since I was 23 and I'm 47 years old. I walk around with my phone playing games or coloring or word searching till I pass out because I'm so afraid of letting my thoughts go off on their own. I keep making deadlines trying to be ok for different things...my husband's event, my stepson needing me, I think I have about another week or two before I absolutely lose my shit and get put into the regular psych hospital and then I'm dead in the water.

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

while self harm is one of the criteria used, you should still be able to get in if the flashbacks are so severe I had the same thing before i went in. And they taught me how to cope with the flashbacks, in fact I had one tonight, and I pulled out my frozen orange to keep me in the moment.

 

[EveHarrington]

"Safety" is a lot more than safe from harming ones self.

Didn't you say that driving was an issue?

That's a very clear safety issue------symptoms so bad that your well being is in danger.

 

[Cannottakethis]

I'm really reaching the end of my rope.
I called SP and talked to someone on the TDU. She was very nice and answered my questions and did reiterate that the program is more based on skills, and that processing is done with the therapist. At the other place I went to we had process group 4 mornings a week 2 hours each. I'm not sure what I need more of. I have stuff to process and I need skills that I'm not getting in my outpatient program.

And, as a side note, they don't have hair dryers? My hair takes 12 hours+ to dry. This should be interesting.

I'm starting my application to River Oaks in Louisiana tomorrrow. They're full right now, but think they'd be ready for someone in 1-2 weeks and they typically take 48 hours to decide. Since I've been there before I think that would help; sucks to have to fly there and be so far away from my husband for thanksgiving but I just want to feel better.

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

processing is long term, you need the skills they teach on the TDU right now, once you have them you should be able to process without it leading to a flashback that you can't handle.