A woman is standing alone in a padded cell with her arms out Wellcome V0041242

A padded cell or seclusion room is a controversial enclosure used in a

psychiatric hospital A psychiatric hospital, also known as a mental health hospital, a behavioral health hospital, or an asylum is a specialized medical facility that focuses on the treatment of severe Mental disorder, mental disorders. These institutions cater t ...

or a

special education Special education (also known as special-needs education, aided education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, and SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates their individual di ...

setting in a private or public school, in which there are cushions lining the walls and sometimes has a cushioned floor as well. The padding is an attempt to prevent patients from hurting themselves by hitting their head (or other body parts) on the hard surface of the walls. In most cases, an individual's placement in a padded cell is involuntary. Other names used are ''rubber room'', ''padded room'', ''time-out room'', ''calming room'', ''quiet room'', or ''personal safety room''.

Use

The length of time patients are kept in a padded cell varies greatly. Some patients remained locked in a padded cell for several days. A patient might also be made to wear a

straitjacket A straitjacket is a garment shaped like a jacket with long sleeves that surpass the tips of the wearer's fingers. Its most typical use is restraining people who may cause harm to themselves or others. Once the wearer's arms are in the sleeves, ...

if they are considered at risk of

self-harm Self-harm refers to intentional behaviors that cause harm to oneself. This is most commonly regarded as direct injury of one's own skin tissues, usually without suicidal intention. Other terms such as cutting, self-abuse, self-injury, and s ...

. The use of padded cells and straitjackets declined drastically following the introduction of psychotropic drugs in the 1950s. Personal Safety Rooms are still used throughout the world and can be beneficial in providing a safe environment for not only occupants but also staff, and can prevent work-related injuries in the facilities. A reconstructed padded cell is maintained at the Mental Health Museum, Fieldhead Hospital, Wakefield, UK.

Current practice

In the UK, seclusion is defined by the Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice as: "the supervised confinement of a patient in a room, which may be locked. Its sole aim is to contain severely disturbed behavior that is likely to cause harm to others." The Code of Practice (paragraph 26.109) says that a seclusion room should only be used for that purpose and should have the following features as summarized in the guide published by the

Care Quality Commission The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is an executive non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care of the United Kingdom. It was established in 2009 to regulate and inspect health and social care providers in England. It ...

: *"Allow for communication with the patient when the patient is in the room and the door is locked, for example, via an intercom" *"Include limited furnishings, which should include a bed, pillow, mattress and blanket or covering" *"Have no apparent safety hazards" *"Have robust, reinforced window(s) that provide natural light (where possible the window should be positioned to enable a view outside)" *"Have externally controlled lighting, including a main light and subdued lighting for night time" *"Have robust door(s) which open outwards" *"Have externally controlled heating and/or air conditioning, which enables those observing the patient to monitor the room temperature" *"Have no blind spots and alternate viewing panels should be available where required" *"Always have a clock visible to the patient from within the room" *"Have access to toilet and washing facilities"

Criticism of seclusion and use of seclusion rooms

Many have said that the use of seclusion causes more harm than good. There is evidence that seclusion rooms and padded cells are used as punishment for minor behavioral problems in public schools and special education programs. There have also been cases of students being locked in seclusion rooms only to be found covered in blood later.

References

External links

TheTimeChamber
- History and photographs of Padded Cells in Great Britain

an

photos in abandoned hospitals Psychiatric restraint Rooms Psychiatric hospitals Special education in the United States {{psych-stub

Use

Current practice

Criticism of seclusion and use of seclusion rooms

See also

References

External links