10 tips for increasing women’s safety

CrossCurrents

 

Women with histories of abuse were interviewed for a study published in the Canadian Journal of Nursing Research in 1999, and for an Australian report, Nowhere to Be Safe, by the Victorian Women and Mental Health Network, which examined traumatizing hospital practices and environments. Women cited 10 factors that increase their sense of safety on inpatient units:

1. Locate women’s and men’s bedrooms in separate corridors.

2. Have lockable bathroom and bedroom doors.

3. Have the option of a female staff available at night.

4. Provide more opportunities for communication and therapeutic contact with staff.

5. Allow a low light to be kept on at night.

6. Have staff available to speak with at night.

7. Be asked prior to admission what helps them feel safe.

8. Ensure that staff respect them, take them seriously, believe them, listen to them, and show genuine concern.

9. Be included in treatment planning so they feel they are being listened to.

10. Provide access to the television lounge or other communal space in the evening.

 

 

 

 

 

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