The series looked at violence and the use of restraints and isolation at Western State Hospital, the state’s chief psychiatric hospital. It also examined the use of a new generation of anti-psychotic drugs at the hospital, and their effects on patients.
Day one was devoted to the hospital’s attempts to reduce the use of restraints and isolation. While administrators were having success in both areas, it came at a price: increased attacks on staffers and increased injuries to staffers and patients. Another key finding was that despite the hospital administration’s oft-stated complaint that it was understaffed, staffing on a per-patient basis was actually up over past years and funding was at least keeping pace with patient population and inflation.
Day two looked at the use of new types of drugs, including new-generation anti-depressants and anti-psychotics. These drugs, according to recent studies, can increase the level of restlessness and agitation among patients, a phenomenon known as akathisia. Akathisia, in turn can lead to increased violent behavior in many patients. At the same time, we documented increasing numbers of visits of drug company sales representatives attempting to sell the new-generation drugs.