Behavioral Health Inpatient Polices
Patient searches
Safety scans
Visitation privileges
Patient searches
The Patient Searches Policy offers a consistent, standardized process for searching patients, belongings and personal room spaces. All patients admitted to the Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit and the Inpatient Withdrawal Unit will be searched to keep patients and staff safe from harm to self or others.
BCH staff will also perform searches throughout a patient’s stay on the Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit and when aseclusion/restraint episode occurs to ensure patient, staff and unit safety. The search procedure will be conducted as soon as possible to mitigate potential safety risks.
Potentially dangerous items
Any items that are glass, metal or sharp are considered potentially dangerous items (PDIs). The following is a list of additional items determined to be potentially dangerous. These items are not allowed on the unit and will be inventoried by staff, documented in patient’s electronic health record (EHR) and stored in the patient’s locker.
Weapons, sharps and toxic or flammable items
- Chewing tobacco, cigarettes, vapes, e-cigarettes and pipes
- Flammable or other questionable chemical agents (aerosol containers)
- Keys
- Lighters and matches
- Plastic and garbage bags
- Ropes, cords and lengths of twine
- Scissors
- Tools of any kind (pocketknives, multi-tools, etc.)
- Weapons (knives, firearms, etc.)
Personal clothing and jewelry
- Jewelry will be evaluated for potential patient safety concerns and may be restricted
- Necklaces and chains
- Belts and suspenders
- Large buckles or decorative elements on clothing
- Bandanas and scarves
- Wraps or long pieces of fabric (except culturally/religious clothing and or/accessories)
- Panty hose
- Bras with underwire or removable straps
- Tall socks (patients must wear ankle (or shorter) socks)
- Steel toe, heavy-heeled boots or shoes
- Drawstrings or strings in any clothing items
- Strings, ribbon, twine, ropes and shoelaces
- Razor blades and shaving razors
- Wire hangers
Personal hygiene
- Bobby pins
- Hair ties and clips
- Barrettes
- Headbands
- Products containing alcohol (mouthwash, aftershave, cologne or cosmetics)
- Aerosol sprays and shaving cream
- Metal nail files, clippers, scissors and tweezers
- Rattail combs, picks, hairbrushes and makeup brushes
- Glass mirrors
- Safety pins and needles
Personal hygiene items may be allowed to be checked out at the discretion of Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit staff, based on current behavior plan goals, privilege/precautions levels and compliance with proper check-out procedures. For example: nail clippers, razors or dental floss.
Personal items and linens
- Protected Health Information (PHI) personal items (i.e. driver’s license, social security card or insurance card)
- Blankets or bedsheets from home or other facilities
- Pillows
- Stuffed animals
Medical equipment and medications
- Medications - including OTC medications, ointments, herbs and vitamins
- Canes
- ACE bandages or long wrap-around bandages without a provider’s order
- Drug paraphernalia
Books, religious items and leisure objects
- Books with string bookmarks
- Spiral notebooks
- Markers, pens and pencils
- Pencil sharpeners
- Paper clips
- Staples
- Craft items
- Art supplies such as models, metal/plastic supplies, paint brushes and markers
Electronics
- Electronic devices (besides cell phone) i.e. hair dryers, laptops, electronic games, razors
- Electric appliances
- Headphones (including wireless headphones)
- Items containing batteries/cords
- Charging cords
- Batteries
Food and beverages
- Aluminum foil
- Caffeinated beverages
- Metal cans
- Porcelain or ceramic items
- Soda (cans, plastic or glass)
- Personal cups, bowls, plates or Tupperware
- Plastic and metal flatware
- Plastic containers (i.e. yogurt, applesauce, etc.)
Safety scans
A Safety Scanning Procedure Policy is in effect to scan a patient via a hand-held metal detector for any unknown objects.
All patients on a M1 hold, both being transferred from Foothills Hospital’s Emergency Department to other BCH Units or to the Behavioral Health Unit at Della Cava Family Medical Pavilion, will be scanned. This also applies to voluntary patients being transferred from Foothills Hospital’s Emergency Department to the Behavioral Health Unit at Della Cava Family Medical Pavilion.
If a patient is transferred from another facility to BCH’s Behavioral Health Unit, a security officer will scan the patient as part of the unit’s intake process.
Visitation privileges
- Visitors must be 12 years of age and older and supervised at all times.
- Visitors will be taken onto the unit at the top of the visiting time hour and 30-minute increments.
- Inpatient unit policy limits the number of visitors for each patient to two individuals at a time.
- Visitors will be screened and logged by inpatient unit staff for potentially dangerous items.
Visitation hours
- Monday-Friday: 5-6 p.m.
- Saturday & Sunday: 1-2 p.m.
Patients can reserve the right to decline visitors. Staff will check with each patient prior to allowing visitation.