Patient Populations: Adult patients with acute medical illness in conjunction with an acute psychiatric disorder. The medical diagnosis of our patients is of great variety.

The population includes essentially any adult patient with an acute medical illness - may possibly be patients similar to patients on the medicine floor, with renal failure, diabetes, infectious disease, gastrointestinal disease; a neurology patient with seizures, headaches; a neurosurgery patient with a brain injury; a orthopedic patient post surgery; a general surgery patient; an oncology patient; an OB patient; or patients from MICU and SICU with suicide attempts.

As well as this medical illness, the patients have a psychiatric component. This includes, bur not limited to, major depressive disorders, personality disorders, substance abuse withdrawal, schizophrenia, eating disorders, bipolar disorders, psychosis, and delirium.

Normally, we have no 2 patients with the same diagnosis. The average age of our patients is approximately 45 years.

Unit Information: Our unit was one of the first medicine psychiatry units opened, and are the only med psych unit in the state of Iowa. We continue to be a resource for other medicine psychiatry units throughout the country.

The staff on this unit is very engaged in the operations of the unit, and 89% of the RN staff is involved in a unit, divisional or departmental committees.

We utilize self scheduling and have flexible hours according to staff preferences.

The RNs are assigned specific patients (not more than 6), and the nursing assistants assist with the cares and treatment of the patients. The team is expanded to include the multidisciplinary team of physicians, social work, occupational therapy, physical therapy, activities therapy, pet therapy, music therapy and nutrition services.

Location: 4th Floor, General Hospital