Deprivation of Liberty in Psychiatric Treatment: a Finnish perspective

This article is concerned with the deprivation of patients’ liberty while undergoing psychiatric treatment, with special reference to the situation in Finland. It is based on a review of Finnish law, health care statistics, and empirical and theoretical studies. Relevant research findings from other...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Välimäki, Maritta (Author) ; Taipale, Johanna (Author) ; Kaltiala-Heino, Riittakerttu (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage 2001
In: Nursing ethics
Year: 2001, Volume: 8, Issue: 6, Pages: 522-532
Further subjects:B Deprivation
B psychiatric nursing
B Liberty
B patients’ rights
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:This article is concerned with the deprivation of patients’ liberty while undergoing psychiatric treatment, with special reference to the situation in Finland. It is based on a review of Finnish law, health care statistics, and empirical and theoretical studies. Relevant research findings from other countries are also discussed. In Finland, it is required that patients are cared for by mutual understanding with themselves; coercive measures may be applied only if they are necessary for the treatment of the illness, or for safeguarding patients’ safety or the safety of others. Involuntary psychiatric hospitalization is closely regulated by the Mental Health Act. However, the rules concerning the deprivation of liberty during inpatient treatment (by seclusion, restraint and restricted leave) are formulated in very general terms. Therefore, Finnish psychiatric hospitals have their own policies concerning when and how seclusion may be used. The practice of seclusion and the use of restraint therefore vary among the psychiatric hospitals in Finland.
ISSN:1477-0989
Contains:Enthalten in: Nursing ethics
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/096973300100800606