Nursing care in a combined adolescent medical-psychiatric unit.

In spite of the problems we have encountered in combining adolescent medical and psychiatric patients, we have found this to be a workable model. In summary, several areas are important in making this model functional: staff interest in both medical and psychiatric patients, in-service programs particularly in psychiatry, and open communication between health care givers. Certainly one of the most positive aspects of this unit is that it provides an environment which allows for easier adjustment to the community after hospitalization. Avoidance of such terms as "mental hospital," "crazy person" is less traumatic to the adolescent patient and his family.