[Social work in acute psychiatry].

The present study reports about social work during a 3 month period in a psychiatric intensive care unit. The activities of the social worker were documented and classified according a special key. 160 patients were admitted and diagnosed according to ICD 9 and ICD 10, in about 62% of these patients the social worker was involved. The analysis demonstrates that the social worker is more active in male patients and in patients with schizophrenic psychosis. This report points out the relevance of the social work in a psychiatric intensive care unit and the necessity of a good documentation of the social work efforts.