June 1, 2020

Emergency psychiatry during COVID-19

"The reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic in the comprehensive psychiatric emergency program (CPEP) began insidiously, with an initial sense of unease. Patients are brought into CPEP when they pose a danger to themselves or others. Often they are brought...

"The reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic in the comprehensive psychiatric emergency program (CPEP) began insidiously, with an initial sense of unease. Patients are brought into CPEP when they pose a danger to themselves or others. Often they are brought by police, but occasionally they come on their own or with concerned family members. CPEP is a locked unit, separated via locked double doors that require a valid ID badge to pass. It is its own world, walled off from the rest of the hospital, and is a place where overwhelmed patients tell their stories and seek help."

Ruchi Vikas is a psychiatry resident.

She shares her story and discusses her KevinMD article, "Emergency psychiatry during COVID-19." (https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/05/emergency-psychiatry-during-covid-19.html)