ABSTRACT
In this paper we discuss admission procedure to the COVID-19 quarantine department of a psychiatric hospital on the example of a patient diagnosed with paranoid syndrome. We also present hospital admission criteria set out by the Ministry of Health, recommended procedures during inpatient treatment and discharge a patient from the hospital. Special attention is given to the fact that referral of a patient who does not meet the above criteria may cause unneeded stress related to transport and refusal of admission. Careful planning of referrals may help avoid unnecessary costs associated with the use of protective gear by all persons who come into contact with such a patient at every stage of his stay in the hospital. We believe that in a context where any timeframe of the current epidemic in Poland remains unknown, familiarity and observance of the recommendations set out by the Ministry of Health is of particular importance. © 2021 Polish Psychiatric Association. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
This article presents guidelines for the management of a psychiatric patient infected with COVID-19. The Polish Psychiatric Association provides recommendations and tips, including guidelines from other countries regarding the treatment of psychiatric patients during the epidemic time. In Poland, patients requiring psychiatric hospitalization have been treated in centers appointed by the government. In the West Pomerania region such center is the Department of Psychiatry of Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. Psychiatric wards have been transformed and adapted to the profile of infected or potentially infected patients who have been quarantined. We present the case of the patient with an affective disorder who was hospitalized on the local infectious ward, the possible difficulties associated with drug interactions between psychiatric drugs and those used to treat COVID-19 infection. © Copyright 2020 Via Medica.