BOURNEWOOD HOSPITAL PHILOSOPHY STATEMENT
Trauma-informed treatment is the foundation of all our services and programs. That’s why, at Bournewood Health Systems we are committed to a trauma-informed and person-centered treatment philosophy in which we strive to mitigate conflict in the treatment milieu for the safety of patients, families, and staff.
We are dedicated to providing the kind of support necessary to enable each person to meet their wellness and recovery goals. The leadership and staff understand that many of those served by the hospital have experienced trauma during their lifetime – trauma which often leaves lasting emotional hardship. It is our intention to prevent the use of any potentially re-traumatizing practices, especially the use of restraint and/or seclusion, and to make the hospital as emotionally and physically safe as possible. For this reason, we are determined to provide a range of tools and alternatives to assist patients in managing their behavior and emotions and avoid the need for external physical control.
We are proud of our well-trained staff that collaborate, provide choice, and are excellent at de-escalation. We are also proud of our highly skilled rehabilitation department that enables us to provide an array of sensory strategies. They have taught the Bournewood community about the importance of sensory interventions and how to best use them to help our clients decrease stress, anxiety, and agitation and integrate techniques for self-regulation and self-control.
As part of our practice we provide trauma-informed care from the beginning of hospitalization in the form of a Personal Safety Plan. This includes asking people upon admission about triggers that might cause them to become upset, warning signs that are often physical signs of impending distress, and strategies to help the person identify coping skills and avoid escalation to the point of crisis. It is our intention to provide the earliest interventions possible tailored to each unique individual. Having this information from the time of admission will help us meet this goal.