On the Nyman unit, our patients typically range from 8 to 17 years of age. We provide multidisciplinary treatment of youth with diverse needs including psychiatric, developmental, psychological, familial, social and physical health needs. We employ a patient- and family-centered approach with treatment planning that is routinely updated and informed in collaboration with patients and their families.
On the day of admission, our priority is assuring that you and your child have a safe and comfortable transition onto the unit. Typically, you will be asked to return the following day to attend a formal admission meeting. This formal meeting provides the opportunity for you, your child and the psychiatric treatment team to meet each other and discuss your child’s specific symptoms, past care experiences, current needs and future goals. This collaborative meeting is a critical step as we rely on the information you and your child provide to help design an appropriate treatment plan.
The Nyman unit is also an academic unit, meaning that students and trainees may spend time on the unit observing or caring for youth, which enriches the support to youth but also sets the Nyman Unit apart as a leader in educating future generations of mental health care providers and staff.
Your Child's Day
Daily Schedule
How will your child spend the day? While in the hospital, your child will take part in many scheduled activities and programming designed by our staff to support safety, coping, interpersonal communication, emotional identification, behavioral regulation, healthy dietary, sleep and physical activity habits, as well as education relating to mental health concerns and their treatment. Many individual and group therapy activities relate to evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Dialectal Behavioral Therapy (DBT) skills and interventions.
Daily routines provide our patients with a sense of structure and familiarity that can help put them at ease and aid in their recovery. They may also benefit from the company and support of other young patients who are going through similar experiences.
Meals
Meals are served according to the schedule outlined above and snacks are provided and available during the day and at bedtime. Families may bring in food for their child, but all items must be checked in with staff upon arrival. Glass containers and cans are not allowed because they are unsafe. We respect any potential allergies, medical dietary requirements or religious dietary requirements on the unit. Please note, we are not a nut-free environment so if your child has a nut allergy, please notify our team early in your child’s stay.
Family Presence and Visitation
You and your child’s nurse will develop a list of approved visitors for your child’s admission. To preserve the privacy of all patients, friends are not allowed to visit on the unit.
Family members are welcome to visit the unit at any time. Siblings under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. As much of your child’s day is spent in scheduled group activities or in meetings with the psychiatric team that are important for recovery, we do ask that you wait to meet with your child outside of any scheduled group time or when you child is meeting with the psychiatrist. Please check with the staff if you are unsure when your child will be involved in group activities.
Families often find that these are generally the best times to visit:
- Monday - Friday: 5 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Sunday and holidays: 9 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Telephones
Although your child is not permitted to have a cell phone or other devices that can connect to the internet, telephones are available for patient use throughout the day when patients are not involved in scheduled activities.
To speak with your child during the hours above, please dial the patient hall numbers or call the nursing station and ask to be connected to your child. Please note that these phones are turned off during scheduled activities, appointment times, groups and meals. If you are unable to reach your child through the hall phones, or if you need to reach your child urgently, please dial the nursing station at any time.
We believe in safe use of the internet on our inpatient psychiatry unit. Your child will have limited access to the internet so that we may support these safe practices recognizing that use of the internet is a common part of all our lives. If there are any concerns about the safe use of internet while your child is on the unit, please notify your child’s nurse or physician who can address those concerns.
What to Bring
- Health insurance cards or documentation that includes the insurance company name and policy number
- Copies of any pertinent mental health, physical or psychological records or assessments.
- Picture identification
- Please bring 3-4 days' supply of clothing. Belts, strings and cords (including pants/shirts with drawstrings) are not permitted on the unit. Washers and dryers are available on the unit.
- Bring bathroom supplies in plastic containers only.
- You may bring your own pillow and blanket.
- A list of over the counter and prescription medications the patient has recently, or is currently, taking. Be sure to include the medication names, dosage amounts, and number of times taken.
- A phone card to use when making long-distance calls.
- Comfortable bed clothes, a robe and slippers with non-skid soles. Because rooms have limited storage space and there are laundry facilities on-site, we ask that you limit the amount of clothing to only what is necessary.
- Your child's favorite toy, book, blanket or other special comfort item. A familiar stuffed animal, for example, may help your child feel less anxious.
- Please feel free to bring any toiletry items from home that would make you or your child more comfortable. There are basic toiletries available, if needed.
Please leave valuables (i.e., jewelry, large sums of money) at home. Also, no personal electronics are allowed on the unit. The hospital may not assume responsibility for valuables that are lost or misplaced. If you must bring any of these items, we ask that you place them in the hospital safe for the duration of your stay. Credit cards should be secured on your person at all times.
Psychiatric Emergency Services
University of Michigan Health Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES) provides emergency/urgent walk-in evaluation and crisis phone services available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for people of all ages. PES services are offered in University Hospital adjacent to the Adult Emergency Service (AES). We offer psychiatric evaluation, treatment recommendations, safety planning and crisis intervention for individuals coming to PES, as well as brief crisis services via phone (734-936-5900 or 734-996-4747). PES assessment may also result in recommendations for inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, partial hospitalization services, intensive outpatient services, ambulatory care or other community-based mental health and substance use treatment referral.