Acute Inpatient Psychiatry Unit (AIPU)

The Acute Inpatient Psychiatry Unit (AIPU) unit provides high-intensity, acute psychiatric services 24 hours a day for individuals in acute psychiatric distress and who are 18 years of age and older experiencing acute psychiatric symptoms and/or at risk of harm to self or others. The core of the program is psychiatric consultation and assessment, supported by nursing, psychology, social work, concurrent disorders, occupational therapy, and recreational therapy services. This service, offered in Nipissing, Temiskaming and the Northern portions of Muskoka-Parry Sound, treats a range of individuals in acute distress or psychiatric crisis with the aim of controlling symptoms and restoring patients’ ability to function. Key means of treatment include pharmacological treatment, skill and knowledge building, and supportive, patient-focused discharge planning.

Admission Criteria and Referral Process

Patients can be admitted to the AIPU through the on-call psychiatrist, the Emergency Department (a.m.) psychiatrist, the Consult-Liaison psychiatrist or, after hours, through the duty-doctor. The admitting doctor notifies Bed Allocation which informs unit lead of admission.

AIPU does not accept patients who are: acutely medically ill; acutely intoxicated; or who have a diagnosis of dementia and/or delirium.