To the Suggestion Box

The facility at which I am employed has a wide range of psychological pathologies. Among these are numerous girls with eating disorders - ranging from disordered eating to full blown Anorexia Nervosa. In my opinion, the facility is not equipped to adequately handle or treat clients with eating disorders. I've heard SO many staff express frustration, "why won't they just eat?! It's not that hard!".

I understand with the economy they are accepting clients from anywhere in order to stay afloat. It's frustrating as a staff member however (especially having been through treatment for my own eating disorder) to see the inadequacy of the treatment for these clients.

I was speaking to a co-worker about this frustration, and we came up with the idea of an eating disorder unit within the facility. There is an open unit (that is traditionally used for transitional housing, but has not been used in quite some time). There are plenty of girls on campus who would qualify to live in this unit, and then the facility could advertise and accept more clients with these diagnoses.

They would have to hire special staff - therapists for treatment, and staff qualified to administer food through nasogastric tubes. Paramedics are qualified to do this, and I would love to work in an eating disorders unit (I think...). It would have financial impact upfront, but I think long term it would be a financially smart move.