Should Patients' Boredom in Locked Inpatient Psychiatric Units Be Considered Iatrogenic Harm?

Abstract

Patients often report experiencing boredom during inpatient psychiatry stays. Because patients' vulnerabilities and conditions can be exacerbated when they feel bored, this article considers ethical dimensions of inpatient units' designs that limit patients' autonomy or access to activities or interactions with others. This commentary on a case also considers whether and how boredom should be considered an iatrogenic harm and influence discharge planning.