Constant visual observation, often abbreviated to "constant visual", is a term used in various
Mental HealthMental health is a term used to describe either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life...
Services,
PrisonA prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Other terms are penitentiary, correctional facility, and jail , although in the United States "jail" and "prison" refer to different subtypes of correctional facility...
s and
Special SchoolA special school is a school catering to students who have special educational needs due to severe learning difficulties or physical disabilities. An alternative is a special classroom, also called a self-contained classroom, which is a separate room dedicated solely to the education of students...
s to describe the status of a prisoner or
patientA patient is any person who receives medical attention, care, or treatment. The person is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician or other health care professional, although one who is visiting a physician for a routine check-up may also be viewed as a patient.The word...
who poses a threat to himself or a third party, and must therefore be kept under constant observation.
There are essentially two levels of constant visual observations. The highest level, employed only for those patients who are considered to be extremely high risk to either themselves or a third party, involves a care worker remaining within arms reach of the service user at all times.
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Constant visual observation, often abbreviated to "constant visual", is a term used in various
Mental HealthMental health is a term used to describe either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life...
Services,
PrisonA prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Other terms are penitentiary, correctional facility, and jail , although in the United States "jail" and "prison" refer to different subtypes of correctional facility...
s and
Special SchoolA special school is a school catering to students who have special educational needs due to severe learning difficulties or physical disabilities. An alternative is a special classroom, also called a self-contained classroom, which is a separate room dedicated solely to the education of students...
s to describe the status of a prisoner or
patientA patient is any person who receives medical attention, care, or treatment. The person is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician or other health care professional, although one who is visiting a physician for a routine check-up may also be viewed as a patient.The word...
who poses a threat to himself or a third party, and must therefore be kept under constant observation.
There are essentially two levels of constant visual observations. The highest level, employed only for those patients who are considered to be extremely high risk to either themselves or a third party, involves a care worker remaining within arms reach of the service user at all times. The second level involves only maintaining a constant watch on a patient, sometimes from a distance.
Constant visual observations have been criticised by many service user groups.