Record series
Observation Ward Report Books: Male Patients
VPRS 18101
1906 - 1947
Open
North Melbourne
Agencies
This record series was created by:
Agencies responsible for this record series: Department of Health and Human Services ( VA 5037 ): 2015 - present
Date Range
Series date range: 1906 - 1947
Series in custody:
1906 - 1947
Contents in custody:
1906 - 1947
Function / Content
This series consist of books that were used to record the regular inspection of male patients who had been placed under observation at the Beechworth Hospital for the Insane (1905 - 1934) and Beechworth Mental Hospital (1934 -1947) (VA 2842).These patients were those commonly suffering from epilepsy or were suicidal and required hourly checks by nurses. The range of patients under observation expanded later to include escapees and the very ill. The observation ward rounds were undertaken on all wards in which the patients requiring observation were located. They occurred during the night typically between 9:00pm and 6:00am. Not every hour is completed however at the change-over inspection, from night to day shift, at six o'clock is always completed.
The volumes record:
- Patient name
- Ward number
- Reason for observation (e.g. suicidal or epileptic)
- Condition (awake or asleep) at each hourly inspection
- Further remarks concerning the patients; state of sleep, nourishment, medications, destructive behaviour, temperature and any other observations.
- Signatures of night attendant, observation staff and day attendant for each shift. It appears that a number of staff carried out the observation rounds with each member signing the register after making their observation entries.
The labelling of the registers varies over time and have been referred to as 'Night Report for Observation Ward', 'Report Book Observation Ward', 'Observation Ward' and 'Observation'
Please note there are some gaps in the sequence of books in this series. There is a gap for the period July 1924 to April 1926, and July 1933 to October 1938. It is not apparent whether these gaps are due to the records being missing or just never having been created.
How to use the records
Consult the list of records in this series to locate the book for the period required.Recordkeeping system
The volumes are arranged chronologically by date of entry. The volumes themselves are not numbered, however many have the start and end entry dates for that particular register.Please note files may feature labels from a numbering system imposed by the controlling Department generated from TRIM electronic document and records management system. This system does not reflect the original recordkeeping system of the series.
