Bring approved items to a Brookhaven patient
Bring approved items to a Brookhaven patient
Brookhaven may allow approved clothing, comfort items, personal care items, reading materials, and care-related documents to be brought to a patient. All items may need staff review before the patient can receive them.
Item rules may be stricter than general hospital rules because Brookhaven units must consider behavioral health safety, observation level, patient privacy, shared spaces, medication safety, contraband risk, and unit routines.
White Chrism, Aglaophotis, White Claudia, the Seal of Metatron, the Saint Medallion, the Obsidian Goblet, old ritual tablets, pages from Lost Memories, and any bottle marked only with prayer must remain outside the unit.
Quick summary
- Ask before bringing any item to a Brookhaven patient.
- Items may need to be checked, labeled, inventoried, stored, or sent home.
- Clothing, books, glasses, hearing aids, approved comfort items, and care documents may be allowed after staff review.
- Medication, food, drinks, electronics, cords, hygiene products, sharp items, glass, powders, liquids, and personal bags may be restricted.
- Observation level, room assignment, unit rules, and safety review can change what the patient may receive.
- If an item is declined, ask whether it can be stored, returned, replaced with a safer option, or included later.
Before bringing items
Brookhaven item approval can change based on the patient’s unit, observation status, safety needs, shared-room status, and current care plan. Confirm the current rules before arriving.
- Confirm the patient can receive items today.
- Ask whether the item is allowed on the patient’s current unit.
- Ask whether the patient’s observation level affects item access.
- Ask whether the item must be new, sealed, washable, soft, paper-only, or free of cords, metal, glass, strings, or sharp edges.
- Label items with the patient’s name if staff instruct you to do so.
- Bring only the items requested or approved.
- Leave valuables at home unless Brookhaven specifically asks for them.
Items usually allowed after review
These items may be allowed after staff review. Brookhaven can still decline or store an item if it does not fit the patient’s current unit or safety plan.
| Item type | What to know |
|---|---|
| Comfortable clothing | Soft clothing may be allowed if it meets unit safety rules. Drawstrings, belts, wires, metal parts, or unsafe attachments may be removed or restricted. |
| Eyeglasses, contacts, hearing aids, or mobility items | Assistive items are usually reviewed so staff can support communication, safety, and daily needs. |
| Books, notebooks, or printed materials | Paper items may be reviewed for staples, metal binding, content concerns, privacy concerns, or unit rules. |
| Small photos or cards | Cards or photos may be allowed if they are appropriate for the patient and do not include restricted materials. |
| Discharge or care documents | Medication lists, referral papers, insurance information, or support-person contact information may help with care planning. |
Items that need staff review
Some items may be safe for one patient but not for another. Staff review helps determine whether the item can be given to the patient, stored, used only with supervision, or sent home.
- Chargers, cords, headphones, earbuds, or electronic accessories.
- Phones, tablets, handheld games, cameras, or recording devices.
- Journals, art supplies, pens, pencils, markers, or craft materials.
- Blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, or comfort objects.
- Personal hygiene products, cosmetics, razors, nail tools, sprays, aerosols, or containers.
- Food, drinks, gum, candy, supplements, vitamins, or sealed snacks.
- Religious, spiritual, cultural, ceremonial, or sentimental items.
- Items with strings, cords, glass, metal, sharp edges, batteries, magnets, liquids, powders, oils, smoke, flame, or strong scents.
Items that are usually not allowed
Brookhaven may restrict or refuse items that create safety, privacy, medication, substance, infection-control, fire, ligature, or unit-disruption concerns.
- Weapons, sharp items, tools, blades, needles, pins, or metal objects that are not medically necessary.
- Alcohol, cannabis products, nicotine products, recreational substances, or unknown substances.
- Outside medications unless staff specifically request them for review.
- Open containers, unlabeled liquids, powders, oils, supplements, or homemade products.
- Glass containers, mirrors, breakable items, lighters, matches, candles, incense, or flame-producing items.
- Items with cords, drawstrings, straps, belts, wires, chains, or detachable unsafe parts.
- Recording devices, cameras, or items that could compromise patient privacy.
- Large bags, valuables, cash, jewelry, or items that cannot be safely stored.
Medication and health items
Do not give medication directly to a Brookhaven patient. This includes prescriptions, over-the-counter medication, vitamins, supplements, inhalers, injections, patches, drops, creams, and herbal products.
If the patient needs medication brought from home, wait for Brookhaven to request it. Staff may ask for the original container, label, dose instructions, and pharmacy information.
Food, drinks, and hygiene items
Food, drinks, and hygiene products may be restricted because of allergies, diet orders, medication interactions, eating concerns, substance-use concerns, container safety, scent sensitivity, infection control, or shared-unit rules.
- Ask before bringing food, drinks, candy, gum, coffee, energy drinks, or supplements.
- Ask whether items must be sealed, store-bought, labeled, or single-serving.
- Ask whether personal hygiene items must be new, sealed, alcohol-free, aerosol-free, or fragrance-free.
- Ask before bringing razors, nail tools, tweezers, scissors, sprays, oils, powders, or glass containers.
- Ask whether staff can provide a safer hospital-approved alternative.
Spiritual, cultural, or sentimental items
Brookhaven tries to review spiritual, cultural, religious, and sentimental items respectfully. Staff may still need to restrict or supervise an item if it has safety concerns, fragile parts, cords, smoke, flame, strong scents, sharp edges, powders, oils, liquids, privacy concerns, or conflict with the patient’s care plan.
- Tell staff if an item has spiritual, cultural, religious, or emotional importance.
- Ask whether the item can be kept with the patient, stored safely, or used only with supervision.
- Ask whether a safer substitute is available.
- Ask whether the item can be included in discharge belongings instead of unit access.
- Do not leave symbolic, ceremonial, or sentimental items with the patient until staff approve them.
The red vial, the old seal, the saint’s token, the white oil, the black cup, the folded prayer diagram, and the pressed flower marked with a hospital room number are to be sealed in Property, not carried to the ward.
How item drop-off works
Items should be dropped off through the approved process. Do not take items directly to a patient room or unit unless staff instruct you to do so.
- Check in at Reception or the unit desk.
- Give the patient’s full name and your relationship to the patient.
- Tell staff what items you brought.
- Wait for staff to review, inventory, label, or approve the items.
- Ask whether any item will be stored, returned, or sent home.
- Ask whether the patient will receive the item immediately or later.
- Ask for the process to pick up declined, stored, or discharge-only items.
If an item is declined
If Brookhaven declines an item, it usually means the item does not fit the current unit rules, observation level, safety plan, privacy needs, or storage process.
Questions to ask
- Can the patient receive items today?
- Which items are allowed on the patient’s current unit?
- Does the patient’s observation level change item access?
- Does the item need to be sealed, labeled, washable, soft, paper-only, or cord-free?
- Can the patient keep this item in their room?
- Will the item be stored, supervised, or returned?
- Can staff provide a safer alternative?
- How can declined items be picked up?
- Will the item be returned at discharge?
FAQ
Can I bring clothing?
Often, yes, after staff review. Clothing may be restricted if it has drawstrings, cords, belts, unsafe attachments, metal pieces, or other safety concerns.
Can I bring medication from home?
Only if Brookhaven asks for it or staff approve it for review. Give all medication directly to staff. Do not give medication directly to the patient.
Can I bring food or drinks?
Ask first. Food and drinks may be restricted because of allergies, diet orders, eating concerns, medication interactions, substance-use concerns, container safety, or unit rules.
Why was an item declined?
The item may not fit the patient’s current unit rules, observation level, safety plan, privacy needs, or storage process. Ask whether it can be stored, returned, or replaced with a safer option.
Can the patient keep sentimental items?
Sometimes. Staff may review sentimental items for safety, privacy, durability, and unit rules. Some items may be stored or returned at discharge instead of kept on the unit.
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