Nurse Ratched's Effect on the Combine

In response to Shira's questions:

Is Nurse Ratched's inhuman way of treating her patients causing the ward to be inhumane? Or, does the ward have to be inhumane (in order to help the patients) and that is what makes Nurse Ratched's actions inhuman?

My answer and reasons:

 1. I believe Nurse Ratched's ways of treating her patients is causing the ward to be inhumane.  Her actions are toxic to the patients.  When dealing with the mentally unstable, Nurse Ratched treats them like children, which is precisely what not to do.  One example of this is when the nurse took away the patients' cigarettes, something far too similar to taking a toy away from a kid. 

2. Although not apparent in the book, the actress who plays Nurse Ratched in the movie gives a number of people cold glares.  People, whether stable or insane, are never at ease when being stared down by someone.  The atmosphere she sets for the ward is cold and makes the patients unsure of what to expect.  How could anyone get better in such an environment?

3. The best way to heal someone mentally ill is to treat him/her as if he/she is like any normal human being.  This does not include keeping a person cooped in a psychiatric ward.  However, it does include going out fishing like any Joe Schmoe and seeing and dating girls.