Am I too soft and easy going to do this course?
I ask this question because I am taking a different approach to some of the staff. Here follows some examples - There is one chap who gets easily agitated and can be stubborn. I take time to listen to him (which is tricky because he can mumble and slur) and he is usually ok. Most of the staff just raise their voice to him and assume he is being difficult for the fun of it. He has a form of dementia, but he still has feelings. He has told me I will make a good mental health nurse so I must be doing something right?
I have another chap who is in genuine fear for his life, and thinks if he commits suicide it will stop his children from getting hassle. He also thinks that his kids are better off without him. I listened to him for nearly an hour, and he made perfect sense to me. He said that he had crossed the local criminal gang, and they were going to harm him. He may of course be absolutely correct in his paranioa, and I don't have the skills yet to challenge his beliefs. He isn't going to kill himself until he has spoken to his children properly about how he got to be on the ward. He will then consider his options. He clearly loves his kids. The staff just assume it is part of his illness, but what if he really is being targetted. It is in the realms of possibility.
There is a lady on the ward who has a spiritual relationship with a famous dead film star. She is scared of going outside, and has absolutely no friends in the world. The dead film star never tells her to do anything bad, and he talks to her. 1) people talk to spirits, so who am I to question her belief. 2) The relationship gives her real comfort and security 3) she is middle aged and I don't suspect that she will suddenly form new friendships spontaneously if the film star is taken away. I don't think they should try and take the film star away. All I think she needs is someone to pop round to make sure that she is eating, and generally ensure that she is safe.
Some patients have gone home, which is a very good thing. However, some look like they are permanent fixtures. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy it most of the time. I just find it hard when I don't think some of them are being best served by being there.
I am now worried that I must have a touch of madness to understand some of these patients are going through? or maybe just a little bit crazy?
Thoughts on a post card to me at Livejournal. Cheers folks.
I have another chap who is in genuine fear for his life, and thinks if he commits suicide it will stop his children from getting hassle. He also thinks that his kids are better off without him. I listened to him for nearly an hour, and he made perfect sense to me. He said that he had crossed the local criminal gang, and they were going to harm him. He may of course be absolutely correct in his paranioa, and I don't have the skills yet to challenge his beliefs. He isn't going to kill himself until he has spoken to his children properly about how he got to be on the ward. He will then consider his options. He clearly loves his kids. The staff just assume it is part of his illness, but what if he really is being targetted. It is in the realms of possibility.
There is a lady on the ward who has a spiritual relationship with a famous dead film star. She is scared of going outside, and has absolutely no friends in the world. The dead film star never tells her to do anything bad, and he talks to her. 1) people talk to spirits, so who am I to question her belief. 2) The relationship gives her real comfort and security 3) she is middle aged and I don't suspect that she will suddenly form new friendships spontaneously if the film star is taken away. I don't think they should try and take the film star away. All I think she needs is someone to pop round to make sure that she is eating, and generally ensure that she is safe.
Some patients have gone home, which is a very good thing. However, some look like they are permanent fixtures. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy it most of the time. I just find it hard when I don't think some of them are being best served by being there.
I am now worried that I must have a touch of madness to understand some of these patients are going through? or maybe just a little bit crazy?
Thoughts on a post card to me at Livejournal. Cheers folks.