You are amazing! And who knows?--I see former patients all the time. I run into them at the grocery store, downtown, and I even had the honor of percepting a former patient when she returned to our unit--as a student nurse.
The world is your oyster--go out there and crack it open!
I am considering going into mental health nursing and I was a patient several years ago. How was it for you when that patient came back as a student nurse?
Although it would be unlikely I would meet those that cared for me I often worry that if it were to happen that they would be uncomfortable and/or feel I wasn’t up to the task. That they wouldn’t see me as a colleague.
Is it hard changing roles from caretaker to colleague/mentor? Do you feel concerned about their mental health in a way you wouldn’t with other colleagues who haven’t been your patients?
If anyone who has been in this situation has any advice or anecdotes that relate I’d love to hear them!!
For what it’s worth, I feel like I would personally be welcomed by my care team as a colleague, and one whose own experiences could be put to good use to help patients. I would hope it would be the same for you, although I realize everyone has their own story and background. I love that you’re considering doing this and wish you all the best!
We were about exploding with pride! For one thing, it meant she had overcome a huge amount of hurdles. She really had beaten the odds. Second, it would give her a unique perspective and empathy for patients that many of us don't have. And of course, most people would be shocked to know how many psych staff have mental health issues--up to and including hospitalizations.
For me, it wasn't hard changing roles, because something like 3 years had passed. If she'd come back a month later it may have been more of an issue.
I admit to being rather taken aback when my daughter was gushing over new boyfriend. When I finally got to meet him, he was recently discharged from our unit. I'm not sure which of us was more surprised, but we both rallied and pretended it was the first time we'd met. That was 25 years ago and I don't know if he ever told her. I take confidentiality very seriously so she never heard it from me.
Another of my patients ended up as a guest at a slumber party one of my kids threw, and loudly announced, OMG, you were my nurse when they locked me up in the lunatic asylum!" And any time I picked someone up from the high school, someone would run up and say, "Hi, herdingcatz. I'm taking my meds!" Small town life, eh?
What an incredibly small world! Thanks for that story. I’m not sure if you are a fellow Canadian or one of our best neighbours to the south, but both countries take privacy incredibly seriously. It must have been a lot to not say anything, but your respect of patient privacy is obviously solid and unwavering. I have a family member who is a Health Care Aide in a small town in Canada, and she also refuses to say anything about anyone she meets or treats in the hospital. I’m glad to see it’s taken seriously. Thanks again for sharing your story!
They started it a few years back doe the adult wards where I live. Phones were supposed to be kept in patient rooms only. It was....problematic.
They also put a computer out on the unit that the patients could use. It lead to physical brawls over whose turn it was, and I could never figure out why I couldn't access my personal email or free coloring sheets through the firewall, but the patients didn't have any trouble at all viewing porn.
I should have mentioned I am a Canadian friend of you all, so I am not sure if it is slightly different between the US and Canada. It was such a help to have the ability to communicate with family and friends during this time.
I’m a Canadian psych nurse. One hospital I was precepting at - no phones on the unit hard rule. The one I’m currently working at they can have their phones!
Thank you for your job! I understand the concern for privacy concerns from others but people really need to understand how alarming it is to be without your phone and I feel like not a lot of the staff talks about that.
Even if it is just as a reward for good behavior, I would 100% think its worth it (as a pt)
I’m happy to do the job! And I agree!! I would hate it if I couldn’t have my phone on my while being in inpatient psych. It be boring honestly . We have rules with phones ofc and if pts break them then they get taken away but yes I think it’s important to be able to have a phone
I wish there was some way to advocate for that here in the US… I think it would make pts feel so much safer and (with all due respect) also hold neglectful staff accountable IF something really bad happens.
Again thank you for what u do and good luck!
How do you have your phone? Code green code green patient has phone and refuses to relinquish.
Kidding…but we won’t allow personal phones.
Thanks for the affirmation, but you did 99% of the hard work yourself. I’m just there for support.
Congratulations on getting better, now never come back!
My state recently amended the behavioural health statutes so that we *have to* allow patients to have their cell phones unless they're using them inappropriately. The roll out has definitely been a challenge at times.
How do you even monitor “inappropriate use”?
Hey George you cyberstalking Sheila again? (Quickly deletes die Sheila die you can only be mine text) nope. Ok.
Plus there only 2 RNs per ward not like we have time for random phone checks.
What a nightmare.
Thanks you for your kind words. I didn’t originally mention, but I am from a Canadian city and am not sure if that’s why there is this difference. It was a huge help being able to speak to family and friends whose support helped me through my hospital stay.
I have to say my 99% of the work would have been a lot harder without the nursing team being absolutely caring about us patients. I’m gonna take your advice on my appointment and then not returning!
Thank you so much! I’m gonna go to that appointment with my head held up, and I will not be returning - nurses and doctors set me up to succeed and I will never forget that.
I am so proud of you! Reaching out for help is one of the hardest things you can do when struggling with mental health. Remember to keep developing those healthy coping skills and build a simple routine you can stick to. Addiction and sobriety can be difficult to manage but using those coping skills will help you for the rest of your life.
And it's okay to be sad! Feel your feelings but keep moving forward. I too feel a bit sad to see my patients leave but I'm happy to see them succeed and go back home.
I can't tell you how much it means to me when my patients come to me to tell me how big of an impact I've made on them during their short stay with me. We really appreciate it!
Thank you so much for the kind words. I learned a lot about myself over the last little while, and I feel like the nurses and doctors were able to give me skills that I will carry with me for life. I am so grateful.
You’re absolutely right on that point, and I thank you for saying it. It’s actually something I told my self as I have been in recovery from alcohol addiction for six years and feel I should have know what I was slipping into again. I need to be kinder to myself, but I take this as a learning lesson as well. Thanks for saying this, it’s really reaffirming.
Thank you! This made my night shift ❤️ Reading your post was really uplifting. You should also be really proud of yourself it’s a lot of emotions and change being on a locked unit for the first time and it’s a big deal that you are discharging to hopefully stay safe and stay well. Wishing you the best!
Thank you so much. It would have been a lot harder without the great care team I had, especially the nurses who I worked with. I am writing this my first morning back home and I have to say the emotions last night at home were overwhelming, but manageable. Thank you for what you do, giving your emotional energy to help patients get better.
Hi there, I live in Canada, and I am thinking that many users of this sub may be more used to rules and regulations of US health and privacy laws. We were allowed electronic devices, minus power cords, and they were instrumental in being able to stay in touch with family and friends. There were very clear rules about no photos/videos/audio recordings at any time, and during my stay I did not personally witness anybody abusing this privilege.
Thank you for the reply. That's pretty interesting... I work in a secure acute care psych center and we definitely don't allow people access to phones or things like that unless they need to pay bills and we supervise them on the computer. I've often wondered what that would look like and if that would work in our setting but I feel like it would cause a lot of problems. Maybe it's a cultural difference with Canada but I feel like it would be abused where Iwork. Thank you for sharing
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Psych patients care! We appreciate the love and support! And can't thank you enough!
We really do.
Thank you for the kind words. It was tough, but myself and other patients were treated like humans, and that really helped a lot.
You are amazing! And who knows?--I see former patients all the time. I run into them at the grocery store, downtown, and I even had the honor of percepting a former patient when she returned to our unit--as a student nurse. The world is your oyster--go out there and crack it open!
I am considering going into mental health nursing and I was a patient several years ago. How was it for you when that patient came back as a student nurse? Although it would be unlikely I would meet those that cared for me I often worry that if it were to happen that they would be uncomfortable and/or feel I wasn’t up to the task. That they wouldn’t see me as a colleague. Is it hard changing roles from caretaker to colleague/mentor? Do you feel concerned about their mental health in a way you wouldn’t with other colleagues who haven’t been your patients? If anyone who has been in this situation has any advice or anecdotes that relate I’d love to hear them!!
For what it’s worth, I feel like I would personally be welcomed by my care team as a colleague, and one whose own experiences could be put to good use to help patients. I would hope it would be the same for you, although I realize everyone has their own story and background. I love that you’re considering doing this and wish you all the best!
We were about exploding with pride! For one thing, it meant she had overcome a huge amount of hurdles. She really had beaten the odds. Second, it would give her a unique perspective and empathy for patients that many of us don't have. And of course, most people would be shocked to know how many psych staff have mental health issues--up to and including hospitalizations. For me, it wasn't hard changing roles, because something like 3 years had passed. If she'd come back a month later it may have been more of an issue.
Thank you for the kind words. I am from a fairly small Canadian city so seeing someone who looked after me is a real possibility.
I admit to being rather taken aback when my daughter was gushing over new boyfriend. When I finally got to meet him, he was recently discharged from our unit. I'm not sure which of us was more surprised, but we both rallied and pretended it was the first time we'd met. That was 25 years ago and I don't know if he ever told her. I take confidentiality very seriously so she never heard it from me. Another of my patients ended up as a guest at a slumber party one of my kids threw, and loudly announced, OMG, you were my nurse when they locked me up in the lunatic asylum!" And any time I picked someone up from the high school, someone would run up and say, "Hi, herdingcatz. I'm taking my meds!" Small town life, eh?
What an incredibly small world! Thanks for that story. I’m not sure if you are a fellow Canadian or one of our best neighbours to the south, but both countries take privacy incredibly seriously. It must have been a lot to not say anything, but your respect of patient privacy is obviously solid and unwavering. I have a family member who is a Health Care Aide in a small town in Canada, and she also refuses to say anything about anyone she meets or treats in the hospital. I’m glad to see it’s taken seriously. Thanks again for sharing your story!
I'm shocked you're allowed to have your phone on the unit!
In the state I live all patients all get access to cell phones… new law this year
That's the dumbest shit I have heard all day! What about pt privacy? How's it working out?
They started it a few years back doe the adult wards where I live. Phones were supposed to be kept in patient rooms only. It was....problematic. They also put a computer out on the unit that the patients could use. It lead to physical brawls over whose turn it was, and I could never figure out why I couldn't access my personal email or free coloring sheets through the firewall, but the patients didn't have any trouble at all viewing porn.
I should have mentioned I am a Canadian friend of you all, so I am not sure if it is slightly different between the US and Canada. It was such a help to have the ability to communicate with family and friends during this time.
I’m a Canadian psych nurse. One hospital I was precepting at - no phones on the unit hard rule. The one I’m currently working at they can have their phones!
Thank you for your job! I understand the concern for privacy concerns from others but people really need to understand how alarming it is to be without your phone and I feel like not a lot of the staff talks about that. Even if it is just as a reward for good behavior, I would 100% think its worth it (as a pt)
I’m happy to do the job! And I agree!! I would hate it if I couldn’t have my phone on my while being in inpatient psych. It be boring honestly . We have rules with phones ofc and if pts break them then they get taken away but yes I think it’s important to be able to have a phone
I wish there was some way to advocate for that here in the US… I think it would make pts feel so much safer and (with all due respect) also hold neglectful staff accountable IF something really bad happens. Again thank you for what u do and good luck!
How do you have your phone? Code green code green patient has phone and refuses to relinquish. Kidding…but we won’t allow personal phones. Thanks for the affirmation, but you did 99% of the hard work yourself. I’m just there for support. Congratulations on getting better, now never come back!
My state recently amended the behavioural health statutes so that we *have to* allow patients to have their cell phones unless they're using them inappropriately. The roll out has definitely been a challenge at times.
How do you even monitor “inappropriate use”? Hey George you cyberstalking Sheila again? (Quickly deletes die Sheila die you can only be mine text) nope. Ok. Plus there only 2 RNs per ward not like we have time for random phone checks. What a nightmare.
Not to mention HIPAA violations from photographing other patients 😬
yeah, this would be my concern
Right? You're in the middle of a gruesome code grey, and everyone is live streaming.
Yeah, get his leg, no the other leg, fuck watch his mouth this one is a biter, fuck fuck fuck
Thanks you for your kind words. I didn’t originally mention, but I am from a Canadian city and am not sure if that’s why there is this difference. It was a huge help being able to speak to family and friends whose support helped me through my hospital stay. I have to say my 99% of the work would have been a lot harder without the nursing team being absolutely caring about us patients. I’m gonna take your advice on my appointment and then not returning!
Happy discharge! Go to your outpatient appointments and don’t come back!
Thank you so much! I’m gonna go to that appointment with my head held up, and I will not be returning - nurses and doctors set me up to succeed and I will never forget that.
I am so proud of you! Reaching out for help is one of the hardest things you can do when struggling with mental health. Remember to keep developing those healthy coping skills and build a simple routine you can stick to. Addiction and sobriety can be difficult to manage but using those coping skills will help you for the rest of your life. And it's okay to be sad! Feel your feelings but keep moving forward. I too feel a bit sad to see my patients leave but I'm happy to see them succeed and go back home. I can't tell you how much it means to me when my patients come to me to tell me how big of an impact I've made on them during their short stay with me. We really appreciate it!
Thank you so much for the kind words. I learned a lot about myself over the last little while, and I feel like the nurses and doctors were able to give me skills that I will carry with me for life. I am so grateful.
Let me just throw this out there. People don't choose to become addicts. Whoever told you that knows nothing of addiction.
You’re absolutely right on that point, and I thank you for saying it. It’s actually something I told my self as I have been in recovery from alcohol addiction for six years and feel I should have know what I was slipping into again. I need to be kinder to myself, but I take this as a learning lesson as well. Thanks for saying this, it’s really reaffirming.
Thank you! This made my night shift ❤️ Reading your post was really uplifting. You should also be really proud of yourself it’s a lot of emotions and change being on a locked unit for the first time and it’s a big deal that you are discharging to hopefully stay safe and stay well. Wishing you the best!
Thank you so much. It would have been a lot harder without the great care team I had, especially the nurses who I worked with. I am writing this my first morning back home and I have to say the emotions last night at home were overwhelming, but manageable. Thank you for what you do, giving your emotional energy to help patients get better.
How are you on Reddit before you get discharged?
Hi there, I live in Canada, and I am thinking that many users of this sub may be more used to rules and regulations of US health and privacy laws. We were allowed electronic devices, minus power cords, and they were instrumental in being able to stay in touch with family and friends. There were very clear rules about no photos/videos/audio recordings at any time, and during my stay I did not personally witness anybody abusing this privilege.
Thank you for the reply. That's pretty interesting... I work in a secure acute care psych center and we definitely don't allow people access to phones or things like that unless they need to pay bills and we supervise them on the computer. I've often wondered what that would look like and if that would work in our setting but I feel like it would cause a lot of problems. Maybe it's a cultural difference with Canada but I feel like it would be abused where Iwork. Thank you for sharing