Becoming a patient as a psychiatric nurse: How would you handle that?
I struggled a lot with my mental health as a young adult and was even inpatient several times. But I fought my way out of it and was able to train as a medical assistant (I think they call it an MFA in Germany). Now, 10 years have passed, and I had the opportunity to start a fantastic position in psychiatry as a ward assistant in a pilot project. After the pilot project, I got a permanent position, and I LOVE my job and the team. I work closely with the nursing staff, the doctors, and the entire interdisciplinary team, and I also have close contact with the patients.
Now I notice that my mental health is declining again. (But work has nothing to do with it, and it's not noticeable while I'm working.)
I'm generally not reluctant to go to an inpatient crisis intervention unit in an emergency, but because of where I live, I would be sent to the hospital where I work. Not on the same ward, but still in the same hospital.
From the CEO to the kitchen assistant, everyone is on first-name terms. Even then, I wouldn't know how to address people. Our students and apprentices also rotate from ward to ward, meaning there will almost certainly be someone on the team with whom I've already worked closely. I've also already had telephone contact with most of the wards, and I know the employees who perform ECGs on all patients extremely well through our collaboration, etc.
I'm a little worried that all these potentially strange situations might prevent me from seeking help in an emergency. (I already have an outpatient therapist, but I'm talking more about the case if that's not enough.)
How would you deal with this?
Due to my location, acute inpatient treatment is not possible at any other clinic (or it would be extremely complicated).
(4 votes)
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It’s not possible to go to a hospital where you work. I also doubt someone would send you to a clinic where you work.
If you were to be sent there, you could ask for another clinic, and that wish would also be fulfilled.
Yes, I do. With us, the patients are simply deposited in the system with an alias, so that only with separate access authorization is clear who it is.
I don’t know if it’s different in other countries, but in Germany one can go somewhere else for such reasons. My girlfriend was in a similar situation (although as a therapist) and that was also no problem. If you call the 112 and call it 1-2 days before, you can say that you kill somewhere else and call the reasons.
That would be a very strange situation for me.
In the other order, i.e. first being a patient and then being employed as MFA, I would even feel positive, but from the employee to the patient… I don’t think I could work there anymore.
I’d go into treatment elsewhere or change the employer afterwards.
It is not only that your colleague will know you as a patient, but also the patients will tell each other about it.
That’s what you’re talking about.
My health would be more important to me than my workplace.
Unfortunately (or at the moment still fortunate) a new job is not an option for me. I had a lot of bad places and I’ve never been as happy as my present. Going into treatment at another place would only be possible if there is no “emergency” because I would come directly to our clinic in case of an emergency (bureaucracy).
Would stationary to another clinic, it’s too much reference there