group homes and clinics

i guess i'm a week behind on all thing psych. Monday's lecture always ranges from incrediablely boring (you can tell my the massive doodling in my books) to very thought provoking. Thats how the two lectures rounded out. last monday...yawn, this monday exciting and heated. The topic was the moral and ethical bounderies that involve that nursing field. i know is sounds boring, but being in a class room full of people with varied and voiced opinions, it was fun place to be. I mean, we were discussing patients right to die, when should they be allowed to die, when should their wishes be over ridden, and other simular topics. We the nurses are to be the patient advocates, we need to understand what their rights are within the law. Sadly many times the patient (who in a coma or near death) wishes are overridden by the family dispite what the patient wanted. But this is another story for another day.

My clinical days were again just as eventful. The first week i went to the group home where i hung out with a patient for the day, I went were he did, including any group therapies and teaching session. People who live in the home are usually compliant on their medication and are working toward goals that will help them to become more independent for their stuation. Some goals may include simple hygine, cooking, cleaning or more complex like social interactions or coping skills. While many of the people do very well here, sometimes they degress due to thier disease and have to be hospitalized for varying lenghs of time.
Today i spent the day the the inpatient center. This is where people go went they are having an episode of psychosis. some admit themselves and some are brought by family or police. Patients here have a wide range of mental illnesses. schizophrenia, bi-polar, borderline personalitiy just to name a few. I get the to have one patient whom i spend time with, getting them to talk to me, about anything from hobbies to why they think they are there. I got to sit in on sessions with a case manager, RN, pyscologist, and director of nursing to decide the best course of action for that patient. They also interveiw that patient to see their line of thinking and make goals. It is a very interesting process.
I love the fact that my views of lack of knowledge have changed since interacting with mental ill people. it used to be so taboo and is now a place i look forward to going to make a positive impact somehow. oh, and i finally have a full understanding of what a selective seritonin reuptake inhibitor drug does!!! That was huge for me...it only took 3 semesters!