nurseratchet15

• Seeing patients leave the hospital, knowing you had an effect for good and that your job is effective. Also being by someone's side as they took their last breath but their family couldn't make it in time, and probably every year the staff serves a full Thanksgiving dinner to all the patients and those with good behavior are permitted to invite family, including kids, and they all share a table and meal. That's pretty special.

There are very few discharges and an awful lot end up spending close to life there, so being present when a patient manages to successfully complete treatment makes me happy

oh my god, everything. Imagine a floor of 30 women, mental age of children, sleeping 4 to a room. Half are trying to hurt themselves, half are paranoid/hallucinating/manic and about to hurt someone else. Boredom, repetition, feeling sick and not knowing how long you'll be there or if you'll get out. But long term residents mean good rapport with staff members who know them well and can anticipate behaviors.

eek, horrible! Jail food, i'd imagine. But they get a full meal, sometimes little treats like ice cream or pie. Cafeteria style and they can order snacks or family can bring them food.

(Just clarifying, I am not a doctor.) What do you mean behavior in terms of psychiatric conditions? I'll assume you mean negative behaviors. I always remind patients you're not here because you are mentally ill, you are here because your behaviors are unacceptable for society. This starts with a good patient history and proper diagnosis. Maybe that behavior is the only way they've learned to get attention or soothe themselves. You'll see a lot of patients used with co-existing substance abuse, often times an attempt to self-medicate