Squeezey said...
Taz, you mentioned you had a patient with a mental health history. Have you developed any strategies to best communicate with these patients during an acute episode. We have just begun to learn about patients with a mental health issue that present for other medical problems, and how to best relate to them, so I would be interested to hear your thoughts.
This Ambulance Student doesn't mind asking the simple questions does she?When I was attempting the Degree by distance ed from a Uni in the town with a famous motor racing circuit I failed the Mental Health Module, let me get that out of the way first.
Some time later I had a full time student with me from that institution as a ride-a-long.
We attended a pt with an extreme violence history against Police, who was armed with at least one knife, who had already inflicted some wounds to herself, was intoxicated, agitated and depressed.
The police asked if I would mind having a talk to her first just from the door.
Twenty minutes it took to have her voluntarily surrender the three serrated edge knives, move to a neutral, open area of the lounge and to accept the police to enter the apartment behind me while I sat in the same space and chatted with her.
Later I asked if anything from the Module would have helped her if that had been her in the ambo role? 'No' it wasn't really ambo centered, more nursing.
I'm very honest with the pt.
I do ask direct questions and don't apologise for doing so.
I don't tell them I know how they feel because I don't.
I maintain eye contact with them and level.
I have never felt threatened by a mental health pt, very very few are dangerous to you, mostly to themselves.
I can listen for a very long time and not switch off.
I can talk with ease to everybody.
Do you enter the world of a full blown manic or delusional pt? Yes if it helps you establish communication.
Compassion and Humanity go a long way to get them to trust you.
They usually want help.
More confused Squeezey?
Be careful out there and I'll see you at the Big One.
Taz
2 comments:
Thanks Taz, and don't worry, you haven't confused me. It was interesting to read that you don't feel threatened by patient's suffering from a mental illness, and it appears that this stems from this underlying skill set you've developed to communicate effectivly and gain their trust (although I could be missing the mark here).
I agree that compassion is vital, however the patients that want help I had neglected to think about. I focused only on patients who think we are more of a hindrance than help, so thanks for reminding me that these patients may be looking for someone to give them a hand.
Thanks Taz! Helpful, as always,
Cheers!
In the immortal words from the Billy Thorpe song,
'Most people I know think that I'm crazy'
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