Helloooo Nurse (is there anybody in there???)

Me (on the intercom/phone thingy outside Local Hospital Mental Health Unit) : Hi, I'm Nectarine from Community Mental Health. I called earlier and one of my clients is here. Could you buzz me in so I can see her?


Nurse: Uh, I'm sorry ma'am, visiting hours begin at 4:30.

Me: I only work until 4:30. I'm not here to visit.

Nurse: I'm sorry, we don't allow visitors until 4:30.

Me: I understand that.

Nurse: I can't let you in here.

Me: Can I speak to my client?!?

Nurse: Who did you say you were again?

Me: I'm her case manager. From Community Mental Health.

Nurse: Well, I guess I can let you in.



*the magic door finally opens to admit Nectarine, and she approaches the fishbowl impenetrable force field nursing station and waits patiently outside the plexiglass for about an hour 4 minutes before Nurse emerges.*



Nurse: Uh, can I help you?

Me: Can you direct me to my client Janey Sad?

Nurse (looking me up and down): Where's your ID badge?

Me: We don't have ID badges, I can show you my business card. This is not my first time here.

Nurse scans my business card.

Me: So can you show me where to find my client?

Nurse: Don't you know? I thought you said you'd been here before?

Me: Uh, yeah, many times to see different people. My client just got here, I don't know which room she's in.

Nurse: I guuueeess I can show you.



*Nectarine follows Nurse down the hall where she opens the door to a patient room*



Nurse: Yeah, this lady is so confused. She's naked, you can come in.

Me: I think I should let her get dressed first...

Nurse (to patient): Helloooo! This worker is here to see you. THIS LADY IS HERE TO SEE YOU. (to me) Come on in...

Me: Uh, are you sure this is my client? That doesn't sound like her.

Nurse: Who?

Me: Ms. Janey Sad.

Nurse: Ohhh, this is Janey Nothere. She's sooo confused.



*another staff member kindly interrupts*



Staff: Did you say you were looking for Janey Sad? She's right here in the activity room, I'll get her for you.



*Nectarine meets with Janey (Sad) who is relieved to see her. Nectarine then waits twice as long outside the fishbowl nursing station, loudly but politely saying "Excuse me" before someone finally buzzes her out the door. She decides right then and there that she will personally drive all clients to Nearby Hospital in future as she is swears she is never coming back to Local again.*

Standard of Care

I’ve been absent.

Thanksgiving weekend was spent mostly in bed, feeling sick. I took the Friday before and the Tuesday after off work, all for a stupid little cold.

I think work burn out had something to do with my reduced immune system.

One of my clients has recently been diagnosed with cancer, and I’ve been putting a lot of energy into supporting him. Practical stuff has been taking up most of our time – getting to appointments, arranging new supports, making sure he has food in the house. I saw or spoke to him 2-3 times every day for about three weeks.

One bright spot in this experience has been visiting the oncology unit. That sounds so wrong, but wow! What a difference from the mental health units! Prior to this, they were the only parts of this particular hospital I had been in.

I walked in to a sunny, bright reception area. The nurses’ desk was open, and there was somebody to greet me, who actually looked me in the eye, and didn’t just pretend that they couldn’t see me through the glass while they type away on their computer. In fact, there was no glass! The nurses were happy to admit me in, without having met me before.

They came over to check on my client while I was there speaking to him. The nurse introduced herself, and talked about how we could support him together. My client had lots of space and privacy (well, as much privacy as a curtain can offer, but still…) while he received his chemo treatment. When leaving, the nurses told me to call if I needed any information.

I did call later in the week, and someone got back to me the same day with helpful information. The following day when I went in with my client, the nurses remembered who I was, and helped us right away with what we’d come for.

Everything about this experience is the polar opposite of how things go in mental health.

It really makes me wonder about how the treatment of these different (although some times the same) patients is valued, and what are the expected outcomes.