Overview
Working in the mental health field, I made the connection and realized that almost all the patients admitted also had underlying traumas from the past. Sometimes during admissions, when asking about different forms of trauma and abuse, patients would share their experiences for the first time ever. I enjoy “digging deep” during admission assessments and determining all factors that are contributing to a patient’s mental state upon admission. Not only does this help me learn about my patients, but it also sometimes helps them learn things about themselves. While I do enjoy psych, I feel that many inpatient facilities lack the proper care or environment to promote healing, and many places medicate and send patients on their way without truly addressing what brought them there. I realized many areas that need improvement in the way that we approach treating mental health conditions and feel the inpatient level of care can sometimes be a more traumatic experience for patients than what brought them in. It helped me to know that my patients felt safe, cared for and understood when I was working. I am a very strong patient advocate and take pride in having a voice for those who can’t speak for themselves or aren’t taken seriously due to their illnesses.