Mental Health Interview

Specialties Psychiatric

Published

Hello! I'm taking psychology this summer and one of my assignments this summer is to interview a mental health worker. One problem: I don't know any mental health workers and all of the ones I've tried to call from the phone book have completely blown me off!

So I was wondering if anyone could answer these questions for me. I'm really interested in learning about the mental health field and I would really appreciate any answers you can give me! Thanks!

How did you get into this field? Were there any personal factors?

What did you need to do for education and field experience in order to work in your present position?

What do you like best about your job?

What do you like least about your job?

How would you define Abnormal Behavior?

Please describe the most difficult or challenging case or situation that you have encountered.

What theory or theories do you use most often in your work?

Working in this field can be very stressful. What do you do to manage your stress?

What advice do you have for a psychology student who may enter the mental health field?

Davey Do

10,476 Posts

Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

How did you get into this field?

I dealt with a Psych Patient acting out on a Medical floor as an LPN Student. The Chief of Security was impressed with my handling of the situation and went to the DON. He advised her to hire me for the new Psych floor that was opening up in the coming year.

Were there any personal factors?

Yes. I've been interested in People's behavior for as long as I can remember.

What did you need to do for education and field experience in order to work in your present position?

My RN serves the educational need. I've got over 20 yeras experience working in Mental Health and Chemical Dependency. However, some of my areas of Nursing work overlap. For example, I worked as a Nursing Supervisor for Medical Cases at the same time I sat up and supervisied an "At Home Mental Health Program".

What do you like best about your job?

The pay.

What do you like least about your job?

That I have to work.

How would you define Abnormal Behavior?

Any behavioral which interferes with meeting One's needs or any behavior which is a threat of harm to someone.

Please describe the most difficult or challenging case or situation that you have encountered.

A Patient diagnosed with Undiffrentiated Schizophrenia believed he was a character in a movie. He also believed the Director instructed him to stab me with a pair of scissors for one particular scene. The Patient stabbed me a total of six times. Thankfully, the scissors had relatively blunted tips. The deepest wound was about a 1/2 inch.

The stabbing itself was difficult to deal with, but it was compounded by my feelings toward the Patient and the actions of the Administrators of the Mental Health Clinic: I had worked closely with this Patient for some time, and the Administrators were rather ambiguous in dealing with this situation.

What theory or theories do you use most often in your work?

This is a difficult question to answer succinctly. I utilize LOTS of theories including those (off the top of my head) by Freud, Maslow, Jung, Ericson, Thorndike, Piepert, Seligman, Gerard , etc. etc. etc. in dealing with Patients. A specific circumstance could call up a specific theory to be used. But I guess Behvior Mod is the one I would say I use the most.

Working in this field can be very stressful. What do you do to manage your stress?

Exercise: Bicycling, Weight Lifting. I do Art.

What advice do you have for a psychology student who may enter the mental health field?

Remember that no one can be "saved". They can only save themselves.

aphillipi

27 Posts

Thank you very much Davey Do!!

chevyv, BSN, RN

1,679 Posts

Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

I got into the field because it was the first place that called me for an interview. That sounds awful, but jobs are scarce and I would be happy learning anything new. I worked as a cna in psych years ago so I was interested. I've only been a rn for 1 yr

Personal factors: How can you not be fascinated by the final frontier? How and why the mind works the way it does is amazing. Why so some people seem to be broken and why can't we fix them as easily as we fix a knee.

Education: They were accepting and willing to train new grads to help with staff retention.

What I like best: No two days are ever alike.

What I like least: The frustration of not being able to 'fix' pts. Half of the time I feel as though I've got my thumb in the hole in the dam but it's going to burst any moment.

Abnormal Bx to me means any behavior that prevents a person from being able to live day to day productively or any intent to harm self of others, as stated by Davey Do.

My most challenging situation is trying to deal with management. Seems they would rather find a victim to throw under the bus and fire than try to make the facility a better place to want to work at. Morale is low, backstabbing is high, and the pressure is staggering.

I'm not sure I use theories, but I treat everyone with respect. I've noticed that patients will watch to see how staff interact with other patients. Respect goes a long long way. I try to acknowledge what they are feeling or how they are dealing with a particular issue and then I have to give it back to them by asking "so how are you going to handle it?" and help from there. It's important to try to de-escalate a situation before it becomes really bad.

I leave work at work most days. I enjoy my family more than ever. I love to read and work out on my elliptical. Cooking is good too.

My advice would be to listen to not only your patients, but staff as well. Never forget respect for both. If you ever find yourself running a unit, please don't be wishy washy. If you need to meet with your patients, do so. Some are very difficult and don't think they are ill. If you run out of the door to get away from them, understand they will hound nursing the rest of the day because you didn't take the time to talk with them. Some staff get upset with patients (most of us do at times) but always remember they are mentally ill. Arguing or trying to reason with these pts is not always a good thing. It can lead to some serious escalating bxs. Follow the teatment plan with no favoritism and no negative feelings that can come through. If you get to the point where your burnt out, find something else to do for awhile. You will be no good to anyone.

Hope this helps a bit.:nurse:

Specializes in Psych.

got into the field because the first person I ever took care of as an LNA had schizophrenia and told me the TV news man was going to marry her, that was almost 20 years ago. And I was quite interested in how her mind worked after that and my uncle had schizophrenia. I looked at the job posting for a year until my uncle spoke from his coffin and told me to go for it. Had this job for 2 1/2 years and loving it.

Education. My LPN was good, now as an RN it is good to.

Seeing people in a full blown psychosis come out of it.

Working the night shift, not a lot of patient interaction, lots of down time. Oh and the tech that thinks only she can do her job. Hello! when she's been floated due to low census, we, the nurses do just fine.

challange: getting used to the malipulative behavior of the peeps with borderline personality disorder, and the first time someone demanded to leave at 3am.

I can't think of any theorys off the top of my head, but I try my best to make sure peeps with psychosis or mania or depression for that matter get fluids, rest and feel safe. Well I guess that's Maslows lowest teir.

And if I really think about it I think one of the most used nursing diagnosis is ineffective coping, so I think that would go along the lines of learned behavior. I'd have to get my books out to tell you who that was.

Stress mgt. I leave work at work and home at home. I don't take anything the patients say personal. I do crafts, play video games, run, bike, swim. We are a close knit night shift so we rely on each other to talk about issues that come up with patients.

Abnormal Behavior, just what daveydo said.

Advice, don't take things personal, know boundries, not every conversation has to be a theraputic one. (But I guess if one is a counsler that is different, not sure)

Hope this helps, I'm on my fourth night working and very tired.

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