Games to play with a large group during psych rotation?

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I am in my last trimester of nursing school and we are getting ready to go through our psych rotation. Part of our clinical there is playing learning games with 2 groups of 30 patients. I am not really sure what types of games we can play with such a large group and have everyone involved.One of our games has to be based on learning about medication compliance. Any suggestions??? Thanks in advance ?

kick the can!

Pictionary, where each card has a coping mechanism? Jeopardy (playing 'hangman' might be a little macabre for the suicidal patients) with the clues being things like "who can I call with medication concerns?"

On a side note, this seems like a bizarre idea to me. On the psych units I had clinicals on, playing medication games would have been a bit demeaning to those who were mostly 'with it' and would have zero chance of compliance with the units where the patients were most ill. This seems like a difficult task to do without being demeaning in some way. Having a group therapy session focusing on medication compliance along with other coping mechanisms would seem much more appropriate.

Can you possibly incorporate a med compliance theme into a bingo game?

I know it may sound cheesy, but if you are hard pressed to come up with something, bingo cards are easily made and maybe each square could be a point in med compliance?

I wish I could help you, but finding an appropriate game (minus the med compliance theme) is hard enough.

There is always going to be a pt or two who thinks whatever you do is "dumb" so don't let that bother you.

Even us folks who have worked in psych for years know you can't please 'em all.

Good luck.

If I think of something better, I'll let you know.

This seems like a difficult task to do without being demeaning in some way. Having a group therapy session focusing on medication compliance along with other coping mechanisms would seem much more appropriate.

Exactly.

This is the most difficult part of planning activities for the psych crowd.

And if you have just one pt who is in that very "superior" and/or "negative" mode, they can be like poison to the rest of the group.

I've actually had to kick people out of group before because they would make snarky comments and kill the fun or therapeutic nature of the activity for everyone else.

Ever try playing Apples to Apples with psych pts?

You can totally tell what their issues are by how they play.

It's a hoot!

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

you will get more compliance with rewards. Years ago when my class did this we played bingo and gave away cigarettes. Great compliance. I now think it was a horrible idea.

Specializes in Neuro, Neuro ICU.

Scategories is a good one. If you don't have the game just cut out pieces of paper with every letter of the alphabet in place of the dice. Then make up a few different lists (idea's can be found online) I made sure to include a few categories that were in regards to psych (How do you deal with stress, people compliment you on your...., etc..) I also made sure to do some more light hearted ones too, like Famous People, Things in a Grocery Store, as to not overwhelm them. I did give them 4 minutes to come up with their lists because some of them had major anxiety, and were getting anxious when they couldn't come up with anything.

Another girl did a "Vision Board" where the facility allowed them to use scissors and glue sticks, and they had to cut out Positive Images about themselves, things they either are right now, or would like to achieve. Some people had pictures of people representing family, animals for their pets, words such as "dream", "hope", etc... I was really impressed at how well they enjoyed that project. The goal was for them to keep their board, and hang it in a spot where it is accessable, so when they are feeling down, they can be reminded of positive things in their life.

It is a strange assignment, but this clinical adjunct has been doing this for 10 years and says the pts really enjoy it. The pts. for the most part (from my understanding) are well educated and most have a degree of some kind. I really don't know what to do. My rotation group have been throwing ideas around and we thought of maybe doing one using the Wheel Of Fortune theme. Thanks for your help !

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