Why nurses don't want to talk to a ward psychologist?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

You are reading page 7 of Why nurses don't want to talk to a ward psychologist?

manjar

3 Posts

There is a lot to think about after reading all the replies.

I will try to comment and answer most of your posts.

First, I have to say that generally my help with caring for families in distress was very well accepted by nurses and doctors on the ward.

As I mentioned before, group settings didn't seem to invite nurses. What happened was, we gradually developed a trusting relationship with some nurses and when I think about it a lot of interventions was made through casual conversations - individual or in small groups. Sometimes they even want an advice about personal issues. But most of the times I am actually there to listen. It is obviously not surprising that some of you also proposed this kind of approach.

I truly don't think there is anything wrong with taking to head nurse about this. We don't talk about concrete peoples' troubles. She is worried about overloaded nurses, nurses leaving and poor peer relations in some cases. In this light we think together about what can we do to make these issues better.

Maybe there was a misunderstanding somewhere between all the posts. Talking to a psychologist after making a mistake is not a priority. But it is an option. The purpose is to relieve burden after a bad experience and to help bringing focus to future work.

As for looking into personal files. In our hospital we all know that everything you look up is recorded.

One of you asked if I go to a colleague psychologist talking about troubles I have at work. By all means, yes! Of course that is the first thing I do. That is before I go to my supervision session with another psychologist. Talking about issues which are hard for us is something that is highly recommended for keeping sanity in stressful work environments especially. Talking about difficulties is a good thing, helping to process what we experienced. Troubles which stay inside won't go away by themselves usually. They will build up and make us more an more vulnerable to stress. The first and most important step is admitting it is hard. I often encourage nurses and doctors to vent in whatever way they want. I do this having in mind that their venting will make it less possible they will behave inappropriate or even unprofessional with patients and their families. This is also the way to try prevent staff from burning out.

I am really thankful for all your thoughts. But everything I read also worries me. I wonder how it is to work everyday in a place where there is so much mistrust and caution in interpersonal relationships. I am aware of mental health related stigma. But reading all this confirmed what I again almost forgot. A load of stigma is in the health system itself. I see that there is also a lot of misconceptions about what exactly a psychologist does and how he does it.

Fear of losing a job is of course devastating. I live and work in a European country where maybe things aren't so harsh about this issue. I guess work culture is somewhat different here. It is not very likely to lose a job after making an honest mistake or having mental health troubles.

So, to summarize .. I believe that some of the reasons you brought up are true in my case. Nurses don't want to seem weak. They don't want to spend extra time at work. They often have other ways of managing stress and vent. On the other hand those who have interest do contact me and share their troubles with me but in casual conversations. Maybe the core of my problem is the fact I want to make the best out of my resources and make my work more structured which is quite impossible in ED. I guess this is something I should stop worrying about.

That said I will keep offering help, I will be present at the ward and try not to get frustrated if nurses don't use it as often as I think they could. To be honest I am less worried about nurses who work at the ward for longer time. But new, mostly very young nurses often leave the unit very quickly. They might have a bad experience and I believe they could be better taken care for in terms of coping with working in highly stressful ward.

I can't tell you how precious this discussion is for me. My talk is next week and I definitely got additional inside by talking to you all.

I do hope for all health workers to receive as much support they need and deserve. Only healthy people can really take care for the sick or injured.

I am sure I will be seeking information advice and opinions on this site in the future.

By the way, I love the joke about the Earth being bipolar:)

Regards to all,

Manja

NunNurseCat

64 Posts

I appreciate your efforts Manja, and yes please keep going. I will reconsider my own preconceptions on this subject. My fear has less to do with you, or any other psychologist for that matter, and more to do with who has access to the information. Out of curiosity what sort of records do you keep regarding encounters with employees, and who has access to them for legitimate purposes?

pinkiepieRN

1 Article; 385 Posts

Specializes in adult psych, LTC/SNF, child psych.

I'm sorry if I missed this somewhere, but what is your *ROLE* as a psychologist on the unit? Is it to counsel staff or act as a clinical liaison between staff, patients and families? I guess it could be both but I'm wondering if you're trying to step out of your scope by being "helpful".

Also, nurses are more likely to talk amongst themselves and commiserate about a common issue, looking for suggest or venting than they would to a psychologist, an outsider, a "non-bedside" clinical staff.

JKL33

6,768 Posts

I am really thankful for all your thoughts. But everything I read also worries me. I wonder how it is to work everyday in a place where there is so much mistrust and caution in interpersonal relationships. I am aware of mental health related stigma. But reading all this confirmed what I again almost forgot. A load of stigma is in the health system itself. I see that there is also a lot of misconceptions about what exactly a psychologist does and how he does it.

Fear of losing a job is of course devastating. I live and work in a European country where maybe things aren't so harsh about this issue. I guess work culture is somewhat different here. It is not very likely to lose a job after making an honest mistake or having mental health troubles.

........

Regards to all,

Manja

Manja, it is clear that you have a genuine interest in this and concern for helping others. Thank you for sharing here.

I just wanted to come back and let you know that I don't really think nurses in general have an issue with the idea of talking about their experiences or struggles. In the US our misgivings are probably almost solely related to the problem of "The Business of Healthcare" which is what our healthcare system is. Nothing is sacred if it affects the bottom line too much.

Good luck with your presentation. I appreciate the way you have interacted here.

Take care ~

Axgrinder

256 Posts

Specializes in Adult MICU/SICU.

This:

attachment.php?attachmentid=25185&stc=1

emmy27

454 Posts

Specializes in ER, Med-surg.

I have no problem talking to a therapist and have done so of my own volition when struggling with issues in the past. But I would never avail myself if one who was also a coworker. Even if I trusted that nothing would get back to management, it's just too close a working relationship to be comfortable sharing personal vulnerabilities. I want someone entirely separate from the rest of my life for that.

You bring up a great point. I learned after a very hard experience that management does not have your best interest at heart, and they, while stating we are non-punitive are in fact very punitive, I could go on but yeah, I would never go to a person on the unit for any type of support unless it was mandatory. I make sure my healthcare is provided at unrelated facilities as well. I've never felt comfortable with any place I've worked having access to my health info, and I have nothing wrong, other than I'm not so much worried about coworkers as management having access, I've always felt the only one who should have access to my health info is my doctor and myself. Which made me think of a question on this subject;

Lets say I did go the ward psychologist for support after some issue, how is that going to be documented? Wouldn't they, if they counseled you have to put some form of note in a chart, your medical chart, employee health? etc I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want a paper trail started, but maybe I'm just paranoid.

Specializes in CCRN.
Of course, the employer can see your medical records since it is paying for your insurance, if yo use

employer-paid insurance.

Good think I don't use employer-paid insurance either. ;)

Orca, ADN, ASN, RN

2,066 Posts

Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.

I would be very reluctant to talk to a psychologist who worked for my employer. I would never be completely sure that my information would remain confidential within the same company. I worked on a hospital inpatient mental health unit, where employees' mental health care was paid for 100 percent on our unit, but only 50 percent if they went somewhere else. I believed that this was profoundly unfair, and I felt badly for the employees who came to our unit. Even if no one talks about it, the people who worked on the unit and ancillary people who came through (lab, EKG, etc.) would know that they had been there.

maxthecat

243 Posts

I also worked in a hospital that wouldn't make an out of network exception for mental health. One of my co-workers started having problems and had to come to our unit for treatment. Not only was that extremely awkward for him, it was also awkward for me. I really did not want to know the details of his failing marriage. When you learn intimate details about someone's life it makes it VERY hard to go back to the "just a co-worker" role. You as a patient either share things that shouldn't be shared with a fellow worker in order to get the best treatment or you hold back and don't get all the treatment you may need. Let alone private info shared with a provider with whom you have to work. I would go so far as to say this sort of thing is unethical, but the hospital didn't seem to think so.

Oemgee, RN

20 Posts

The bottom line here is that you most likely were not put into your position at the request of the staff on the floor, no matter what you've been told. Even if they requested your presence for the good of their patients, they did not ask for you to be there for their benefit. They're at work to work and not to discuss personal matters with a stranger employed by hospital administration. These nurses don't have time or inclination to attend groups during their shifts because they are always going to be managing their time for the good of their patients. They're not going to be doing things during their break, if they even get one, because that is their time and is not to be infringed upon. They're not going to open up to you about their issues because anyone who has ever worked as a nurse knows how easily any and everything can be turned against you, no matter how high your opinion of your ability to keep things confidential is. Administration can be vicious, especially when things go wrong and they're looking for someone to blame.

If the charge nurse is coming up with things for you to do I'm betting it's either because you're bugging her when she's working or because you look like you've got too much time on your hands.

I find the entire idea that you're pushing for people to confide in anyone in their workplace things that could conceivably be used against them to be absurd and intrusive.

canoehead, BSN, RN

6,890 Posts

Specializes in ER.

Manja, just knowing you are there if they choose to talk has some value. As you gain a few years on the unit you will build a reputation, and maybe things will loosen up.

+ Add a Comment