Mental Health: Institutionalized: Mental Health Behind Bars

[NurseEnvision]

Mental Health: Institutionalized: Mental Health Behind Bars

The five specifics from the video that stands out the most is the fact that in Cook County Jail, 45% of individuals that are admitted every day have vibrant signs of mental illness where most of them are homeless, have bipolar disorder, depression and schizophrenia. Furthermore, most of these people take street drugs to self-medicate themselves. Moreover, the information that the acute mental ill floor is overcrowded every day, there are no provision and they spend $450/ day in each person in jail when they could at least spend $27/ day to treat these people in mental health clinic and 90% of funding are critically managed. It correspondingly states in the video that it is easier for these people to see local drug dealer than see a psychiatrist because there are a proportion of budget cuts and closure of facilities. There were no services available neither psychiatrists to treat patients. They shutdown six mental health clinics that treat considerable amount of patients. Ten times as many people with mental illnesses were sheltered up in prison and jails in arrears to felonies as soon as they are having an occurrence of their illness than receiving treatments in hospitals. These people's lives matter, our society needs to at least provide consideration to this problem since it appeared like it is being marginalized in our society. The merely part that I personally think of was at most accommodating is the existence of Mental Health Transition Centers where clients are prepared for their community in knowing the cycle of their anger, journaling, letting go of the anger by talking to the one that hurts them the most, forgiveness, and instilling the indispensable changes for them to be successful.

These facts altered the manner I view mental health so far in a way that these people who are in jail should not be suffering inside the prison cell if they only have adequate medication through Mental Health Facilities, on the other hand, we lack funding and available facilities are not capable to at least accommodate these people and make them stable. As what one of the client said, he is extra concerned about roof above his head than distressing about receiving the right medication. For the reason that, when they get out from jail no businesses would want to hire them since they have account of felonies, violence, drug abuse and etc. There is no life when they get out of jail anyway. In this circumstances, my nursing career is truthfully impacted, it made me recognized that there are some individuals who are needing our care. All the way through the past semesters, we were focused on people who are physically-ill and when I saw this video, I appreciated that there are more to see in nursing world that we as nurses need to treat people holistically. Nursing is so much more than I ever thought it would be. I am challenged every day to lead people, to make decisions that impact patients and their families, and to be a better person as well as a better nurse each day. I'm a people-person. I love the fact that mental health is not a cut and dried field - nothing is black and white when dealing with the human mind. The greatest part of nursing is when I get to make a progressive impact on a person and help them get their life back on track. What I didn't know was that there were psychiatric nurses. Nurses who bring the biological bases to their care of patients with mental illness, like psychiatrists. As a goal to accomplish in this career, I would like to have a broad knowledge base and have many varied opportunities. I discerned nursing would be demanding, but the rewards far outweigh any drawbacks because every day I wake up knowing I will help someone. I always wanted to be in a "helping" profession. As a future nurse not only am I be able to help people, but the profession will always be in demand and schedule is flexible. It is extremely challenging trying to meet the needs of psychiatric patients, and I would like to be part of teaching the patients and their families about their illnesses and medications. They depend on us to calm their fears and I like knowing that we help put them at ease. It's very satisfying to know that as I advance every day as a future nurse, I will always make a real difference in a patient's life.

[poppycat, ADN, BSN]

What video are you referring to?

[elkpark]

And why is someone with "LVN" in her/his username writing about being a "future nurse"? This sounds like a review of a video, perhaps as a school assignment? What is the point of posting it, and what is the OP looking for?