While by no means comprehensive, current research has been compiled to provide information regarding the stigma regarding borderline personality disorder and perceptions of patients with BPD by nursing staff. Stigma and past experiences color how we provide patient care and while it is important to share our experiences, it is also important to provide objective nursing care as much as possible.
Alright, it's still Mental Health Awareness Month. There is a lot of stigma going around (even by nursing professionals) about mental illnesses such as borderline personality disorder. I have been out of the academic setting for a while, so please don't harp on my citations but please consider reading some evidence based research regarding a known phenomenon in nursing that needs to be re-examined and progress towards reducing negative perceptions of patients will both increase patient satisfaction as well as nursing satisfaction.
There is a wealth of knowledge out there, both positive and negative regarding borderline personality disorder. Anecdotes are plentiful on the internet and while it is important to be able to share personal, first-hand experiences with these diseases, it is equally important to consider the hard facts and how our anecdotes influence our nursing practice.
A very wise teacher in nursing school told us that she firmly believes all of us, everyone, suffers from a personality disorder. The distinction is in severity and how functional you can be. Very wise lady.
it's especially important that all nurses are on the same page re poc, i.e., anticipate attempts of manipulation and/or staff-splitting, or other types of disruptions.
bpd IS a tough one to manage...for the pt and caregiver(s).
once that truth is acknowledged, it gives more leeway for progress to be made.
ThePrincessBride, I think the biggest problem is a lot of people are getting it confused with Antisocial Personality Disorder. They are not the same thing.
ThePrincessBride, I think the biggest problem is a lot of people are getting it confused with Antisocial Personality Disorder. They are not the same thing.
I'm not seeing it here, but I do hear that. With similar symptoms, men are likely to be dx with ASPD and women will likely receive a dx of BPD.
A very wise teacher in nursing school told us that she firmly believes all of us everyone, suffers from a personality disorder. The distinction is in severity and how functional you can be. Very wise lady.[/quote']
It's true... in the sense that we all have traits of Axis II disorders to varying degrees, but the diagnostic criteria are pretty strict and when proper assessment is done, there is an appreciable difference between the individual traits or maladaptive processes and the distinct disorders. Then when you consider the types and prevalence of co-occurring disorders, it be becomes even more complex.
I have worked as a therapist/clinician in an OMH clinic where the majority of my clients had co-occurring disorders including at least one on Axis II... the misconceptions and stigmas around BPD and the spectrum of personality disorders is really astounding. It's amazing how ppl either trivialize or vilify personality disorders, when neither is productive. It takes a lot of training and skill to provide effective therapeutic interventions to individuals with these disorders.
dolcebellaluna, please tell me you correct them when you hear that from people.
Definitely! I frankly think that personality disorders are "over-diagnosed" by non-professionals (even by therapists, because they're not really trained to dx) and under-served and treated. There's a big difference between ASPD and BPD and although I've never seen a female ASPD patient or a male BPD patient, they're out there and gender stereotypes often add to the already bad stigma of the mentally ill.
it's especially important that all nurses are on the same page re poc, i.e., anticipate attempts of manipulation and/or staff-splitting, or other types of disruptions.
bpd IS a tough one to manage...for the pt and caregiver(s).
once that truth is acknowledged, it gives more leeway for progress to be made.
leslie
Leslie this is a very excellent point!!! Most of the frustrations I have had dealing with BPD patients has been in relation to staff. It is extremely important that ALL staff be on the same page in terms of unit rules. It is also extremely important that staff not buy into staff-splitting. I have seen some super smart top of their game nurses and docs feed into this and the problems it creates makes everyone's lives, including the patient's, much more difficult. It can also cause long lasting problems with staff relations.
My mom has BPD and it has been really tough... for me, for her, for the rest of my family. It was especially hard when I was a kid and had no real way of understanding what was going on. So I loved your paper! And I'm really, really glad to get some good info finally. Thanks for posting!
Racer, that is kinda cool. Did you learn anything from that person?
I did, actually. I had never dealt with a BPD patient before, and this girl was a pretty classic example. I interacted with her all day, got to observe how she interacted with her peers, and then my mom and I sat down and discussed her behavior, how to handle patients like her, etc. I was actually allowed to sit in on my mom's classes and see how she interacted with the patient as well. It was a really good day for me, most of my classmates hated it and thought it was boring, but having my mom work there helped kind of give me a different perspective.
And before anyone can say anything, my instructors knew that my mother worked there, my mom's coworkers all know me and knew I would be there, my mother actually sat out of a few things due to ethical reasons, but because I was a student and it was a learning opportunity and I was bound to HIPAA, her boss was ok with me sitting in on one class with my mom and discussing patients with her. I was very careful, did not want either of us getting into trouble.
100% agree w/this comment! I can not even count how many times I've read posts on here and thought to myself " this does NOT sound like BPD. But rather, ASPD".
uRNmyway, ASN, RN
1,080 Posts
A very wise teacher in nursing school told us that she firmly believes all of us, everyone, suffers from a personality disorder. The distinction is in severity and how functional you can be. Very wise lady.