re: something to consider...

Trauma Columnist · May 28, 2005

Gosh - I don't work psych, but I would think that the management of this hospital and unit need to consider some staff counseling. It sounds like you guys are experiencing way too much stress.

elkpark · May 28, 2005

This is something that has been talked about quite a bit over the years in the psych community. Although your rates of problems seem high (you didn't specify over how long a period of time all this has happened), it often seems that psych staff have more problems than the general public.

I, personally, have three theories about this, but can never decide which one I think is most valid:

1) Crazy people are attracted to psych as a career ...

2) Working in psych drives us crazy ...

3) We're not really any crazier than the people in other healthcare specialties, we're just more comfortable being open about it. :chuckle

But, seriously, in my experience of ~20 years in psych, it does seem that a significant number of the people (not all!) who are working in psych (esp. in the kind of positions that require less formal education/training, although not exclusively) are attracted to it because, on some level, they are looking for help with their own problems. And I'm not the only person who has observed this phenomenon -- it is commonly discussed in psych circles. Please, whoever may be reading this, make sure you've got your own cr@p dealt with (at least, under control!) before you go into psych! Over the years, I've worked with lots of nurses and aides who were clearly more dysfunctional and troubled than many of our clients (and I'm talking on inpatient units ... :uhoh21: d)

I don't mean to sound like I'm condemning or looking down on anyone -- I've certainly had my share of problems, issues, and difficult periods in my life. But the trick, I think, is to be self-aware enough to take the steps necessary to maximize your own mental/emotional health and do your best to keep your personal stuff from bleeding over into the workplace. Unfortunately, not everyone who is working in psych is able (or willing, as the case may be) to do that.

TitaniaSidhe · May 28, 2005

very well written elkpark, I agree with you.

UnewmeB4 · May 29, 2005

This is something that has been talked about quite a bit over the years in the psych community. Although your rates of problems seem high (you didn't specify over how long a period of time all this has happened), it often seems that psych staff have more problems than the general public.
I, personally, have three theories about this, but can never decide which one I think is most valid:
1) Crazy people are attracted to psych as a career ...
2) Working in psych drives us crazy ...
3) We're not really any crazier than the people in other healthcare specialties, we're just more comfortable being open about it. :chuckle
But, seriously, in my experience of ~20 years in psych, it does seem that a significant number of the people (not all!) who are working in psych (esp. in the kind of positions that require less formal education/training, although not exclusively) are attracted to it because, on some level, they are looking for help with their own problems. And I'm not the only person who has observed this phenomenon -- it is commonly discussed in psych circles. Please, whoever may be reading this, make sure you've got your own cr@p dealt with (at least, under control!) before you go into psych! Over the years, I've worked with lots of nurses and aides who were clearly more dysfunctional and troubled than many of our clients (and I'm talking on inpatient units ... :uhoh21: d)
I don't mean to sound like I'm condemning or looking down on anyone -- I've certainly had my share of problems, issues, and difficult periods in my life. But the trick, I think, is to be self-aware enough to take the steps necessary to maximize your own mental/emotional health and do your best to keep your personal stuff from bleeding over into the workplace. Unfortunately, not everyone who is working in psych is able (or willing, as the case may be) to do that.

Beware of anyone in a "helping profession" working so hard to help others! The more "selfless" the scarier. It is often a way to take their attention off their own "issues". How many nurses are in abusive marriages, weird relationships, kids a total mess,etc. Trust me...I am NOT pointing the finger. Been there, done that, know MY limitations for "fixing" others before myself. I think it is a professional hazzard...

UnewmeB4 · May 29, 2005

the idea for this post came to me while elucidating someone in another post...
since i've worked in the psych field 6 staff have commit suicide since i've been employed here, several fired for intimate relations with clientele, a few fired for showing up drunk to work, at least two for stealing meds....
I've found this to be more prevalent in the psych field... have any of you found this type of stuff to happen in other areas of nursing as it does in the psych field?? and what does this suggest about the psych field to any of you that have shared the same type of experiences?

Since you work in psych, could you know if the stats someone told me are true...that 90% of nurses are on antidepressants? Someone quoted that to me one night on a cardiac floor, and sure enough, everyone but me was on antidepressants! I was honestly shocked(although, I know I shouldn't be). I just wondered if you had ever heard that???

Granted Fal · May 29, 2005

Yes, I have met lots of nurses on benzo's and what not...

to the other guy posting up there... i've worked in the psych field about 6 years now....

It's devistating when someone, a coworker, you wouldn't have suspected otherwise winds up dead from suicide. Then you learn they had a diagnosis and all this other info comes out about them... you think to yourself.. "didn't I know this person?! "

You just don't know who you know until you know, you know?

I worked with a counselor some time ago. The facility we worked at ended up closing down due to no more long-term care funding. He was great with the clientele and despite appearing to be gay, which is no big woop to me, was a very competent counselor. Then, BAM! he's on the news being prosecuted for molesting a client, young boy of 12 years old. Totally blew my mind and now I don't always trust my first impressions.

But you know, you'd hope that if something were sever enough in our lives to want to end them we'd at least follow by the example we set for our clientele and connect with the EAP or something. So it goes back to there just being some pretty unstable people in the psych arena.

Since you work in psych, could you know if the stats someone told me are true...that 90% of nurses are on antidepressants? Someone quoted that to me one night on a cardiac floor, and sure enough, everyone but me was on antidepressants! I was honestly shocked(although, I know I shouldn't be). I just wondered if you had ever heard that???

MAGIK GIRL · May 30, 2005

Beware of anyone in a "helping profession" working so hard to help others! The more "selfless" the scarier. It is often a way to take their attention off their own "issues". How many nurses are in abusive marriages, weird relationships, kids a total mess,etc. Trust me...I am NOT pointing the finger. Been there, done that, know MY limitations for "fixing" others before myself. I think it is a professional hazzard...

:) :) amen to that! besides, problems aside, a little crazy isssssss big fun!!!!!!!! different out look on life, easier to enjoy it. :rotfl: :rotfl:

Gator,SN · May 31, 2005

Beware of anyone in a "helping profession" working so hard to help others! The more "selfless" the scarier. It is often a way to take their attention off their own "issues". How many nurses are in abusive marriages, weird relationships, kids a total mess,etc. Trust me...I am NOT pointing the finger. Been there, done that, know MY limitations for "fixing" others before myself. I think it is a professional hazzard...

Very interesting post. I have often thought that a majority of nurses are trying to heal something in their own past while in the profession of helping others.

kc2004 · May 31, 2005

I agree with you. It seems like people with emotional problems who

themselves have been helped through tough times in a psych unit,

want to work there to help someone like themselves. I think it's the

same for alot of different nursing specialties. For example, if you had

a great experience during childbirth, you might choose to become a

labor/delivery nurse. I have known a few RNs who had a premie baby

and then proceeded to move to a NICU. They can see what a fine

job the nurses and staff members do, and they want to be a part of

that. However, I'm sorry to hear that those psych nurses took thier

own lives. You would think that they would know when and how to find help

when the going got tough.

lady_jezebel · May 31, 2005

the idea for this post came to me while elucidating someone in another post...
since i've worked in the psych field 6 staff have commit suicide since i've been employed here, several fired for intimate relations with clientele, a few fired for showing up drunk to work, at least two for stealing meds....
I've found this to be more prevalent in the psych field... have any of you found this type of stuff to happen in other areas of nursing as it does in the psych field?? and what does this suggest about the psych field to any of you that have shared the same type of experiences?

Just from observation of where I worked while in nursing school (NA on psych floor), it does seem that people with mental issues are often attracted to the psych field -- MDs & RNs alike. This does not describe the vast majority of professionals in psych, of course.

MAGIK GIRL · May 31, 2005

Very interesting post. I have often thought that a majority of nurses are trying to heal something in their own past while in the profession of helping others.

i had a psych instructor who said that you cannot offer counsiling help to someone else unless you have been through some yourself. i think this is true with any aspect. i think you have better insight and empathy for the person you are helping.

i think there has to be a line though. i wonder about those who have committed suicide. i wonder if they showed signs to any co workers. hind sight but i just wonder. we often are shocked that a co worker would do something extreme. did we see signs and just chalk them up to stress? or did we just ignore them and think, "no, not them...." just a thought.