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

[manjar]

Hello,

Since I often seek and get good information at this forum I had an idea I can ask you for help with my current issue.

I am a psychologist working in a pediatric ICU. I am there mostly for parents and older children. But I am also supposed to be available for supporting staff with their professional or personal issues.

Head nurse asked me to prepare a talk about the importance of talking to someone and receiving help after a mistake while giving medications to a patient. This I can handle. I can talk about the importance of talk support or therapy. But I am having troubles with the other part which is the fact that nurses rarely seek psychological help or advice. Head nurse encouraged me to talk about reasons for that. I do have my explanations but I would be really happy to hear what you think about that.

So, to summarize: if you had an option to speak to a psychologist, working at your ward about your work or personal issues - would you do it? Why yes and why no?

Regards,

Manja

[Scottishtape]

No, due to a fear (real or imagined) that it would harm my employment and/or reputation at work.

[seaofclouds21, BSN, RN]

I agree with Scottishape. If I wanted/needed to speak with someone, I would seek someone outside of my employer (preferably in a different health care system).

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Yep. I would not want someone I see at work every day to know my weaknesses/issues. I also would have zero trust that the information would not get leaked, some how, some way. Even if I were open to seeing a psychologist there is ZERO chance I would choose one who works with me on the unit. Nada. Zip. Zero.

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

No, due to a fear (real or imagined) that it would harm my employment and/or reputation at work.

^^^ This.

When I was in my first career, my boss found out that I have bipolar disorder. I was (am) medicated, I was (am) effectively being treated, and I was a damn good teacher who was performing my job responsibilities with great reviews.

When she found out, my career went tumbling a bit. Stigma is real, man.

So a very enthusiastic hell no from this poster. I'm sure you mean well, but it's so not worth the risk.

[caliotter3]

In the same sense, many members of the military will see a civilian provider for medical care while attempting to keep the information from their command.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Agree with all above. No WAY would I open up to someone employed on my unit - I prefer to keep that stuff outside the walls of my employer.

[JKL33]

Nope. Absolutely not.

While I appreciate the idea that some management staff do personally care about individual employees' well-being, the company/employer ultimately offers this benefit for the good of employees themselves but also for reasons that are self-serving. That in and of itself wouldn't be a deal-breaker if I thought that corporate ethics were above reproach. But I do not.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

In hospitals, walls got ears.

There is almost 110% possibility that whatever a nurse says will be one day used against her. I worked with clinical psychologist for years after I got PTSD as a result of being bullied in my first year, and this guy never knew and never figured out where all that happened.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

The farther I've gone along in my nursing career (10 years now), the less I want my colleagues to know about my personal life.

At my first job, my co-workers knew a lot about me. I worked in pediatric neurology and neurosurgery and they knew that I was a brain tumor survivor myself. I did at one point see someone in employee assistance when it was a particularly difficult time (a child who I took care of a lot with a diagnosis similar to mine had died and it was around the 1 year anniversary of a bad MRI) and I participated in groups that she ran on the floor though those were mostly debriefings after the floor had several deaths.

At my second job, the only people I told about my medical problems were colleagues who had medical problems of their own that they shared with me- 1 with ulcerative colitis and 1 with lupus.

At my current job, my coworkers know next to nothing about me. They know none of my medical history. 1 colleague knows that my mom is a teacher because his kids go to the school she teaches at and 1 knows I have 2 dogs. The most that the average colleague knows about me is that I am a big fan of our local sports teams and often travel to away games to see them. I prefer it this way. Actually, earlier this year I had to miss a meeting because I had my annual Neuro-Oncology follow-up and MRI and I was very careful not to mention where my appointment was because everyone from my city knows that this particular institution is a cancer hospital exclusively and I don't need anyone questioning to themselves why Kel is a patient as this institution.

[BCgradnurse, MSN, RN, NP]

No way. I keep my work and personal life separate, and if I need psychological help I would go elsewhere. Like it or not, these is still a lot of stigma attached to mental health issues.

[amoLucia]

Isn't this post such a sad commentary on the reality of the employer/employee relationship?

NOTE: I am agreeing 110% regarding the lack of trust in the confidential nature of employee information remaining private & confidential. And then being used as a possible weapon against the employee.

NO WAY would I ever reveal something deep.