day in the life of a senior mental health nurse
I work on what's called an acute in-patient open ward but because no-one wants to stay, the door is permanently locked so I spend most of my day locking and unlocking the door (I'm now security personnel).
The patient phone is broken so I spend masses of time helping them to make phone calls, I answer the phone to carers, family, visitors, other departments (a part-time telephonist).
New jumped-up junior doctor asks me to get patient notes from the note cupboard (a runner) or make teas and cofffee for their ward round, "oh, and get some nice biscuits" (a waitress). And the junior doctor gets a short sharp lesson in how not to antagonise experienced, skilled and dedicated mental health nurses (a teacher).
Many patients are on Section and have no leave so someone has to get them their ciggies and sweets (a messenger).
We are now a no-smoking hospital so patients get escorted out for a ciggie every 2 1/2 hours and unfortunately some of them end up sneaking a ciggie in the bathrooms causing havoc for the fire-brigade (I'm now the cigarette police).
Junior doctor (again) insists I type his correspondence because he's too busy being a doctor (a secretary). But of course I refuse and he learns yet another lesson very early on in his career.
A patient is fighting with a visitor and little old me has to get in between (a bouncer).
Three new students who all report they've been ignored by their mentors all need a bit of tlc (a friend).
My terrified, anxious, angst-ridden patients all want my attention so cups of tea and doughnuts (bought from my own meagre salary) all round, hugs and kind words....... I'll get back to each one of them individually at some point today....
I could go on about how much I love being a mental health nurse but I'm not sure I am one any more!!!