This week’s clinical was the last in our mental health rotation, creating a sense of accomplishment as well as mixed emotions. I was able to spend my last clinical on the chemical dependency unit which allowed me to sit on a group therapy session that was very insightful. This group therapy session was led by two particular members who were being released that same day and were giving their insights to others. Each group member shared their story and journey that had concluded with them coming to Methodist. The therapist did a great job in discussing with the group the differences of each member’s dependency. He commented on the relation of one member’s story in which their depression had led to their use of drugs whereas another member had the opposite results in her life. He expanded on the relationship that depression could have on drug use, explaining that sometimes people use substances as a way to cope with other issues. The therapist talked out loud with the group but also personally addressed each member, when he explained that the PTSD of seeing a certain event had caused him to seek alcohol as a way of dealing. Along with the group session I was able to witness an infection control situation with a patient on the floor. What made this situation so interesting was the patient himself, I was able to observe the combination of mental health and normal medical. The patient was delusional due to withdrawing from heroin as well as dealing with severe respiratory issues as well as being diagnosed with the flu. At one instance the man had a face mask on his face while he was delusional and at one point ended up on the floor. I was able to observe my nurse call the doctor for an assessment to be done, order sputum collections to be analyzed and then isolate the patient in his room in an attempt to decrease contamination.
I have had previous experience with group sessions but I felt that none were as insightful as Fridays. It was captivating to hear these peoples stories, all having various back grounds and reasons for their dependency but finding the same conclusion. I felt very humbled by the experience because the group members spoke about very personal things that I may have not been comfortable with doing so had the roles been switched. Through the stories of the group I was able to identify mental health concepts from class illustrated in real life. The therapists used therapeutic communication to facilitate the session as well as draw connections to mental health diagnosis with substance abuse. I was also able to reflect on the affect that stressors and ones own environment could impact a life. One group member was able to identify her own addiction to her childhood that dealt with family loss to drugs and excessive drug use. With a environment that normalized the use of drugs she was able to identify that her own use and denial was stemmed from that. I was also able to identify complex concepts being illustrated in a situation where a recovering patient was also diagnosed with the flu. In this situation the nurse not only was treating the physical and emotional symptoms of the drug use but as well as combating a virus.
In retrospect I realize that not only does our personal copying ability affect our mental health greatly but our environment as well. In life things occur that are out of our control, these events can greatly impact our lives which can cause resiliency or defeat. Hearing the stories from the group therapy session allowed me to analyze the importance of support groups when needed in crisis situations as well as in general. The role that support groups play on our lives vary from the extra helping hand that allows us to move pass our obstacles or the same hands that can drag us down.
Overall, this mental health clinical rotation between the San Marcos treatment center and the various units at Methodist has greatly impacted me. I continue to see that a nurse’s role cannot be defined in one definition because they truly are a health care provider that provides holistic care for their patients. I was able to concretely identify this understanding in the situation in which a patient was experiencing withdraws of heroin and was diagnosed with the flu. This was an example of the nurse’s role as a health care provider, holistically treating the patient. I feel like I have gained a large understanding and knowledge of people and the interplay of mental health from clinical. Not only have I gained an understanding of the importance of environment, stressors and coping skills I have also been able to discuss the impact of being a nurse in this specific type of field with nurses. Having the opportunity to experience and observe circumstances of mental health and overall medical health have allowed me to gain further understanding of my future occupation.