Workin' it
So, I've been home for about an hour and a half and I just cracked open my third beer. Is that a problem? Damned if I know. I worked a double-ish today. I had one of my most sensible trainers tonight, finally someone who ascribes to the "learn by doing not watching" M.O. Before tonight I had yet to drive one of the company vans (I normally drive a VW Golf) and obviously for the same reason had yet to deliver meds to clients or drop them off at home. We had community dinner tonight at one of the programs I work for, and afterwards had to drop off 5 clients. I had gone on this run earlier in the week, but as a passenger. Tonight the guy who was training me just says "Here's the keys!"
After figuring out how everything in vehicle worked (locks, lights, windows, etc.) I announce to my passengers, "I promise I won't kill anybody, but I've never driven this van before." Once we were on the road the whole thing was like butter. I remembered how to get to where everyone lived, delivered meds to two clients, one was memorably chainsmoking at her ironing board/coffee table, knitting a hat, and giving us the latest on her quest for a small business loan via the help of the city manaager, "Bob" ("I don't know is last name. I don't need to know it. I'm not marrying the guy. If I was marrying the guy then I'd need to know his last name.")
On the way back, the last passenger was upset and complaining that she was hearing voices, and that she needed a Seroquel pronto. She told us this in response to my co-worker complaining about a song being stuck in his head. "I wish all I had was a bad song stuck in my head. The voices are much worse." When he asked what they were saying she responded, "They're angry. I don't know what they're saying. They're just angry." My co-worker (the good trainer) basically just assured her that if she was feeling uncertain or troubled to just call or come over to the office, since she lives nearby. It's not technically our job to solve the problem of hearing voices - in our position we can only offer support and safety.
I'm stuck on the topic of work, I'm sorry. And I need to vent about something. I may get into the background at some point, but suffice to say there's this chick who was hired at the same time as me who I am having some issues with. Without going into some of the broader issues, I will say that I worked first shift with her today, and got to see a lot of her "in action" with some clients at the group home. It's not that she's condescending per se. It's just that there's this weird sort of attitude that seems to be adopted by, to be blunt, the most jaded and lazy of the people I've seen who work with the mentally disabled. It's that sort of smarmy "baby talk", where the "caretaker" treats and regards their "charge" as a final statement, as having evolved to where they will evolve to, as needing encouragement in much the same way as a dog might. Case in point: No less than three times today, she approached one of the clients at the home,(in fairness he is probably one of the worst off, as he had a pre-existing disabilty, trauma, and a brain injury on top of that) and admonished him in this sort of sing-song tone, "S., where's that smile! Come on, show me that smiiiyelll!!!" Whereupon S. flashes a brief smile and reverts to exactly the same state he was in - a little out there, but basically fine. The only thing missing from this whole interaction was this chick pulling a cookie out of her pocket for every time he smiles and saying "Good Boy!" OK. Now, one could make the argument that the clients are damaged, ill, and have relatively simple needs, and this kind of "playful" communication is harmless. BUT...oh, God, is anyone following me here? The thing that bothers me is that it strikes me as sort of putting a giant period, as in "." on a person. My question is what is a given person's highest potential? What are the questions, attitudes, and behaviors directed towards that person to express the assumption or expectation that they can and will evolve, however slow the revolution? I know I am probably being far too idealistic in my thinking on all of this. I just hope I'm not setting myself up for heartache. That's it for tonight.
After figuring out how everything in vehicle worked (locks, lights, windows, etc.) I announce to my passengers, "I promise I won't kill anybody, but I've never driven this van before." Once we were on the road the whole thing was like butter. I remembered how to get to where everyone lived, delivered meds to two clients, one was memorably chainsmoking at her ironing board/coffee table, knitting a hat, and giving us the latest on her quest for a small business loan via the help of the city manaager, "Bob" ("I don't know is last name. I don't need to know it. I'm not marrying the guy. If I was marrying the guy then I'd need to know his last name.")
On the way back, the last passenger was upset and complaining that she was hearing voices, and that she needed a Seroquel pronto. She told us this in response to my co-worker complaining about a song being stuck in his head. "I wish all I had was a bad song stuck in my head. The voices are much worse." When he asked what they were saying she responded, "They're angry. I don't know what they're saying. They're just angry." My co-worker (the good trainer) basically just assured her that if she was feeling uncertain or troubled to just call or come over to the office, since she lives nearby. It's not technically our job to solve the problem of hearing voices - in our position we can only offer support and safety.
I'm stuck on the topic of work, I'm sorry. And I need to vent about something. I may get into the background at some point, but suffice to say there's this chick who was hired at the same time as me who I am having some issues with. Without going into some of the broader issues, I will say that I worked first shift with her today, and got to see a lot of her "in action" with some clients at the group home. It's not that she's condescending per se. It's just that there's this weird sort of attitude that seems to be adopted by, to be blunt, the most jaded and lazy of the people I've seen who work with the mentally disabled. It's that sort of smarmy "baby talk", where the "caretaker" treats and regards their "charge" as a final statement, as having evolved to where they will evolve to, as needing encouragement in much the same way as a dog might. Case in point: No less than three times today, she approached one of the clients at the home,(in fairness he is probably one of the worst off, as he had a pre-existing disabilty, trauma, and a brain injury on top of that) and admonished him in this sort of sing-song tone, "S., where's that smile! Come on, show me that smiiiyelll!!!" Whereupon S. flashes a brief smile and reverts to exactly the same state he was in - a little out there, but basically fine. The only thing missing from this whole interaction was this chick pulling a cookie out of her pocket for every time he smiles and saying "Good Boy!" OK. Now, one could make the argument that the clients are damaged, ill, and have relatively simple needs, and this kind of "playful" communication is harmless. BUT...oh, God, is anyone following me here? The thing that bothers me is that it strikes me as sort of putting a giant period, as in "." on a person. My question is what is a given person's highest potential? What are the questions, attitudes, and behaviors directed towards that person to express the assumption or expectation that they can and will evolve, however slow the revolution? I know I am probably being far too idealistic in my thinking on all of this. I just hope I'm not setting myself up for heartache. That's it for tonight.
posted by Black Egg at 10:14 PM
2 Comments:
I completely get what you are talking about and agree. I have seen these kinds of people already in my short time as a student nurse. They limit their patients by assuming they can't attain the status of equal. It's gross.
I have my psych rotation next semester and I'm definitely nervous but looking forward to it. I myself have depression/anxiety so I have some idea of mental illness perspective. I also have friends who are varying degrees of ill. And I'm interested to see what all is done nowadays at facilities. We'll be at a local VA clinic at that. THAT could have some charged issues, hoo.
Glad you were able to drive the van! And enjoy those beers :)
Yes, gross is the word. Depression & anxiety have been issues for me, too, and I'm aware of the fact that this job will be a bit of a test of my limits. The people I will be working with are under varying degrees of supervised care for a reason, but I have to bear in mind that the only thing separating me from them are different life experiences, different sets of coping skills, and different chemical/biological balances.
The VA clinic should be interesting. I worry about some of the guys that are over there now with the extended tours. Because of the shortage of troops there has been a trend to medicate those who are really feeling the stress and just sending them back out on the field, instead of letting them get out to get some real treatment. Speaking of depression, right? Too much to think about sometimes. I wish you luck when you go there, and look forward to hearing about it.
Have a great weekend!
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