| pys19 |
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Sometimes when one floor was over staffed and another understaffed,
someone was pulled to that area to fill in. One day on the day shift I was pulled to work the psyhic floor. Now this wing is divided into two areas, open and closed areas. The patients who are no threat to themselves or others and those who are ready for discharge are on the open end. The violent ones and the ones who are off the deep end are on the closed end. There are also lock up rooms there for the really violent ones. I always found it a challenge to work there but would not want it for a full time position. This day I got the closed end. There was only one patient in lock up and you never go in that room alone. There was about 8 patients back there that day and 2 nurses, yours truly one of the two. Rules had to be followed....a smoke once an hour on the hour.....limited cokes, juice etc....hourly checks....15 minute checks on the sucidial patients etc. Today was a quiet one. When the other nurse went on coffee break, the patients stormed the nurses' station wanting to smoke. I told them no that it was too early. The patients were walking in the hallway and in the meeting rooms or lounge for them. In the lounge, I could hear someone talking loud and then soft. It was just Leroy. He heard voices all the time and he talked in three distinct voices. So he was having a three way conversation with himself. One of the patients went in there and said "Leroy stop all that talking. You want people to think you are crazy?" I wanted to laugh so bad I could hardly hold a straight face. Later on in the day it was smoke time. I was sitting in the hall talking with some of the patients. One asked if I smoked. I said yes and she said "Why don't you have a smoke too?" I told her I was not allowed to while on duty. She said " Ah go ahead, we will just tell the boss that you are a patient and they won't know the difference". I worked that unit a lot and never was any shift the same. I admire the people who work it full time. It is scary to know all that goes on and what the staff have to contend with. Getting beat up by a 12 yr old boy or have a patient to try to kill you. My hat is off to these staff members! |
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