Nurses learn to navigate the back and forth between the world of hospital and the world of everyday norms, one minute dealing with intense human vulnerability the next heading home to family, to the normal domestic routine. We learn to make the switch, not bring work home, out of head onto paper helps me
I mention suicide here, read on with care or maybe not at all?
The media tiptoe around this topic, everyone does but its important to talk about it in a more direct way.
Maybe instead of “no known cause of death” the news stories could say “this man took his own life because he was scared and ashamed to tell anyone how bad he was feeling, what he was thinking, he didn’t know help was available, that he wasn’t alone, wouldn’t always have the thoughts that made him do such a final thing”
A BUSY SHIFT IN ED
A common theme that day
Adults suffering the ongoing effects of childhood trauma and neglect
Leading messy complicated lives
Tormented
Self medicating with alcohol and drugs
Paranoid
Delusional
Suicidal
Hypervigilant
Violent
At rock bottom
Direct important questions asked
Skillfully and kindly
An opportunity to learn, to admire a colleague
“Did you plan to kill yourself today?”
“How?”
“What is your plan?”
Might seem too direct, shocking even but dead is final, there’s no going back and these conversations save lives
Mental health plans appeared, family flying in like angels, safeguarding, giving love and support, small moments of relief
Could easily have gone another way
Lifeline Australia 131114
Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
https://www.lifeline.org.au/crisis-text/