I have no idea how to work this site so sorry if I’m posting in the wrong place, I’m at work and on a time crunch but wanted to post!! I work as a qualified mental health associate or a skills worker at a residential mental health facility. One of my coworkers who has been here YEARS longer than I have has a weird power complex and likes to try and take away stuff from the residents like privileges to go on group outings and such. They tried to do so a few months ago and I stepped in and told that coworker to eff off basically and turned to the resident to reassure them and comfort them as they were literally in a delusion and terrified in that moment; and I’ve been helping them write a complaint letter since! It makes my blood boil that someone would take advantage of anyone, and I won’t let someone take advantage or bully any of my residents. Mentally ill or not they still have a right to basic decency.
It’s important that those with power stand up for those without. This is definitely something you should feel good about. My sister has been a mental health nurse for over 20 years now, and based on her stories, I know a lot of people working in her field have a hard time keeping their compassion. So many are overworked and have seen terrible situations. Thankfully, she still has a similar spirit to yours.
Kudos to you for standing up for your residents! My wife works with people with developmental disabilities and she tells me all the time how poorly a lot of people — even family — treat them, including people who are trained to work with them and should know better.
I can imagine it’s similar for in-patient individuals. It’s good that they have you to advocate for them. Hopefully your coworker either gets disciplined for their behavior or at least it’s a wake-up call to them and others who are treating residents the same way.
Hearing how you handled that situation made my heart so happy! You can tell everything about a person by how they treat children, older people, and those with physical, emotional/psychological, developmental, etc. challenges. To hurt someone who is in your care and depends on you is a whole different kind of low. Thankfully, there are people like you there! Thank you for sharing. 