Misha
Member
Many of you have probably heard on the news the shocking story of the murder in an edmonton psych ward. Here is one version of the newspaper story...I read them all... each is stigmatized in its own way, I found this the best:
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjourn...=98f1c1b3-32cc-4424-a06b-5bf4de050acb&k=57504
Later in the Edmonton Journal was a second Article entitled "How avoidable was mental patient's violent death?" by Paula Simons. In it she discusses how Psych wards are meant to be safe places, then goes on to discuss the little detail known about the illnesses of the men involved. Then, she questions the adequacy of the work done by professionals and security at the hospital.
Then, she wrote the paragraph that made my blood boil....
Violence of some kind is always going to be a lurking threat. And psychiatrists and nurses aren't mind readers. Not even the most experienced professional can necessarily tell when a patient who "presents well" might crack. It's a credit to the hospital and its staff that fatalities like this are so incredibly rare.
She ends her article with a sappy politically correct statement about defeating the very stigma she just majorly fed into. Hypocrite. Although, granted, she probably didn't even realise she was doing it.
But in the end, knowing what went on, I feel for all involved, the staff, the patients, the families.... And having read what was written, I feel for all those who will read about it and not really understand the world behind it all.
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjourn...=98f1c1b3-32cc-4424-a06b-5bf4de050acb&k=57504
Later in the Edmonton Journal was a second Article entitled "How avoidable was mental patient's violent death?" by Paula Simons. In it she discusses how Psych wards are meant to be safe places, then goes on to discuss the little detail known about the illnesses of the men involved. Then, she questions the adequacy of the work done by professionals and security at the hospital.
Then, she wrote the paragraph that made my blood boil....
Violence of some kind is always going to be a lurking threat. And psychiatrists and nurses aren't mind readers. Not even the most experienced professional can necessarily tell when a patient who "presents well" might crack. It's a credit to the hospital and its staff that fatalities like this are so incredibly rare.
She ends her article with a sappy politically correct statement about defeating the very stigma she just majorly fed into. Hypocrite. Although, granted, she probably didn't even realise she was doing it.
But in the end, knowing what went on, I feel for all involved, the staff, the patients, the families.... And having read what was written, I feel for all those who will read about it and not really understand the world behind it all.
