Week 1

Enlightening -

Going into this practicum, I really didn't know what to expect. I knew Larue Carter would be a challenging and interesting experience (being a state psychiatric hospital) and I wanted that thrill and unique experience that I knew it would offer. However, I hadn't a clue as to what I would be doing or what a social worker's responsibility was at Carter. This week has enlightened me to just how important social workers are to the population at Carter. After my first week, I can say that I am excited and glad that I have the experience to spend the next four months at Carter.

Activities - 

This week, I didn't have much of an opportunity to work directly with the population. I mostly spent time exploring the physical areas of the hospital, discussing social work tasks with my field instructor, and generally orienting to the practicum. However, I did participate in my first patient treatment team meeting and also observed some of the challenges that social workers and staff members face at Carter.

It was interesting being part of a treatment team meeting. We interviewed five patients and discussed their progress thus far. Team members included a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, charge nurse, division director, med student, and myself. The goal of the meeting was to give the patient an opportunity to ask any questions related to his/her treatment plan. It was exciting to see first hand how the treatment of patients is handled.

I also got to witness, first hand, the challenges that staff members face in a psychiatric hospital. During our treatment meeting, a code green was issued because a patient was out of control and had to be detained. I witnessed staff members detain the gentleman, the nurse administer medication to calm him, and then waited with the rest of the staff while the patient calmed down. I realized that it can be challenging for social workers and staff members to deal rationally with persons who are severely mentally ill. One has to have a certain level of compassion and understanding when dealing with a population as such. It was eye opening and exciting at the same time.

I absolutely loved my first week at Carter. I am excited to continue with my experience and can't wait to see what else I learn from this wonderful and unique population.

Reflection - 

Policy/Macro

Being a state hospital, there are many policies that affect patients on a regular basis. I am just learning about the policies of the hospital and how they affect patients. One issue that I did note was the lack of funding that has a direct effect on the population. As the state budget is being cut, Carter hospital is operating at the bare minimum, often without adequate physical surroundings for patients. The building is old and is in need of repair. But because finances are limited, little is left over to improve the environment. I believe that if more was done to improve the environment that most of these patients spend 24 hours confined in, it could have a positive affect on the patients' mental state. There seems to be a sense that the state is trying to unload this hospital and I worry what will eventually happen to the patient's that require the security and services it provides them.

Total Hours this Week: 15.5

Total Hours to Date: 15.5