This week on the ward, part 1

Some weeks are ok. And by that, I mean that they are relatively settled. Patients are getting on well with each other, and with staff. There are no alarms, no restraint. And patients who are particularly Ill are in the minority. All of this means that there is a relaxed atmosphere on the ward.

Other weeks are different.

Very different.

This is one of those different weeks.

It's difficult to pinpoint what and when the change happened.

But on sunday night, a group of about 5 patients decided to get wasted on cocaine and vodka. There wasn't much hiding it going on. By the time the night staff came on duty, the atmosphere was volatile, to say the least. Everyone was milling around the nurses station, patients were high, drunk and aggressive. Shouting at staff, refusing to move, and demanding to be allowed to go outside and smoke, despite knowing that the doors are locked for everyone at 9pm. 

I must say that this really irritates me.

The reason why is that the drug taking and drinking is not as a result of being ill. Neither was the shouting at staff. Nor was what came later. And because the staff know damn well that this behaviour is not mental health related, they get stroppy. Rightly so.

I'm no saint. Good god, I'm no saint. I've been out, got drunk and been abusive.  And I faced serious consequences.  That is exactly how it should be. Bad, or illegal, behaviour-  despite the fact that we are in hospital- is STILL bad, or illegal, behaviour. If you're going to do it, don't whine about the consequences. And don't, BUT DONT, blame staff. 

Some staff are good. Some are, quite frankly, shit. Some are pretty much always willing to help, and some don't look up from their newspaper when they grunt their replies.

But no one comes to work with even a tacit acceptance that it's ok for them to be shouted at, goaded, sworn at, pushed or punched by patients who are simply stoned and drunk.

All of this happened during the wee small hours of Monday morning. 'Skinny drunk coke head', having been massively abusive, threatening and loud (and having made self harming gestures), was restrained by staff. It might have something to do with the amount of forms that need to be filled in afterwards, but full on restraint does not happen all that often. When it happens, it is because it NEEDS to happen in order to prevent harm. I have been restrained. Maybe four times. And every time, it has been necessary because I couldn't control myself. If a patient can not or will not control themselves, then the staff control your actions for you.

It's certainly not something they do for fun. Of that I am convinced.

After 'skinny drunk coke head' had been restrained, and his bedroom made safe, it was the turn of 'exceptionally gobby one' to start. Needless to say, she had plenty of opinions about the restraint,
about the qualifications of the staff, about abuse, neglect and generally bad treatment.

All of this whilst the rest of us are trying to sleep.

It's just annoying. Downright inconsiderate, and ALL about behaviour, not illness.