Absolutely amazing...

[MyBestFriendIsADog]

So do I, but I get the violen ones after they have atacked someone. It's y job to "sedate" them wether that be a confined room or tied to the bed.

In either of my lines of work I can NOT be compasionate or it would eat me alive.

I have no compasion for the "mentally ill" as many are catigorized that shouldnt be.

It's a pitty darwinism doesnt work on humans

Well, if that were true many people wouldn't be here, as almost everyone probably has had someone in their family history who suffered from mental illness. Mental illness isn't always someone who is deranged and needs sedation, but can run the spectrum from severe depression to full-blown schizophrenia.

I'd like to think that any medical professionals that care for persons I love who happen to suffer mental illness have some capacity for compassion. I understand the need to distance oneself, but distancing is not the same as losing compassion for those who suffer from very real, very organic diseases. Do you have compassion for diabetics? Stroke sufferers? So, why not someone with a mental disease? Most have no more chosen to suffer it than others have chosen diabetes, or strokes.

 

[blue]

So do I, but I get the violen ones after they have atacked someone. It's y job to "sedate" them wether that be a confined room or tied to the bed.

In either of my lines of work I can NOT be compasionate or it would eat me alive.

I have no compasion for the "mentally ill" as many are catigorized that shouldnt be.

It's a pitty darwinism doesnt work on humans

There is such a thing of leaving work at work, otherwise things can eat at you. Ive seen it in EMTs and cops, some cant seperate the job from life.

OrionDW would most likely agree with you and dobiegurl.

 

[rottnpagan]

Well, if that were true many people wouldn't be here, as almost everyone probably has had someone in their family history who suffered from mental illness. Mental illness isn't always someone who is deranged and needs sedation, but can run the spectrum from severe depression to full-blown schizophrenia.

I'd like to think that any medical professionals that care for persons I love who happen to suffer mental illness have some capacity for compassion. I understand the need to distance oneself, but distancing is not the same as losing compassion for those who suffer from very real, very organic diseases. Do you have compassion for diabetics? Stroke sufferers? So, why not someone with a mental disease? Most have no more chosen to suffer it than others have chosen diabetes, or strokes.

MBFIAD (sorry had to shorten that handle!!):

I'm a medical professional, I've worked in our provincial mental hospital, and I now work in a nursing home, with mental illness as well as the aged and medical/physical conditions.

You CAN'T do this job without compassion. You can't get too involved, it's true... but you just cannot do this job without caring, somewhat. If you're working in nursing, and you don't care or you look down on the patients for whatever choices they've made in life, or whatever cards have been dealt to them, then you need to find another career.

To me that's just unconscionable.

 

[JennSLK]

I have learned it's better not to care. I dont care about people i dont know. Yes it would be a very different story if it was a family member, but really I dont care if something happens to a stranger.

 

[JennSLK]

MBFIAD (sorry had to shorten that handle!!):

I'm a medical professional, I've worked in our provincial mental hospital, and I now work in a nursing home, with mental illness as well as the aged and medical/physical conditions.

You CAN'T do this job without compassion. You can't get too involved, it's true... but you just cannot do this job without caring, somewhat. If you're working in nursing, and you don't care or you look down on the patients for whatever choices they've made in life, or whatever cards have been dealt to them, then you need to find another career.

To me that's just unconscionable.

You dont need to find another career. You do your job to the best of your abilities and you go home.End of story. I know too many people who care and take it home with them.

 

[rottnpagan]

Heh, I love google ads. A big HONKIN' ad to discuss BiPolar disorder. *grin*

 

[MyBestFriendIsADog]

MBFIAD (sorry had to shorten that handle!!):

I'm a medical professional, I've worked in our provincial mental hospital, and I now work in a nursing home, with mental illness as well as the aged and medical/physical conditions.

You CAN'T do this job without compassion. You can't get too involved, it's true... but you just cannot do this job without caring, somewhat. If you're working in nursing, and you don't care or you look down on the patients for whatever choices they've made in life, or whatever cards have been dealt to them, then you need to find another career.

To me that's just unconscionable.

I understand, and I agree. I managed veterinary clinics for over a decade, and I fully understand the need to distance yourself - I suspect I would have never survived some days if I hadn't (days full of euthanasias, dogs run over by cars, etc, etc). However, I never lost compassion for the animals in our care, or for the clients we dealt with - had I lost compassion I would have had no place in the business, ya know?

I know many, many medical professionals who manage to both maintain some professional distance and retain their compassion, which to me is the hallmark of a true medical professional. Those who lose compassion need to re-evaluate their career path, IMO.

 

[rottnpagan]

I have learned it's better not to care. I dont care about people i dont know. Yes it would be a very different story if it was a family member, but really I dont care if something happens to a stranger.

Then I pray to the Gods around me that my loved ones never come to be under your care.

You dont need to find another career. You do your job to the best of your abilities and you go home.End of story. I know too many people who care and take it home with them.

I do my job, and I do it well. I sit with dying residents, night after night, making them comfortable, letting them know it's okay to die, that they won't be hurting anymore... and you tell me that you don't need to care for the people you take care of? I'm sorry, but I don't think I can continue a rational discussion with anyone so unfeeling and unhuman.

 

[rottnpagan]

I understand, and I agree. I managed veterinary clinics for over a decade, and I fully understand the need to distance yourself - I suspect I would have never survived some days if I hadn't (days full of euthanasias, dogs run over by cars, etc, etc). However, I never lost compassion for the animals in our care, or for the clients we dealt with - had I lost compassion I would have had no place in the business, ya know?

I know many, many medical professionals who manage to both maintain some professional distance and retain their compassion, which to me is the hallmark of a true medical professional. Those who lose compassion need to re-evaluate their career path, IMO.

I absolutely agree. I don't go home at night, crying over the ones we help pass with dignity. But I certainly shed a tear and try my damnedest to make those last hours beautiful.

 

[MyBestFriendIsADog]

I have learned it's better not to care. I dont care about people i dont know. Yes it would be a very different story if it was a family member, but really I dont care if something happens to a stranger.

But those people you don't care about ARE someone's family member, aren't they? Would you want a medical profession who truly did not care to be caring for anyone in your family? There is a difference between caring and learning to set up some professional emotional distance - it can be a tricky balancing act, but honestly, compassionate people make better medical professionals. Patients know when those caring for them don't care, and it does make a difference in the quality of care given.

 

[MyBestFriendIsADog]

I absolutely agree. I don't go home at night, crying over the ones we help pass with dignity. But I certainly shed a tear and try my damnedest to make those last hours beautiful.

Thank you, and I truly mean that. My elderly father died just over a month ago after 3 weeks in a palliative care unit, and the compassionate care he received there did much to soothe our grief. I cannot imagine if he had been there with people who lacked compassion for him, and for us.

 

[rottnpagan]

Thank you, and I truly mean that. My elderly father died just over a month ago after 3 weeks in a palliative care unit, and the compassionate care he received there did much to soothe our grief. I cannot imagine if he had been there with people who lacked compassion for him, and for us.

And that's what nursing is all about. Compassionate care. You can't do it and not be compassionate. I'm glad your father received kindness and was helped into the next phase of life. I know it eases minds in this one.

 

[MyBestFriendIsADog]

And that's what nursing is all about. Compassionate care. You can't do it and not be compassionate. I'm glad your father received kindness and was helped into the next phase of life. I know it eases minds in this one.

Indeed. After our experience I have a great deal of respect for those who work in palliative care, and those who have managed to combine compassion and medical care in such an amazing way. It wasn't just my father who received kindness, but my entire family, and it truly made a huge difference in our feelings about his death.

 

[rottnpagan]

Indeed. After our experience I have a great deal of respect for those who work in palliative care, and those who have managed to combine compassion and medical care in such an amazing way. It wasn't just my father who received kindness, but my entire family, and it truly made a huge difference in our feelings about his death.

*soft smile* I'm glad for you.

 

[MyBestFriendIsADog]

*soft smile* I'm glad for you.

By the way, I note you are from NS - I'm also a Canuck, living in northern AB, and my best friend here is from Sydney (sp?) Mines, LOL.

 

[rottnpagan]

By the way, I note you are from NS - I'm also a Canuck, living in northern AB, and my best friend here is from Sydney (sp?) Mines, LOL.

LMAO! Small world! My brother is in AB, too. And a caper, all the way out there? LOL!!!

 

[blue]

I was under the impresion Jenn did security work.

 

[MyBestFriendIsADog]

LMAO! Small world! My brother is in AB, too. And a caper, all the way out there? LOL!!!

But of course - I'm in Fort McMurray, which is of course catnip for many an East Coast type, eh? Although most are from Newfoundland, rather than NS...

 

[rottnpagan]

I was under the impresion Jenn did security work.

Then this is a very interesting conversation. I *did* ask her, but received no answer. My husband is also in the security business.

 

[MyBestFriendIsADog]

I was under the impresion Jenn did security work.

She mentioned in one post also working as a paramedic, which I would consider a medical care professional...