BSMHFT - Does anyone work in mental health?

[Charl58]

Hi all, I'm a HCA in general nursing and have a new job on a rehab ward in secure care.

Is rehab relatively safe? Anyone able to share their experience on a typical daily routine?

Many thanks in advance 🙏

Safe in what respect? X

I worked as an hca in a medium secure forensic ward throughout my healthcare degree. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it very safe as long as I followed the rules. I was very careful to make sure I listened carefully during handovers, followed all risk assessments and care plans and took advice from other more experienced staff than me.

Relational security is the key - be friendly and approachable but keep firm professional boundaries. Good to develop rapport but be very careful not to share anything personal. For example we were advised to make sure any social media was locked down on privacy settings. I also removed my surname from my Facebook profile to make it hard to search me. I was told a nurse was tracked down via her social media and it included pictures of her children etc.

You may be involved in restraints if efforts to deescalate are unsuccessful- but you should get comprehensive training on conflict resolution and safe holds etc.

i found it an interesting eye in to a world that I wouldn’t have ever seen. I saw some rewarding times when people moved on through the system. And also some patients who felt very helpless stuck in a system where their admissions had no official end so no direction.

I hope you find it an interesting job as well.

Ah, just re-read you message. Rehab is generally good - the patients are working towards discharge so lots of community visits and skill building. Less chance of restraint as the end is in sight for them so something to work towards.

Thank you so much for your reassuring post. I do have a big interest in mental health and my overall goal would to train as an RN and specialise in substance misuse. (Some of the horror stories worry me in regards to staff being physically hurt ect.) I think rehab is defo a great place to start and then explore acute areas as my confidence grows. I think as long as I treat people as I wish to be treated myself ill go along way. Thank you so much for your help, it's most appreciated 🙂

Sounds a really good plan 😊! Maybe when your confidence grows you could join the bank and pick up the odd shift on the substance misuse and acute wards. I worked all over and said to myself I only have to work there once and if I don’t like it then I won’t go back! Had some amazing experiences that I never would have had otherwise.

Nurse apprenticeships are also very popular and a great way to earn whilst you train. I am sure opportunities to do this will arise for you as I know my local trust is keen to retain and train their staff.

I hear you on the physical side and worries about being hurt. I can only say in 5 years I was never physically hurt though had some verbal insults which did upset me at times but I could reflect and rationalise that the person was acutely unwell, didn’t really know me and it was often a sign of the fear and powerlessness they felt. Supervision helps greatly with this as well. I know physical assaults did happen more on the acute wards but then they were set up with more staff to try and mitigate the risk.

I am an OT now so you will likely work closely with them in rehab as the community engagement work and skills building is our bread and butter work! You may even fancy it as a future career 😃!

Best of luck in your future plans!