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It's Called Psychiatric Nurse Liaison - and It's
About Helping People Cope with the Stress an Illness
Can Bring
from Better Health magazine, Fall,
2004
Kathy receives referrals from both physicians and nurses
at all hours of the day and night. This morning she found
that a male patient in a medical unit had experienced
difficulty through the night due to dementia. Kathy added
him to her list to be seen later that day. She reviews
her notes concerning the patients she'll be seeing, reading
the reports of their caregivers and caseworkers.
A family has been informed that their loved one is being
kept alive on a ventilator, and has to deal with allowing
natural death. Kathy helps them express their feelings,
and asks if there are family members, friends, or clergy
who should be called. She encourages them to talk about
their loved one, and accompanies them as they visit for
a final time.
Here Kathy visits a patient who is recovering from open-heart
surgery. "You may feel blue because you're unable to do
things you used to," she tells him. But that usually passes
once you recover and find you feel better than you did
before surgery. She alerts him that some patients experience
symptoms of depression following surgery, and asks him
to call cardiac surgeon Dr. Henry Tripp if he has feelings
of hopelessness, loss of appetite, or wants to cry. "You
may not expect it," she tells him, "but it often occurs
- so if it happens, let us help you through it."
A young woman has just delivered a baby she had already
decided to give up for adoption. Kathy asks how she feels
about the decision, is she still sure? The young mother
says she loves her child and wants her to have a loving
home. Kathy reveals that she herself has adopted a child
whom she loves very much, and tells the woman to contact
her should she need further support.
While in OB, Kathy visits a woman who had admitted to
her OB doctor that she used controlled substances. Kathy
explains that she's there only to help, and proceeds in
attempting to help the woman deal with emotional concerns
the experience has caused. She then asks if she can make
a referral to Mental Health Services for treatment, and
the new mother agrees.
 Kathy stops in to
visit a man who was admitted for back surgery, but whose
hospital stay has been extended due to complications of
congestive heart failure and renal failure. The man is
tearful, hopeless, and believes he'll never get out of
the hospital. A nurse has told kathy that she believes
the patient is experiencing depression. Kathy asks gentle
questions - Are you eating? Do you feel blue? Have you
ever felt like this before? She then leads him to talk
about what he's going to do when he gets out of the hospital,
helping to focus on the future. She does see signs of
depression, though, and informs the patient's physician
who begins antidepressant mediation. Kathy will stop by
to see this patient at least every other day until he's
released.
Kathy now stops in to see the patient who had experienced
difficulties throughout the night due to dementia. The
elderly man has periods of disorientation followed by
times when he is lucid and clear. The patient appears
calm during their visit and Kathy takes this opportunity
to work with this man in expressing some of this thought
and feelings. Kathy notes different things the staff
can do in offering support to this man.
Kathy gets a call, informing her that a family member
on another unit is insisting on taking his wife home.
Kathy first talks to the man to understand the nature
of his complaint. The man is very frustrated and feels
his wife is not getting any better. Kathy gently acknowledges
how hard it must be to watch his wife's slow recovery.
The man says he's also trying to take care of his mother
at home, and two kids, and he has to work. Kathy tells
him she understands, and she makes a referral to a therapist
so he can have someone to help him address family issues.
The man, now calmed down, accepts the referral and the
situation is settled.
So much progress in so little time. One working day in
the life of Kathy Dodd shows the need for our Psychiatric
Liaison Service, which has been implemented hospital-wide
since the beginning of 2004. In addition to Kathy Dodd,
two other nurses call on patients: Lashawnda Fleming-Ehirim,
RN, BSN, and Donna James, RN. Anyone can request the group's
services - patients, families, physicians, nurses. "I
hope that other hospitals will soon recognize what Danville
Regional has," Kathy said. "Compassionate healthcare has
to take into consideration the emotional needs of patients
and their families as well as their physical needs."
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