[newtus]

i witnessed something that really hurt me the other day...


i goto a community mental health clinic.
you sit in the lobby with a whole bunch of other pretty severe people.
some not so bad.
some young.
many above 35. (not that 35 isnt young but im talking children to early 20s)
they serve mentally ill. drug addicts. MANY drug addicts and comorbid drug/mentally ill. austism. most low income. medicare/aid. etc. etc. etc...

i went up to check in for my appt and the recept. was have technical difficulties.
so a nurse and the receptionist starting talking after this semi-loud lady left and had come out crying from MY doctor trying to make an appt...
this is how the convo went...

now they were in there like nothing was happening.
i was behind the glass and the glass window was open to me.

Nur: idk why she thought she could just come in (blah blah something?)
Rec: she thought the doctor was just going to give the meds to her.
Nur: shes SA right? (substance abuse)
Rec: yea shes one of the SA patients.
Nur: she looks like shes hard to deal with
Rec: yep...she is. i guess she thought shed just go back there and a nurse would give her (something idk?)
Nur: Psh.

omfg im like stnading right here.
there f**king talking about not only a patient in a personal sense but doing so outloud along with her medical info practically in the lobby. jesus christ. my dad got a bad vibe from these people way b4 i did and i though he was just being judgemental. he WASNT. i understood now. and then it made me think of all the times where i DID hear them talk about patients THAT OpENLY. OTHER RECEPTS. SERIOUSLY?! who knows what they say about me. im extremely positive they say something about me too. they also tlak about peoples financial state and stuff etc dx meds. etc. AT LEAST CLOSE THE HUGE GLASS DOOR. OR SOMETHING. BECAUSE EVERYBODY IN THE SMALL LOBBY ROOM CAN HERE IT.

[newtus]

it just hit me hard and also made me realize that place is worse than maybe others if not on par. i always hear them talk about other people. but it was always unprofessional. until ^^^ THAT DAY it became personal when they said "she looks like shes hard to deal with". THEN it crossed TWO lines.

[winter4me]

As a professional, RN, I honestly believe you should, and hope you will report this to the facility in a letter to administration and to your doctor. I kid you not. This is something I am seeing/hearing more and more in the past decade+---this sheer lack of professionalism in my profession, that also displays a total lack of clinical knowledge about the problems they are dealing with, which makes them also thoughtless and clinically unsound. Not to mention violating privacy rights, demonstrating a lack of empathy and an inappropriate response to those they are supposed to be caring for.
This kind of thing makes me crazy-------------and it is Ubiquitous!

[Trippin2.0]

Newtus that is just horrible! I wouldn't want to attend a facility like that at all!!! Please take winter's advice, they are violating patient rights and someone should know...

[KUREHA]

That's not right, I haven't see that happen where I go.

I did hear the receptionist talk about me. It wasn't where everyone could hear though, but she stopped when I walked past.

[Sometimes psychotic]

9 times out of 10 I'm the only one in the waiting room where I go, but the whole floor is dedicated to schizophrenia and psychosis. Anyway the receptionist is always friendly and talks to the patients. If staff come in they don't really say anything about patients they are typically talking about their own lives and what's going on but one thing I've learned is to go early in the morning....everyone is in a much better mood. By late afternoon I want to bring in snacks for the office so that the edge is taken off. There's something called judgment fatigue that can be counteracted by food. When people have a stressful job each new judgement they have to make depletes their energy reserves making them more snappish. But a snack reverses this. Anyway the point of this is when you make appointments early in the day the staff is usually nicer. Maybe it wouldn't be the same where you go though.

Also I agree you should turn them in at least to your doctor. They may be in violation of Hipaa rights by identifying her as a SA patient.

[Atypical_Disaster]

That is ****ed up. I'm so sorry. That's so un-professional and just wrong.

[newtus]

i have a feeling they wouldnt listen to me if i reported it though. im a schizophrenia patient plus i had a fight with their therapist and my psychiatrist. considering their unprofessionalism they prob would not turn my request in properly or ignore me altogether. ive seen how they treated fully grown adults in there with their passive aggressive attitudes. they arent going to listen to some young adult like me with the couple of problems ive caused and my Dx. thats how the system actually works sorry to say. especially if you have a dx like Sz. thing is they usually cover it up more outside of a hospital setting. ive seen this everywhere but its rampant in inpatient hospitals.

time of day or them being a better mood doesnt change anything.
at all.
plus the fact that this is a community mental health clinic. its so rampant its disgusting.
when you goto a community clinic they deal with the low income or severely mentally debiliated or homeless or felons etc etc.
and those are the places that get the worse treatment socially. they may have lots of programs but the people are treated like crap there.
theres a reason why they private psychiatrists&therapists. becaause community clinics are overworked - underpaid - employ some of the worst people. majority literally. but not every single employee.
every time i go in there i see how the people are treated. its not always bad but theres too many negatives for the place to be called "great".

unfortunately for someone like me. im near the low income line. plus my insurance will be cut out and ill be on medicare at 23 years old.
whoopee I NEVER thought my life would be THIS bad. the illness is BAD enough.
but lets go ahead and add financial struggle and social struggle at that.

sorry .now im ranting. out of sadness. fear. anger.

[Sometimes psychotic]

Originally Posted by newtus

i have a feeling they wouldnt listen to me if i reported it though. im a schizophrenia patient plus i had a fight with their therapist and my psychiatrist. considering their unprofessionalism they prob would not turn my request in properly or ignore me altogether. ive seen how they treated fully grown adults in there with their passive aggressive attitudes. they arent going to listen to some young adult like me.

Isn't that awful...all the pdoc and T's need to say is you have schizophrenia and its like everything you say is invalid. Can you go somewhere else with trustworthy doctors?

[newtus]

also i rarely go in afternoons. i go in in between 8am and 10-11am and nothings different. wanna get technical? only diff is that dont make it personal usually but its still unprofessional.

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

Isn't that awful...all the pdoc and T's need to say is you have schizophrenia and its like everything you say is invalid. Can you go somewhere else with trustworthy doctors?

i COULD.
but since ill be changing from private insurance to medicare in a few months it makes no sense to change but it would be even harder to change because so many doctors dont take govt insurance.

[winter4me]

Originally Posted by Sometimes psychotic

9 times out of 10 I'm the only one in the waiting room where I go, but the whole floor is dedicated to schizophrenia and psychosis. Anyway the receptionist is always friendly and talks to the patients. If staff come in they don't really say anything about patients they are typically talking about their own lives and what's going on but one thing I've learned is to go early in the morning....everyone is in a much better mood. By late afternoon I want to bring in snacks for the office so that the edge is taken off. There's something called judgment fatigue that can be counteracted by food. When people have a stressful job each new judgement they have to make depletes their energy reserves making them more snappish. But a snack reverses this. Anyway the point of this is when you make appointments early in the day the staff is usually nicer. Maybe it wouldn't be the same where you go though.

Also I agree you should turn them in at least to your doctor. They may be in violation of Hipaa rights by identifying her as a SA patient.

they are indeed violating HIPAA---but remember confidentiality existed before HIPAA which was (despite the party line in training and telling the public) far less about pt.privacy than about making e records transferable-----------and "safe", but HIPAA also gives unprecedented access to your records by insurance co. and others.
So, be aware.

[winter4me]

You can do the "turn in" anonymously to the adm. if you want just as a "heads up" for the place to talk to staff about this issue, and to remind people to Think before they speak. (for all they know you could have been that person's employer, aunt who didn't know, nosy neighbor who likes to tell tales even when they don't know the person...)

[newtus]

how do i do anonymous ?

[winter4me]

Originally Posted by newtus

i have a feeling they wouldnt listen to me if i reported it though. im a schizophrenia patient plus i had a fight with their therapist and my psychiatrist. considering their unprofessionalism they prob would not turn my request in properly or ignore me altogether. ive seen how they treated fully grown adults in there with their passive aggressive attitudes. they arent going to listen to some young adult like me with the couple of problems ive caused and my Dx. thats how the system actually works sorry to say. especially if you have a dx like Sz. thing is they usually cover it up more outside of a hospital setting. ive seen this everywhere but its rampant in inpatient hospitals.

time of day or them being a better mood doesnt change anything.
at all.
plus the fact that this is a community mental health clinic. its so rampant its disgusting.
when you goto a community clinic they deal with the low income or severely mentally debiliated or homeless or felons etc etc.
and those are the places that get the worse treatment socially. they may have lots of programs but the people are treated like crap there.
theres a reason why they private psychiatrists&therapists. becaause community clinics are overworked - underpaid - employ some of the worst people. majority literally. but not every single employee.
every time i go in there i see how the people are treated. its not always bad but theres too many negatives for the place to be called "great".

unfortunately for someone like me. im near the low income line. plus my insurance will be cut out and ill be on medicare at 23 years old.
whoopee I NEVER thought my life would be THIS bad. the illness is BAD enough.
but lets go ahead and add financial struggle and social struggle at that.

sorry .now im ranting. out of sadness. fear. anger.

You can write a letter anonymously to Adm. (or even formally report anonymously to ombudsman) so that they can talk to the staff, give them a heads up and reminder to THINK before they talk. Believe me they Will listen. Even if just for a while. Also, yes they are in violation of HIPAA---but remember privacy was expected Before HIPAA and this act gives unprecedented access to your records by ins. co. and others as it was more concerned with making e records transferable---be aware. (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

[Sometimes psychotic]

Originally Posted by newtus

also i rarely go in afternoons. i go in in between 8am and 10-11am and nothings different. wanna get technical? only diff is that dont make it personal usually but its still unprofessional.


i COULD.
but since ill be changing from private insurance to medicare in a few months it makes no sense to change but it would be even harder to change because so many doctors dont take govt insurance.

Oh well they're obviously just jerks then...I usually give people they benefit of the doubt. Sorry you can't change docs but it sounds like you know your way through the system at least.

[mimi2112]

Originally Posted by winter4me

As a professional, RN, I honestly believe you should, and hope you will report this to the facility in a letter to administration and to your doctor. I kid you not. This is something I am seeing/hearing more and more in the past decade+---this sheer lack of professionalism in my profession, that also displays a total lack of clinical knowledge about the problems they are dealing with, which makes them also thoughtless and clinically unsound. Not to mention violating privacy rights, demonstrating a lack of empathy and an inappropriate response to those they are supposed to be caring for.
This kind of thing makes me crazy-------------and it is Ubiquitous!

I agree with you, Winter. If you can make an anonymous complaint, and tell your Dr./therapist directly, it would prevent this unethical behaviour from continuing. Especially in a Mental Health Center...this is so unacceptable.

When I worked in the private psych hospital as an aide years ago , we were admonished and given explicit orders to not discuss patients in any capacity where they or even their family members could hear it. If we were in a coffee shop on a day off, we were especially told it wasn't cool to discuss work/patients, as you never know if a stranger in public might have a friend or family member in the hospital.

I am sorry, Newtus, that you witnessed this. I believe you are a strong articulate woman who can make a difference by voicing your experience, and making the mental health center a safer place for yourself and others.

[newtus]

thanx
ill see what i can do

[likewater]

Newtus, i'm sorry this happened. You still deserve respect and deserve to be listened to no matter what your DX or income is. The more we speak up, the more we will be heard. I've gone to clinics like you arw talking about. Some were so bad they did me more harm than good. Now i go to a place with university students. Only bad part is everything is video recorded and students come and go. Sending you hugs.