Nurse Shares Most Challenging Pediatric Psych Patient

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[anansitreasure]

I’m a mental health tech. The only unit I have gotten hurt on was the adolescent unit. These kids come in with so much anger and frustration they don’t know how to communicate. Aggression is the only thing they know to get there point across. It can be heartbreaking.

[Kaiandherfloof]

I was in and out of mental hospitals from 13-17 years old and I was this kid that was constantly being restrained and sedated by injections I was also on a one to one at all times while I was there during all 18 admissions when I got to 17 years old I started thinking about how different adult hospitals are from pediatric hospitals and that’s when it really hit me that I needed to change or else this was just going to be my life forever I’ve been clean from self harm for 2 years as of December 21st and I’m so grateful for the people I met along the way to my recovery both at residential hospitals and acute care hospitals

[victoriahimes]

I worked with kids with autism for a bit. Most of them were average cases, but one kid was terrifying. We had to wear helmets and body pads some days. He frequently would bite our stomachs or arms, breaking skin and taking chunks. He gave one girl a concussion. I've never met someone with so much rage. He was 9 when his mother decided to move and have him live full time in a care facility because he was just too dangerous to be at home. I really hope he is doing better.

[JaniceMiller-bp]

I have close family members with severe mental disorders…My Heart is so THANKFUL FOR ALL OF THE MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS!! ❤️🙏❤️

[Lashizzarelli]

I feel terrible for everybody from the child and their family to the people trying to help the kid. That’s so hard all around. I hope he finds some peace and a treatment plan that actually helps him.

[RebeccaMcCann-ud]

To all the doctors, nurses, technicians, aides and any other staff who are called to work with patients in a mental health facility, thank you for your dedication to helping your patients. I applaud all health professionals, but especially you. I was an aide in a nursing home on the Alzheimer unit and encountered my share of bruises and other injuries. I learned so much about professionalism and compassion in that job. Your dedication is inspiring.

[summertime]

Man that poor kid, I hope he feels better.I can’t imagine what it’s like to be around these types of scenarios all day as a job either, it must be really hard!❤

[tazziegee]

Please all nurses working today, take mental health days. I can no longer work, I had worked a night shift and was sleeping for my next one(I loved night shifts), but instead woke up in hysterical sobbing. My pillow was saturated, i had been crying in my sleep for a heck of a while. I was fortunate and made a appointment to see my GP. I never returned to work in any capacity. My breakdown mental health impacted me that I no longer can hold back my frustrations at times, I(working hard to understand them) I am overwhelmed by crowds, and noises. The toll my years of working in ER, and Psych both which I loved covering wards. I can not even volunteer to do things tried it but was overwhelmed and just left. I have awesom support, and care. I miss it every day. I have been hit by a patient and stabbed in one of my psych facilities and had amazing support. I still loved working in mental health. Did so for 10* years after that. Verbal abuse and threats on general wards from visitors were increasing, and issues in ER when I went to work there were at least supported by security being present 24/7. Please care for your selves

[ArnoldSherrill]

I'm now retired and when I was in college my major was Mental Health technology leading to a associate of science degree. I had to do my practicum work in admissions., children's unit and the Adolescent unit., and the emotional stress is real. Ironically after I got my degree I was not hired and ended up eventually working in security. And you would be amazed as to how much of the stuff you learned in class you would have to apply dealing with people on a daily basis as a security officer. Out of my entire career I actually got in a physical altercation only thank God forAsp baton training, pepper spray and backup. It's amazing how many situations where I had to get in the other person's head just long enough to calm them down so we wouldn't have to take it to the next level. And I understand why she said she needed a mental health in real life it's amazing how much you can take until you realize you need a break for yourself and this applies not just in psychiatric facility but also in ER units as well., my blessings and prayers to everyone still working this area of care.... been there, got the T-shirt❤

[mrsmacca]

It’s mentally, physically and spiritually EXHAUSTING. Self- injurious behavior is so very difficult to comprehend and address. So grateful to now be retired. God bless and keep you.

[Horsegirl]

I worked with both kids and adults in group homes. It’s so hard on you mentally and physically at times. I loved the job but it definitely is hard when you have to put them in holds as kids. For adults we weren’t allowed to do that. We just had to clear the area best we could have other clients and staff and hazards if we had time. But there were stories of when they got so bad and out of hand they broke sliding glass doors one client literally tore up the whole office I was blessed that my shifts consisted only of mild things happening. The one time I was threatened with violence though I just stayed calm and by the door if I had to run but they actually said you know I can hurt you right and I just stayed sat on the edge of the couch and said yeah you could then prompted other things to talk about and when he didn’t completely calm down I told him to take a breather in his room and come talk with me when he was ready to have a discussion. He listened and it helped him. We were a long care crisis group home so I was able to establish good raports with my persons served. Only 1 adult ever hit or kicked me the entire 4 years I was there!

[rebelfirepainslayer]

Sounds exactly like a child I once knew. The worst part is he would act out like this IN ORDER TO GET THE DRUGS and the whole staff knew it. The mother told them they needed to quit drugging him and find a better method of helping him so they discharged him the next day and sent him home still very much a sick and dangerous individual with new behaviors and methods of manipulation which he learned from the other children in the institution. He went back 10x worse than he ever was before.

[karenmerritt]

I have worked with special ed kids for over 20 years. I’ve been bitten, bruised, attacked with punches and kicks. Through it all I could see the child was also in pain, they were out of control and very afraid. Fight or flight, some fight. It may be a bad day for me but it’s a bad state of being for them. With many children I can make a difference, teach them strategies that decreases stress, teach them other ways to communicate how they feel before it escalates. I believed in what I do for the kids and their families. That’s what keeps me going.

[ryebread]

It wasn’t for no reason though, there is a reason and doctors have to be open to seeing that, I was that kid, I was being horrifically abused at home and the only way I got the abuse to stop was to practically act like a wild animal scratching and biting to get it to stop. After years of hospitals a doctor asked me about my home life and genuinely listened, she was patient and kind. I’m almost 9 months clean of self harm and I’m attending college now. Kids don’t just hurt themselves and others for no reason

[AL-cgvb]

I grew up in a violent home and had a lot of these behaviors. All i could do was mimic what was being done to me. Once i removed myself from those people and raised myself life got better

[PCB_]

When i was in the mental hospital I knew this sweet kid. Unfortunately she had trauma induced psychosis and DID. She would try choking people out during a DID episode, which ended up getting her restrained. Just about everyday though she got restrained anyways because she would attempt to kill herself in some way, or would scream because of the man who wouldnt leave her alone. On big double doors, there are huge hinges at the top. They extend when opening and close up when moving backwards, they are on a lot of doors. She had climbed up and put her neck between them in an attempt to die, the staff were pulling at her legs but she had a death grip, one was trying to get her waist. That girl wont ever be okay, and its just so sad.

[justcallmejessz]

Proper restraint training is so crucial. Especially for kids. Not only in the clinical setting but in places that are higher risk for kids needing the help. Like group homes, foster care, CPS advocates.

When i was in highschool I was volunteering at a group home type setting with younger kids. There was a little boy about 5 who had dx autism and adhd. He was a handful on the best of days. 😂. Which were not often. But also not his fault.
He frequently had severe fits of just pure rage. During which he would almost seem to try to run away or beat up himself. Like fighting himself is the only way I could describe it.
Because of the rules, restraining him was basically (apparently) not allowed unless it was severely injurying himself or another. Because they were not technically medical carers.
Which meant they would put him in this empty room and watch from the window until he calmed down.
It broke my dang heart. I fell in love with this little boy and would have dropped my college and athletic plans in a heartbeat. Obviously, i was in no way able or qualified to do so, lol. He was transfered to a home in the larger city who were trained to "handle" cases like his.
The thing is. He was SO sweet and loving. He didn't start throwing all the puzzle pieces until another said he couldn't play. He just wanted a friend, a hug, someone to love him more then they hated his behavior.
I was pushing him one day on the swing and asked one of the aides if she knew how he got the 2-3 inch scar on his head. His mother F<^$ing stabbed him. And still, when he needed help he was put in a room, alone. 20 years later and i still think about him often. And now im crying, hoping he found someone who deserved the little boy he was. Just as he was. ❤

[roseg]

As a special needs teacher this feels all to familiar 🥹 bless all those that care for others with special needs and trauma 🙏🏼🕊️

[nararose]

One of my friend's kids is one of the youngest to be diagnosed with what they have, well I say diagnosed but no one wants to officially diagnose them as they're so young. They were in a hospital for several years until they could get them stable and safe. They're out now and doing okay. Have ups and downs, but mum went into psych science because of it ❤.

[sunshinemerlot]

I was a foster parent for 16 years. I don't think people really understand just how violent children can be. Most foster children are not violent (just traumatized) but my very first kid had rage issues. I don't know why they even gave me that child. I did not have the skills to handle him. I didn't even know what questions to ask about him or what to do with him. The SW came in, handed me his red book and a bag full of meds and basically walked out. When I say he had rage issues. I don't mean he would get angry. He went into rages. He would go from 0 to 1000 in a second for no reason. This child would lunge at me and try to hurt me out of the blue. One day he was in a rage and in my mind, I vividly saw him in the future standing over his victim. I knew that unless everything started going right (right home, right therapists, right social workers etc) that child was going to hurt someone and end up in the prison system as an adult. It goes against everything we believe in to look at an 11 year old child and realize that he is already out for the count. That he had no future. It lasted 9 days before the police had to take him down to juvenile intake. Throughout the years, I had a little pyro, a cutter, a child who had auditory hallucinations and two sisters that were so poorly socialized they were basically feral, but other than the sisters, I never had a child whose outlook was so bleak as this boy. It was a sad situation.