WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016 9
NURSES: WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
<< Continued from previous
NURSING MOMENTS
SHARING COMPASSION My nursing moment took place one evening when a patient was coming into the Operating Room at St. Boniface Hospital for an emergency procedure. The patient was a very young, handicapped and severely mentally challenged woman with minimal communication skills, who was absolutely terrified without her family at her side. It became my one and only goal for the next while to do everything in my power to console someone who did not understand what I was trying to tell her as we started a long process of induction. Due to the complexity of her health and poor vascular access, the anesthetist on my team had to persevere until we had appropriate IV access for a general anesthetic. It was incredibly unsettling for me to watch someone go through this experience, not understanding what was happening to her, why this operating room team of scary mask-wearing individuals was constantly trying to start IVs; it must have been the scariest day of her life. I couldn’t explain or justify our actions to her, all I could do was hold her hand, gently stroke her hair, wipe away her tears and remind her to breathe, and to tell her that she was going to be OK. It was an experience that
NEW BEGINNINGS YOUTH ADDICTIONS STABILIZATIONS UNIT IS FIRST STEP TO RECOVERY
revealed more empathy than I knew I had within, and that brought out the rawest form of humanity and compassion that I could give to someone in such a terrifying time. I provided her with
the care that I would want for myself or for someone in my family if in a similar position. The essence of our role as nurses is to give the quality care we expect for ourselves and for our loved ones. This “moment” will have a lasting impact on me and how I care for those around me, yet I hope this woman doesn’t remember a second of it. I went into nursing because I wanted to help others; I wanted to know that at the end of every shift, of every day,
BY HOLLI MONCRIEFF for the Free Press Marymound’s Youth Addictions Stabilization Unit (YASU) provides a soft place to land before young people hit rock bottom. T he unit provides short-term, seven-day stabilization and detoxification for youth who are struggling with addictions. “It’s a place where they can clean up and have somewhere safe to sleep for a while, a short-term stay until they’re sobered up,” says Kelly- Ann Stevenson, a registered psychiatric nurse who facilitates the program. “For seven days they’re somewhere safe and can access resources with a clear head.” YASU accepts young people between the ages of 12 and 17 who need help dealing with a chronic addiction to drugs and/or alcohol. The youths arrive at the unit in one of two ways. They can sign in voluntarily, or they may be brought in by a police officer, social worker or a parent. “It’s a last resort when parents don’t know where to go, when they’ve tried everything,” Stevenson says. “When a parent or a social worker is at their wit’s end and they’ve tried everything, this is a last bit of hope for the family.” A week may not seem like a long time, especially when someone is fighting an addiction, but Stevenson says a lot can happen in seven days. “Youth are willing to do the work to get out pretty fast. This is a real wake-up call for them. It’s an opportunity to have a health assessment,” she explains. “They receive education and medical attention, but the bulk of it is referrals to other resources in the community. For the first couple of days, they spend a lot of time resting.” In addition to receiving any medical treatment they might need, the youths undergo counselling. “There are often underlying or co-occurring issues when a young person has an addiction. We’re seeing depression and PTSD. They’re trying to self-medicate
and self-soothe,” says Stevenson. “They have an inability to handle stressors in their life. Many times they have to change their friends to change their patterns of use.” YASU practices a harm-reduction model. “If they’re using very strong drugs, we get them to use less or less-strong drugs — we get them to step down to something that’s not as harmful,” Stevenson says. “Usually the youngest are mostly using marijuana with a little bit of alcohol.” Unfortunately, there is no quick fix for addiction. Stevenson may see the same young people a number of times before they are able to stay clean. “This is the first step in their recovery process. Treatment takes a long time, and the important work is what they do when they leave us,” she says. “Parents need to understand that the cycle of addiction is a process. It will take a couple of times until the youth get it right. Every time they come back, I see it as a great opportunity to try again.” Stevenson has been working with youth for 32 years. Before coming to YASU, she worked as a psychiatric nurse at the Manitoba Adolescent Treatment Centre for 30 years. She cherishes her role as YASU’s resident “Baba.” “I just enjoy working with the youth so much. I’m Baba here — cooking for them, nurturing them at times. Sometimes those meals mean so much to them,” she says. “I’ve always worked with youth. It can be very challenging, but also very rewarding.” For Stevenson, helping youth is more than a career — it’s a calling. She knew it was what she wanted to do by the time she was the same age as her current patients. “I did a lot of peer support as a teenager. My friends would come to me for help and advice,” she says. “I took that natural ability and was able to get the training to make it a career.” The YASU program is now well established and it has been extremely successful. To date, more than 1,000 young people have accessed services at YASU, stabilizing and receiving counselling. Parents have been overwhelmingly pleased with the program and the new beginning it has offered their children. ✚
that I’d contributed in a positive way to another human being’s life. In a time where we may
feel we can’t do enough for someone, their health,
and their situation, I think it’s empowering and refreshing for nurses to stop and
understand the influence they can have, even in the smallest snapshots of
time. Thank you to the patients who teach us to become better nurses and more empathetic human beings. Jaime Prystenski RNBN, MN Continuing Education Instructor Operating Room St. Boniface Hospital
Continued >>
MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS
In celebration of National Nursing Week
oui! Where succes s begins Train for your nursing career … And expand your employment opportunity Baccalauréat
Thankyou, REGISTERED PSYCHIATRIC NURSES
NURSES WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
The College of Nursing at the University of Manitoba celebrates National Nursing Week. We stand alongside the nursing community and recognize the exceptional work of nurses and the important role they play in primary care and patient safety. As leaders in nursing education, we are committed to working with you to promote excellence in training, research, and practice. It is our honour to grow the profession by educating future nurses.
The CRPNM is the regulatory body for the psychiatric nursing profession in Manitoba crpnm.mb.ca
en sciences infirmières (Bachelor of Nursing) Sciences infirmières auxiliaires (Practical Nursing) • •
For more information, visit: umanitoba.ca/nursing
ustboniface.ca
Powered by FlippingBook