Winnipeg Free Press - saturDAY, May 9, 2015 7
Nurses With you every step of the way
Mental Health Matters Psychiatric Emergency Nurses provide timely support
By Holli Moncrieff - For the Free Press
Sometimes the deepest wounds are the ones you can’t see. Twenty-five years ago, patients with mental-health issues might wait for hours without being seen in hospital emergency rooms, and often left without getting the help they needed. T hat changed when psychiatric emergency nurses (PENs) began working in every emergency room and urgent-care clinic. “As soon as someone comes in presenting a mental-health issue, they get seen pretty quickly,” says Christina Dueck, a PEN at the Grace Hospital. “We look after individuals who come in with a mental-health issue, and people who are in crisis.” PENs have a number of different roles. In addition to seeing patients, they support staff members who may be struggling. They’re also there for the families of patients. “We’ve been asked to sit with a bereaving family and meet their needs during a really difficult time,” says Daryle Duke, who is also a PEN at the Grace Hospital. “I think more people should receive training in mental health. It’s a really broad field. Everyone has high and low points in their lives.” Duke was a student at the University of Manitoba when he saw a small advertisement about psychiatric nursing in the university newspaper. “I really didn’t have a clear sense of what I was doing at that point,” he says, adding something about the ad just spoke to
him. “I haven’t had any regrets in 25 years.” At the Grace, PENs work 12-hour shifts, and they’re available from 8:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. seven days a week. “Sometimes mentors or care workers will bring people in, encouraging them to take the first step toward mental health,” says PEN Jenna Smith. “We’re able to help and identify the concerns they have. It’s the first step in the process a lot of the time.” In order to see a PEN, patients can’t be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If they have medical issues, those will be taken care of first. Some patients may be admitted to the hospital until they are able to receive help. “Mental-health clients are not stuck in a queue for five or six hours. They’ve got the doctor’s ear through us,” Duke says. “The most challenging part of our job is being inundated with all sorts of issues at once.” He adds that the stigma surrounding mental illness is easing, which encourages more people to seek help, and there’s better access to that help. However, Dueck feels there needs to be more education about mental health in general. The public has many fears about mental illness that are largely unfounded, she says. “The majority of people with mental-health problems are not what you see in the media. People that come to get help aren’t violent,” Dueck says. “We’re all subject to having some kind of mental or emotional break.” Smith wants her patients and future patients to know that it’s a sign of strength to ask for help. “The absolute best part of our job is seeing someone leave
Photo by Darcy Finley
From left: PENs Jenna Smith, Daryle Duke and Christina Dueck want people to know it’s always OK to ask for help.
very satisfied. We were able to talk them through the issue and give them resources for the future. They leave with a new lease on life,” she says. “We want everyone to know it’s OK to reach out for help.” Duke adds that no one is immune. Depression, anxiety and other challenges, such as stress-related breakdowns, can happen to anyone. “We’ve all had mental-health issues touch our family, friends, or ourselves in some way,” he says. “We love what we do. It’s a wonderful job, and most people really appreciate the care they receive. There is a lot of good work being done.” ●
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Manitoba Adolescent Treatment Centre
St. Boniface Hospital
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