new adventure in my nursing education

Our group had a one- week duty in National Center for Mental Health. the picture at the right is the statue of Sisa, the symbol of mental illness in the Philippines... funny, MOST people think it's Mama Mary... :) LOL.

the experience in the institution was great! i appreciated the role of nursing in such an institution... made me feel better to have seen that field of nursing. it made me feel that nursing is really a profession... in the ward, learning is too limited and it makes you feel just like a helper. as in sunudsunuran lang. so there.. haha. it was a fun experience, but challenging as well.... waking up really really early was a challenge.. i was late once. ate aimee waw really pissed with me.. haha. sorry naman..

ok, so what did i learn? now, i know what a mental insitution looks like.. the set up and everything... also i was able to find out how a mentally ill person acts, how they look like... how to deal with them... how to get through to them, specially those apathetic type. i want to describe some of the patients im really fond of... no pictures tho coz we were not allowed to take them..

at first, i didn't know how to address them... lolo, tatay, manong, mang, sir.... finally, i stuck with 'mang **'

Mang Julio - he was my patient. diagnosed with schizophrenia: unspecified. i really think he can go out from the institution. he has minimal to none EPS and he participated in all the activities that we have prepared. he could be functional in the real world.. nakakatawa. whenever he speaks, he addresses himself as 'ME'... he sound like a text message... example: 'malungkot ME dito... hindi man makalabas..' haha

Mang Jaime - he's the blind man romel assisted. there's nothing he liked doing but making bets in sabongs. he grew blind i think in NCMH due to his developing cataracts. he doesnt seem to be mentally ill, actually. or maybe he is.. he likes to spell a lot (mentioned he read inquirer everyday before).. he likes singing to... the song he sanh still keeps ringing in my ear, seriously! there was this funny incident.

SN: mang rolando ano po ba yang dino drawing ninyo?
Mang Jaime: 'panigurado, prutas nanaman yan!'

* sabay hirit ni mang jaime, hindi naman nakakakita!!! HAHAHAHA!!!! nako, will never forget this hahaha!!!! LOL...

Mang Eduardo - diagnosed as schizphrenic: apathetic type. normally just stares blankly in space with absolutely no facial expression in his face. he's chubby and looks like a friend of mine back in college. ahahaha... ok.. he was not my patient but i kept observing him with andrew (the SN who handled him) because i wanted to see if the therapeutic comm therapy will take effect on his apathetic state. and it did! it was fulfilling to have seen the change. one scenario i wont forget:

Mang Eduardo ate the siopao..... mang eduardo can't help but smile... it was a lengthy smile...

geez, i should've had a photo of it.. really touching!

Mang Rolando - ate aimee's patient. i dunno his story but i know he's bading. diagnosis is unknown coz ate aimee was unable to scan his chart properly. he's the type of patient who never stops what he's doing unless you tell him to stop. he likes flowers with vibrant colors... and fruits too... he has EPS. likes reading texts in small packages like the REXONA. hehe...

there are other patients we missed handling coz we handle one patient per student.

the environment is really nice. lot's of trees. felt like i was in UP LB.. *sighs*

i wish we could go back there. at least another week.