Team 7 - Mental Healthcare Conflict

Description

When a foster mother took her teenage child to the local hospital for difficulty breathing, convulsions and irregular heartbeat, she did not expect the diagnosis. She was taken aback when the nurse informed her that the problem was not a result of a something physical, but something mental. To complicate matters, the mother thought that the nurse seemed to insinuate that there may be a problem with her parenting. An experienced Charge Nurse was able to pacify the escalated situation after the parent took offence and became defensive. This Charge Nurse offered a calm narrative and explained that this was a common experience to have and that talking to a Social Worker could be helpful.