Jamal and Erika have been asked to conduct a special question-and-answer session for patients at their clinic who are taking psychotropic drugs. Coffee, tea, and bottled waters are offered, and then, after a brief overview of some of the benefits of psychotropic drugs, Erika and Jamal open the session.
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“Any questions?” Jamal asks with a smile. He and Erika feel their smiles tighten as lots of hands shoot up. They swallow, take a deep breath, and Erika says, “Okay, let’s start with—you.”
An unhappy young woman stands up.
A much livelier Q&A than either Erika or Jamal has anticipated is about to begin.
Discussion: Review each of the 3 questions posed during the Q&A session. Choose ONE attendee’s question to respond to. Your first post should include:
1. What factual information do you think would be most helpful for the attendee?
2. What therapeutic nurse client relationship technique(s) should be used when responding to the attendee and why?
The first young woman Erika called on stands up and says, “I can’t take this. Why can’t information just be straightforward and simple? My mother is taking the same medications for depression that I took 2 years ago, yet she complains about all these side effects. But I didn’t have any of these. I’ve told her, “Mom, enough. I know you’re making these things up, you know. I’m not stupid. I took these same drugs 2 years ago! Can you please talk some sense into my mother?” She points to the embarrassed older woman sitting next to her. The mother glances up at Erika and Jamal, shifts in her seat and mumbles that “Some things ought to be just between me and my doctor.”
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An interracial couple raises their hands. When they stand, they take each other’s hands. The husband, who is African-American, speaks first. “Two months ago my wife and I lost our son. We’re in therapy together, as well as grief counseling, and we get a lot of support from our adult Sunday school class and from our families. Even though she is white, my family loves and accepts Patti. They’re very sympathetic, and Patti’s dad and siblings are great. So my question is this: We are both on the same antidepressants, but while I can feel their benefits, my wife cannot. What should we do?”
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The next patient who raises his hand says, “I’m Jonah. I’m being treated for posttraumatic stress disorder from my time in Afghanistan. I’m a truck driver with my brother now. Sometimes I just feel weird, but I have to work anyway. I don’t think I can take these drugs anymore.” His brother, who has come with Jonah, also stands. “The problem is, I’m nervous letting him take a truck out. He gets groggy sometimes, and then the next time he’s all jittery. He’s on his prescriptions, but he’s also chugging coffee when he drives, and his antihistamine seems to give him trouble too. I know the guy needs to work,” he claps his brother on the shoulder, “but I think he needs to get better first. I’d gladly just give him money, but he won’t take it.”
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