How “We” Shapes Workplace Culture in Mental Health Wards
Mukesh Devrari Mental health facilities are remarkable institutions. They are residential units designed for mental health patients. They are part of a hospital, and the units are called wards, but there is nothing inside them that resembles the traditional hospital setting you might imagine. The nurses who work there often have minimal understanding of physical health. Some nurses who have worked outside the mental-health domain may bring additional knowledge to the table, but overall, the focus of these wards is on mental health, often on behaviour. Because nursing is not always considered a highly technical job, there is a tendency within these facilities to create ready-made solutions for different situations that guide nursing decisions. Nurses rarely get opportunities where they are required to think outside the box. In fact, if proper guidance is not created to support them, the quality of care delivery would dilute considerably. It becomes sensible to guide them through a situa...