Social Environments - Hospital Environments
Hospital environments are typically very clinical with inflexible ward routines and tasks. This often results in staff rushing patients (for example, when getting patients washed and dressed) or they may ignore a patient who is calling out because they need to complete a medicine round. At times staff will collude with a patient who is asking about going home or invalidate their concerns by telling lies, (for example telling a patient their wife will be in to visit later when we know this is not true). This behaviour is known as malignant social psychology and whilst unintentional it can have a detrimental effect on an individual's well-being resulting in anxiety, withdrawal or difficult behaviour.
Click on the pictures to see how this can be achieved in practice.
Amir was trying each exit and banging the door with his stick. Three nurses told him to stop. The Doctor told him if he didn't stay on the ward he would have to be sedated and end up staying in hospital even longer.
When I tell Harold what's for breakfast he doesn't answer so I give him porridge.
What should have happened in practice:
Correct - The patient would have felt overwhelmed.
A better scenario would have been:
Amir was frightened when he arrived on the ward and wanted to go home. I left him alone until he calmed down then I reassured him. I called his wife and she came to sit with him.
What should have happened in practice:
Incorrect - The patient would have felt overwhelmed.
A better scenario would have been:
Amir was frightened when he arrived on the ward and wanted to go home. I left him alone until he calmed down then I reassured him. I called his wife and she came to sit with him.
What should have happened in practice:
Correct - Too Fast - Things happened far too quickly.
A better scenario would have been:
When I ask Harold what he wants for breakfast it takes him several minutes to understand, but he gets there in the end.
What should have happened in practice:
Incorrect - The correct answer is Too Fast - Things happened far too quickly.
A better scenario would have been:
When I ask Harold what he wants for breakfast it takes him several minutes to understand, but he gets there in the end.