Question:
Last year, I was suffering from unusual depression and thoughts of suicide, which resulted in an excessive use of alcohol. As a result I entered into treatment at a facility for chemical dependency, located in Navarre, Florida. I was referred to this facility by my best-friend, who had also been treated there. Unfortunately this, so call, best-friend took it upon himself to relate to a staff member his opinion that he thought I was there for no other reason than simple attention seeking. As a result the staff member repeated this opinion, which was of an untrained and personally involved person. By the next day, I found myself being treated with animosity and indignation as a result of this opinion. In group sections, I was treated with coldness and skepticism. The staff member who had first repeated this, non-therapeutic opinion, had been seeking a personal relationship with my so call best-friend. He had expressed his desire to gain friendship with this so call friend while he was still an inpatient at the facility. This staff member had been calling this patient regularly and immediately after his release from treatment. On my first day in treatment, this staff member responded to me with insults, indignation, and harassment. He made use of every opportunity to alienate me and effect a general atmosphere of indifference toward my condition. However, my lab tests revealed that I suffer from a very common condition which causes me to experience deep, persistent depression and anxiety. My condition is very treatable and the treatment has a very high success rate. But, even after this staff member knew that I suffered from this condition, he continued his abusive behavior. He had made up his mind that I was just trying to get attention, based on the opinion of an untrained person. His behavior toward me was motivated by his personal desire to gain friendship with the person I had thought was my friend. That, in itself, is a major violation of professional ethics. Persons in the medical profession, as a general rule, never become personally involved with their patients. Any reputable medical facility has very strike rules regarding fraternization between staff and patients. Violation of this rule results in immediate termination. This rule is enforced, for one reason, to avoid exactly the type of abusive behavior I was subjected to. After informing the facility administrator of the harassment and abuse I was subjected to, I was refused any follow up on my complaint. Even though the symptoms I claimed to have suffered from upon admission where substantiated by my lab tests, I was denied follow up in regard to my progress. When I requested my records from this facility, I was given the excuse that they do no release record unless to a doctor or attorney. This is a violation of Florida law. Everyone has access to their personal medical records by law. I strongly recommend that any one else who has been treated with negligence, harassment or abuse by medical providers, please contact: State of Florida
Agency for Health Care Administration
Consumer Services Unit
P.O. Box 14000
1580 Waldo Palmer Lane
Tallahassee, Fl. 32308
Answer:
Man, get outta there! The nurse is way more of nutcase than sad old you.
We sad people never do harm to others - specially to sad people. What a
bad piece of luck for you. What is your so-easily diagnosed condition?
Sounds treatable, sounds optimistic. Go where they will do the right
thing, pal. I have been treated for depression for two years and so I feel I can relate
well to websites.
I'm truly sorry that your hospitalization resulted in such unprofessional and
unnecessary treatment by a staff who obviously personalized his role as staff.
HOWEVER....your above comment deeply offends me because I am also a psych tech
in an adolescent treatment center. I have been doing this job for three years
and have no difficulty saying I have NEVER abused a patient in my life!!!!
Most people get into this field because they can relate to the suffering...not
to inflict suffering on others.
Please don't allow your experience to judge all the competent and GOOD people
that work in this field.
It's not easy being threatened, attacked and verbally abused for a living...but
if someone can't deal with it - as apparently your staff couldn't - then they
shouldn't work in the field. The most important thing I learned was through
my job, NOT my treatment. And that was to not personalize the job or the
patients. Which is good advice for all areas of life when dealing with
people.
