Your strength and courage do
I work on an acute assessment ward as a psychiatric nurse. In my profession, I nurse individuals that are experiencing a broad spectrum of mental health issues.
I have a lived experience of mental health issues. This is not a mandatory requirement for graduating as a psychiatric nurse, but it helps.
I never feel the need to disclose my lived experience to patients. I may occasionally allude to it, but never full disclosure.
It is not because of any perceived stigma. It is not about the fear of revealing one’s insecurities. Nor is it the fear of disclosing to a patient that they are being nursed by someone who lives with depression and they themselves may question my own clinical competence. It is none of these.
I never self disclose because my lived experience benefits my clinical practice in a different way. It strengthens my…
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