Revision [2269]
Last edited on 2011-12-03 20:27:26 by SamanthaPodlasNo differences.
Revision [2268]
Edited on 2011-12-03 20:26:53 by SamanthaPodlasAdditions:
Integration of course work:
In regards to how my course work at Canisius related to my experiences as BPC, I believe that the first way this could be shown is a class that I took my sophomore year. In the spring of 2010, I took Abnormal Psychology with Dr. Sanders. In this class, we learned about several different disorders that ranged from obsessive compulsive disorder to schizophrenia to borderline personality disorder. We were taught the symptoms that a person affected with a specific disorder might show based on the information in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and how to react around these patients. Because of this information that I received in Abnormal Psychology, I felt that I was very prepared for my experiences at BPC. When reading patient histories, I was able to the axis criteria that was mentioned and why it was placed in a specific axis. Furthermore, when meeting with a patient for the first few times, I was able to form a hypothesis about what disorder they might suffer from based on their behavior, personality, or the symptoms they showed.
The next way that I feel my course work related to my experiences at BPC was when I took Biopsychology of Stress with Dr. Putnam in fall of 2010. As I discussed in many previous entries, stress plays a major role in the lives of many patients at BPC. Patients are taken away from homes and families and put on a very strict treatment schedule with the hopes of helping all patients to heal. Many classes in the treatment malls were dedicated to stress and how to recognize what stressors one might have, as well as activities one might be able to partake in to cope with stress and eventually be rid of it. Dr. Putnam’s class prepared me in the area of stress by teaching me what outward and inward physiological reactions one might suffer from when under great amounts of stress. Also, Dr. Putnam’s class taught me the history behind stress which was interesting and informative to share with patients.
Another class that I felt could be integrated into my experiences at BPC is a class that I completed in the fall of 2010. Bio-medical ethics discussed many of the ongoing ethical problems in healthcare today. Arguments were presented for both pro and con sides with the hopes that one could make a decision about how they felt on certain topics. While working at BPC, many ethical topics came up such as electric shock therapy and straitjackets. At one point in time, both of these treatment forms were widely used for patients placed in psychiatric care. Today at BPC, though, other healthier forms of treatment are used with the hopes that they show a better outcome for the patients in the end.
The final class that I feel relates to my experience at BPC, is the class that I am enrolled in right now known as Cultural Psychology. In this class, one of the goals was to discuss how psychological concepts can be transferred throughout all cultures. It is very important throughout all aspects of life today to be sensitive to other cultures and their beliefs, values, and morals. This could easily be applied to my experiences at BPC because many patients at BPC were not from the United States. For example, one patient was from Jamaica while another man was from Russia. Although they spoke some English, it was very limited and often a translator was needed to intervene. These patients had many different ideas about life from where to sit in a room to how to address a newcomer. It was very important at BPC to remember to respect different cultures and ideas.
In regards to how my course work at Canisius related to my experiences as BPC, I believe that the first way this could be shown is a class that I took my sophomore year. In the spring of 2010, I took Abnormal Psychology with Dr. Sanders. In this class, we learned about several different disorders that ranged from obsessive compulsive disorder to schizophrenia to borderline personality disorder. We were taught the symptoms that a person affected with a specific disorder might show based on the information in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and how to react around these patients. Because of this information that I received in Abnormal Psychology, I felt that I was very prepared for my experiences at BPC. When reading patient histories, I was able to the axis criteria that was mentioned and why it was placed in a specific axis. Furthermore, when meeting with a patient for the first few times, I was able to form a hypothesis about what disorder they might suffer from based on their behavior, personality, or the symptoms they showed.
The next way that I feel my course work related to my experiences at BPC was when I took Biopsychology of Stress with Dr. Putnam in fall of 2010. As I discussed in many previous entries, stress plays a major role in the lives of many patients at BPC. Patients are taken away from homes and families and put on a very strict treatment schedule with the hopes of helping all patients to heal. Many classes in the treatment malls were dedicated to stress and how to recognize what stressors one might have, as well as activities one might be able to partake in to cope with stress and eventually be rid of it. Dr. Putnam’s class prepared me in the area of stress by teaching me what outward and inward physiological reactions one might suffer from when under great amounts of stress. Also, Dr. Putnam’s class taught me the history behind stress which was interesting and informative to share with patients.
Another class that I felt could be integrated into my experiences at BPC is a class that I completed in the fall of 2010. Bio-medical ethics discussed many of the ongoing ethical problems in healthcare today. Arguments were presented for both pro and con sides with the hopes that one could make a decision about how they felt on certain topics. While working at BPC, many ethical topics came up such as electric shock therapy and straitjackets. At one point in time, both of these treatment forms were widely used for patients placed in psychiatric care. Today at BPC, though, other healthier forms of treatment are used with the hopes that they show a better outcome for the patients in the end.
The final class that I feel relates to my experience at BPC, is the class that I am enrolled in right now known as Cultural Psychology. In this class, one of the goals was to discuss how psychological concepts can be transferred throughout all cultures. It is very important throughout all aspects of life today to be sensitive to other cultures and their beliefs, values, and morals. This could easily be applied to my experiences at BPC because many patients at BPC were not from the United States. For example, one patient was from Jamaica while another man was from Russia. Although they spoke some English, it was very limited and often a translator was needed to intervene. These patients had many different ideas about life from where to sit in a room to how to address a newcomer. It was very important at BPC to remember to respect different cultures and ideas.
Revision [2129]
Edited on 2011-09-01 21:43:28 by SamanthaPodlasNo differences.
Revision [2128]
Edited on 2011-09-01 21:42:48 by SamanthaPodlasAdditions:
running total hours : 121 completed
I have absolutely no regrets from my experince at the Buffalo Psychiatric Center. I was placed in an area where I would have a daily interaction with patients like I had requested and hoped for. I was given the opportunity to see mental illness first hand and have realized that this is an area that I would love to work in for the rest of my life!
I have absolutely no regrets from my experince at the Buffalo Psychiatric Center. I was placed in an area where I would have a daily interaction with patients like I had requested and hoped for. I was given the opportunity to see mental illness first hand and have realized that this is an area that I would love to work in for the rest of my life!
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Revision [2127]
Edited on 2011-09-01 21:37:53 by SamanthaPodlasAdditions:
:5 hrs
After lunch, my next group was also with Mary and was called “Wellness Self- Management.” I have a favorite patient who comes to this group who always likes to do beading. Last week we made a green necklace so this week she decided that she wanted a pink one so we spent our time beading a pink necklace. Sometimes during this group, Mary and I bring out the wellness books that I have previously talked about and discuss them with the group. Many of the patients are not fans of the books so Mary and I put our heads together, after the urging of a patient for a composition notebook, and decided that maybe BPC should look into buying composition notebooks so patients can write their own recovery story and path to wellness. The patient seemed to really enjoy this idea so Mary was going to look into it.
After lunch, my next group was also with Mary and was called “Wellness Self- Management.” I have a favorite patient who comes to this group who always likes to do beading. Last week we made a green necklace so this week she decided that she wanted a pink one so we spent our time beading a pink necklace. Sometimes during this group, Mary and I bring out the wellness books that I have previously talked about and discuss them with the group. Many of the patients are not fans of the books so Mary and I put our heads together, after the urging of a patient for a composition notebook, and decided that maybe BPC should look into buying composition notebooks so patients can write their own recovery story and path to wellness. The patient seemed to really enjoy this idea so Mary was going to look into it.
