My first rotation at Elmhurst Inpatient psychiatry Covid unit was very educational and exciting. I first started with rounds with the Psychologist, psychiatrist, nurses, and social workers. It was very interesting to see all different members of the team coming together to come up with a treatment plan for the patients. I got exposed to psychotherapy which was amazing to observe. They framed situations to patients without being confrontational. I was able to observe drastic changes in patients who were initially agitated, aggressive, disorganized return to their baseline with improved insight, with medication compliance and psychotherapy.

I was nervous going into the psychiatry unit considering patients need stabilization. On my first day, I met a patient threatening us all to let him out or else he’d show us what he can do, I was initially afraid to walk into the unit by myself. Slowly, I started feeling safer in the unit and could differentiate better between patients who are aggressive when agitated and those who were just angry to be at the hospital. One of the most challenging things about this rotation was keeping my emotions in check especially when over the span of 2 days we had 3 patients under the age of 20 who severely depressed with SI. Although it did not affect how I interviewed the patient, it took some time to separate these emotions from my own and not take it home. It was very challenging to interview patients who were manic, disorganized, but since this was an inpatient unit, I liked that I had the chance to go back later when the patient was in a better mood to interview them if needed.

Like with other specialties, there is only so much you can do for a patient. Although everyone in the team did everything, they could for all patients they would refuse outpatient treatment, or referral to shelter and leave without their meds. I saw a patient walk out and toss his prescription in the trash leaving, however, I understand this is not something that would alter their treatment plan in the hospital. During this rotation I have been able to work/interact better with different members of the treatment team I worked along side psychologist, psychiatrist, nurse practitioners, PAs, nurses, social workers and Activity therapist, this skill to be able to effectively communicate with different members of the treatment team is a necessity in any of the rotations.