PHILIPSBURG:--- The Mental Health Foundation, in celebration of Nurses Week, is highlighting the work done by the Nurses of the Foundation. The four ambulant nurses; Marcel de Wit, Dione Trustful, Tracy John, Jessica Cannegieter, (picture attached) and are out in the districts of St. Maarten on a daily basis and they rotate being on call 24 hours.
Their daily routine is to follow-up on patients who are not able to come to the clinic on their own, or they follow-up on patients that need assistance with their medication.
Research has established that treatment in the own trusted environment is more efficient. However, the post-Irma situation has created extremely confrontational living situation of their patients, which makes their work even harder.
On call 24/7
Being on call means the nurses are called on to tend to a patient in a crisis situation, the person is having difficulty coping with his/her situation. Crisis calls have increased considerably since hurricane Irma regardless of having to come to work the following day the nurses are out there when they are needed.
MHF has a cooperation agreement with the St. Maarten Police force who assists during a crisis situation. The Nurses have done workshops with the Police on handling crisis situation taking into consideration the patients situation.
The caseloads
The Nurses have a caseload of approximately 60 patients that they see at least once a week sometimes twice a week.
The hard part of the work is when regardless of all efforts the patient relapses. (Falls back)
The teams drive however is; “ the special appreciation that you get from the patients and their families.” What makes you want to go that extra mile for the patients is seeing that they are doing better day by day.
For International Nurses week the foundation is highlighting its gratitude for the hard work of these nurses.
Do you know someone or would you like to contact MHF please do so don’t wait till it is too late: Call 5421677 or check out our website www.mhf-sxm.com or Facebook page.
