INSIDE DOUGLAS COLLEGE / APRIL 3, 1990

 

 

New program at College to help
deal with mental illness

oe stress, changing sex
roles, changing family roles,
substance abuse. Life in the 1990's
can be a mental strain.

"People suffering with mental
health problems in the 90’s and
beyond have much more complex
problems than they did in the
past," says Ross Stewart, Director
of Psychiatric Nursing at Douglas
College. "That’s why we need
more advanced education to im-
prove the quality of care."

To address that need, the
College’s Department of
Psychiatric Nursing is now offer-
ing courses leading to an Ad-
vanced Diploma in Psychiatric
Nursing.

"It’s the only post-basic educa-
tion for applied psychiatric nurs-
ing in the province," says Stewart.
"In fact, Douglas College offers the
only pyschiatric nursing program
of its kind in western Canada."

The field of psychiatric nurs-
ing is becoming more important,
says Stewart, because the nature of
mental illness has changed, and so
has the function of psychiatric
nursing.

"It’s different now. It used to
be that people got better or they
didn’t. Now we are trying to re-in-
tegrate people into society, people
with quite major mental health
problems."

"People’s lives are more com-
plex, the whole world is more com-
plex," says Stewart. "The classic
long-term illnesses are there, but
now we see short-term illnesses in
people who are trying to deal with
smaller, more complicated issues."

The Advanced Diploma pro-
gram can accommodate nurses
who wish to improve their educa-
tion while continuing to work.

"The really exciting thing
about this program is that it’s

designed so that working nurses
have access to post-basic educa-
tion," says Stewart. "The program
is designed on the independent
study format."

 

Schizophrenia costly for victims
and society

[i you asked the average person what they considered to be the most
common biological illness — measured in hospital bed use — the
answer would probably not be "schizophrenia".

But schizophrenia is a very complex medical phenomena, requiring
extensive treatment, says Roger Neill, a senior mental health worker in
Richmond, quoting a book called "Youth’s Greatest Disaster".

"Schizophrenia requires more hospital beds than any other medical
condition," says Neill. "Treatment costs are very high."

But the costs are not confined to hospital treatment, explains Neill.
There is also the loss of employment for young adults during their peak
earning years and during the rehabilitation process.

It is that process that is the focus of a day-long workshop on Satur-
day, April 7th, conducted by Neill at Douglas College called
Schizophrenia: Issues and practice in rehabilitation.

Neill considers the economic factor to be very important to society as
well as to the victim. "Schizophrenia severely impedes the productivity
of young people at the peak of their earning power", says Neill. "There is
a huge loss of income to the economy."

In a society that places so much emphasis on success, the victim suf-
fers an additional setback.

"Not only do they lose employment during their peak years, there is
also the loss of self-esteem at not being employed, at not having a career,"
says Neill. "It has desperate personal consequences."

The workshop, which will run from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday,
April 7th, is open to anyone, but is aimed specifically at caregivers and
family members of people with schizophrenia. The fee for the workshop,
which will utilize video-teaching and problem solving, as well as lecture
and discussion, is $55.00. To register call 527-5472. @