emotions amongst employers. They associate with 'real madness', and seem to imagif that such a person must be far too much of a to take into their employ. This applies particularly in my own case, as Ia( a psychiatric ward sister. At present, I have be*, out of work for almost five months. I have b^ to rely on State financial aid to be able to live. rent a London flat with a nursing friend and tl rent must be found without fail every weekexist rather than live and can only do this ^

chiefly

riij

having savings?which are dwindling rapidly. During these five months I have applied for nifnursing jobs. In the first instance I applied to London general hospital which was opening a nf' psychiatric unit. I gave, in this case, two refere'j

who either did not know or did not say anytbfr about my illness. I filled in application forms, and went for intp view. There I found that one of the administrate assistants was a man who had worked with me 'X' hospital, where I had several relapses finally had to leave. The matron had also writ^ to this hospital, but I only discovered this wb?. she asked me if I had ever been in hospitalmentioned two occasions when I had had opef; tions. She then interrupted to ask about my a' mission to a psychiatric hospital. I had been trylf to hide this, but I admitted it and added that I c0'

advantage in that I could better unde patients, having been one myself. Surprisingly, she subscribed to this view and was shown round the new ward-to-be. I waited hear something and was pleased when I was t?

sidered it

an

stand my

GIVE US A CHANCE, MATRON Glare Marc Wallace shows, own

experience,

mat me

by

her

uuiding

different from any other when it comes to re-employing a member who has been mentally ill

profession is

no

I have been an atypical schizophrenic for 12 years, and have been admitted to psychiatric hospital on 17 occasions for short periods during that time. Because of my history, I have had difficulty in getting suitable work. The diagnosis 'schizophrenic' is a loaded tag. It seems to cause many primitive 12

that I had been short-listed and would meet l' consultant psychiatrist (who also happened work at the hospital where I attend as an oi | patient). I contacted him and explained my p? tion, suggesting that he see me beforehand necessary. He advised against this and inste* approached my consultant for an opinion. It caf out subsequently that my own psychiatrist strofl? recommended me for the post. I met the matron with the new consultant 3' he began by saying that my mental illness vvd1 not be held against me, and from what he b 3 read he was prepared to offer me the job. I

cepted gratefully. I was my G.P. to fill in, plus

medical form uniform measurer^

sent a a

a letter confirming my appointing I had the necessary physical exam111 tion which was all clear and returned the fof, t I knew it would be some little time before \ ward was ready and I could start work. I bus1' myself by reading, writing, and preparing lists

card

and

Rejoicing,

medicines and equipment that I would need start the ward from scratch. So far as I was cc cerned, everything was settled and I considef

r

fortunate in having found such

^Vself

anding

an

under-

weeks went by and then came a four-line j ter from her 'regretting that she could not offer ^ost on medical grounds'. This came out ^Ue an^ ^ couldn't believe it at first. I got 3 .touch with my psychiatrist, who was as suras * was' suggested that I write for an nat^on' I did, and received in reply an etl shorter letter of two lines saying that the could add nothing to her previous letter, nursing and medical friends supposed the had got cold feet at the last moment. ere seems to be no other explanation. I have ' ^orward as a typical example of the job sit V ation of a psychiatric nurse/patient. The prob* ls very real. Matrons just will not give exa chance no matter how well qualified y may be. I discovered this when I applied pl in London. ,^ave met many nurse/patients whilst either a 'p lent myself or as a sister. They experience the s 6 1 in getting a job, or retaining the Pr?blems on 6 have got. Only too often they cannot get a Post or e'se are as^ed to resign from f Parent hospital. One particular nurse was ' ^ .^ree months away from taking her Final ex f and was forced to leave before she co, ' ta^e t^em- ^he has so far been unable to i find another hospital who will take her for the Hec Period so that she may complete her If a nurse expects matrons to be more Sy to her problems than the average ern Poetic t)l P*?yer she will be sadly disappointed. In fact,

^

of6 ^in

exT^ ^ev \*r?n

rThatron

l^'S

?

lhe*nts

s^here

[

the^UrS'n?

on/r

^'^tions

tra-eSsary

'

1 '

to

j/everse*s e?ently I

fintf?

the Labour Exchange bureau for their help in rne work. I was interviewed and was com^ran^ about my psychiatric illnesses. As I ar*d dates of admission, the inter-

to

'^8 gay6

pl '

:

f -

6

vje

she

see

a

asked

by

nursing

C?eta^s

Cr S

^ace grew progressively longer. Finally sp?ke about the trouble she had had in placing

oth er ''

true' was

Psychiatrically

ill

nurses.

'Matrons

just

won't

to^- Then she asked tentatively ^ * would consider a job outside nursing. I fjf ' turned down this suggestion. I have been in I Wei] Pr?fession since I was 17, and know full ^at no other work could satisfy me intellectualiv em?tionally. I told the assistant that I ;I Continue to try on my own to get work. s^e agreed that this was probably my best bet

WhetKhem''

\ ^ou,and ! \

!

II

\ya". J

Pea

?

H

^

was

sympathised

but it wasn't

sympathy

I

but a job. ,e written articles and letters which ap*n nursing press about our trouble with

fitid'6^ all 'n? ernPloyment. There have been letters from ^e country agreeing with me, but to date n0??Ver ?ne letter her by

refusing

a

matron

stating

reasons

for

to take back nurses. All this off and on

period

of ten

years. I would challenge to say openly nurses who have been mentally ill. I believe that they pay lip service to the current trend in stating that there is no stigma attached to mental illness, but they do not practise what they preach. What kind of breed are matrons of today who refuse to admit to themselves or anyone else that they are afraid: afraid of mental illness? No amount of talk replaces positive action by these leaders of the profession, who could show their sisterhood with fellow nurses by offering them at least the opportunity to prove themselves. It amazes me that they regard mental illness on a par with a prison sentence. After all, if an applicant states that she has been physically ill, the matron will always go on to ask, 'in what way?'. However, they seem to group collectively all the dozens of mental illnesses under one category, that is?lunatic. Even psychiatrically trained matrons do this, presumably because they are of the 'old school' with all the old and outdated ideas. I have on two or three occasions been told that retraining in some other career is the only thing to do. At one time I was invited to spend 18 months in hospital learning to dismantle telephones! I told the doctor that I was not that disabled. We are told that nurses are needed in our hospitals, particularly in the psychiatric field, but ex-patients are ruled out as I have discovered from hard exover

matron.

a

hospital matrons why they refuse

to

have the guts

perience. Why should fully trained nurses give up their vocation when they are pronounced fit and able to proceed with it? When my own nurse/patients in the past recounted their experience of getting jobs or keeping them, I could offer little in the way of comfort without lying. How can they get well when they find out that no one wants them as nurses again? All the study and the hard work are wasted unless they are exceptionally lucky. I wonder sometimes if matrons think that by reason of their status they are immune to mental illness themselves? Those who do get ill must give their illness the much more acceptable label 'nerves' or 'over-work'. That sounds much more respectable to colleagues. But what hypocrisy! ?

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