Sunday 9 March 2008

Welcome to my new blog!

For a while I have known I should have a real blog - most days there is something which crops up which I want to share with you all.
This last week has been a busy one. I spoke at a conference on self-injury. There was a great speaker called Phil who taught us all a great deal.
Then I was at the 12th RCN European Mental Health nurse conference in Chester. I followed the General Secretary of the RCN, Dr. Peter Carter, who shared his wish list for the future of nursing. One idea was that psychiatric patients should all have single bedrooms. Yet I disagree with this as I know I would have hated to be on my own when I was so poorly. I feel there should be a choice. One of my main symptoms with puerperal psychosis was a total feeling of isolation - being put in what I would have perceived as being as 'cell' would have made me feel even more so. What do you think?
Then on Friday I listened to some superb presentations at an event at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists/
BSPOGA meeting. Wow! The psychological aspects across all angles of obs and gynae is huge. Various statistics amazed me - 27% of ladies who have hospital births rate it as traumatic! Antenatal stress, especially around 32 weeks, has a big impact on the baby's emotional development. I took lots of notes so I can pass them on at future events.
Got a week at home now to follow-up and catch-up!

1 comment:

Kerri said...

Hi Elaine =)

Sounds like you need a quiet week! You've been working hard!

The obs and gyn sounds like it was really interesting!! And I'm glad you think Phil taught us a great deal (even if it was that we only learned he likes white chocolate!!).

Again I want to say how inspiring you are to so many people out there. I will never forget the first time I heard you speak when I was at uni. You certainly are unforgettable!! and you have made a great impression on out locals too!!

K xx