Ask Nurse Jenn - Our Resident Mental Health Nurse!

[Sophie_M]

Hi everyone,

This is a thread for asking questions of our resident Mental Health Nurse, Nurse Jenn who pops into the forums regularly.

PLEASE NOTE as per our community rules, Nurse Jenn won't be able to answer questions about medications, these are best discussed offline directly with your mental health professional.

BEFORE YOU ASK NURSE JENN PLEASE CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING POINTS:

• Nurse Jenn’s time is limited! We cannot provide an ongoing dialogue with Nurse Jenn in this thread - one post/question per person please
• We'd recommend you have a look through the forums before posting here to see if your question has already been answered by Nurse Jenn, our other members, or if there's information about it already on the beyondblue website.
• If a question pops up that has already been answered previously, or if alternate resources are available, one of our moderators will reply and direct you to the link.
• When writing your question, imagine you are speaking to someone in person i.e. provide a clear and detailed post with enough information that outlines how Nurse Jenn can help you.

Background

From Nurse Jenn

Long ago I was struggling to find my way in my career. I was training to become a registered nurse and I didn’t seem to fit into the traditional ‘medical model’ of delivering care.  Then I started my mental health rotation and I found my place in helping others. I am now 45 years old and have been in the mental health field as a nurse, manager, educator, project officer, advocate… for over 22 years across several countries and cultures (Aus USA Canada NZ).  I have experience in a number of different child and youth mental health teams, early psychosis teams as well as adult and older adult hospital settings. I have also worked as the manager of the beyondblue NewAccess program and understand what it’s like to live regionally where services can be limited. 

Working with people around the globe has made me aware that worry and stress do not know age, culture or country. It is a phenomenon of being human. I have felt it myself in different periods of my life and seen struggle it in loved ones and people everywhere.  I have felt the traumatic loss of a close friends death by suicide (as so many have) and recently experienced the extreme joy of becoming a mother.  

I am thankful everyday that I can walk beside people who need some support to find their own balance and strength. I am very grateful to be here on the beyondblue forum with all of you.

I hope that my professional and personal experience can provide you with some support, direction or even just an acknowledgement that what you are going through is real, and tough, and that you can achieve more than you know.  

[shucks46]

Hi nurse Jenn

I’m looking at a electrodes therapy for depression as a long time sufferer, due to my profession and the side effects of a few different medications I have given up on the meds, the treatment I’m looking at now is called sooma https://soomamedical.com/en/products/ which comes from Finland but available world wide and can be monitored by a treating professional remotely.

I’m wondering if you’ve heard of it and if so is it difficult to get here australia please?

Thank you

[Nurse_Jenn]

Hi there shucks46,

Thank you for your question.

Unfortunately I haven’t heard about this treatment type. I found a bit more about it by doing a google search but I don’t have any experience with it nor do I know where to find it in Australia.

I will do a search to see if I can find any evidence or research about Sooma Therapy and report back here if I do.

Sending you strength,

Nurse Jenn

[Shebs]

Me too

[Shebs]

TMS AUSTRALIA

[shucks46]

G’day

After contacting the people in Finland regarding to sooma treatment I was informed it’s not available here in South Australia, and was referd to see a DR in north Adelaide.

Thanks for that Shebs I just sent a email off to them but i’m Not liking the chances as it says coming soon to SA.

[Guest_1643]

Hi Nurse Jenn -

I have a question about identifying which GPs have mental health training.
My GP recently did a MHCP for me and there ws something that came up about mental health training.
"Oh I have additional mental health training" he said. This was good to know and he's great with mental health.

I asked him though - how would I know, as a consumer if a GP had mental health training - is it another letter at the end of their name?
he said it isn't - and you can't know.

I've previously asked the receptionists at the GP clinic which of their GPs have mental health training and they had no idea what I was talking about and made me feel stupid.

If there are GPs who have additional qualifications/experience in mental health - how can we, as consumers find out? What direct questions do we need to ask and who to we ask them to? it's a shocking system where the burden is on the consumer to filter through mounds of information and ask many people to get answers to simple questions that could benefit their MH recovery. I find this all really troubling.

[Guest_1643]

sorry MHCP = mental health care plan - to qualify to see a psychologist/social worker for therapy

[Nurse_Jenn]

Hi there Sleepy21,

Thanks for you question about GP Training in relation to mental health. All GPs do mental health training in their medical training to become a doctor at some point. This is a requirement to become a Medical Doctor.

Some GPs have a special interest in Mental Health (by choice) and they may or may not have extra training or degree's. For example, there is a GP in my area who was previously a mental health nurse, then became a GP and is very good with mental health consumers due to their previous experience.

The training that your GP may have referred to is the mental health skills training that is available to all GPs (and is encouraged to be undertaken) as a requirement to bill under different Medicare items.

Medicare give GPs a financial incentive (meaning they can bill at a higher rate) if they complete an approved mental health skills training course. You can read about this on the Department of Health Website by following this link and looking at Question 8. All GPs are able to create a mental health care plan (MHCP) despite this training, but if the GPs have the training, they get paid more so there is incentive for them to complete the training.

https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/pacd-gp-mental-health-care-pdf-qa#8_1

GPs may or may not advertise that they have completed this training. A common question I hear in many circles is -'Where is the list of GPs with a special interest in mental health?' There is no such list as GPs are generalists by nature (ie, they can assist with any problem).

It is frustrating to not know if GPs have taken this extra skills training or have a specialist interest in mental health. You can ask at reception when you book at your appointment. Here are few links you can have a look at to help guide you through finding the best GP:

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/personal-best/pillar/supporting-yourself/finding-a-gp-that-can-help-with-mental-health-issues

http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2-findingamentalhealthfriendlydoctor.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Please don't hesitate to ask further questions as I know the system can be quite confusing,

Sending you strength,
Nurse Jenn

[Guest_4643]

Hello Nurse Jenn, I hope this comment reaches you at some point. Please be aware that I have asked my GP and Psychiatrist this, but I would like to get another opinion if possible please.

Anyway, lately I have been having LOTS of flashbacks, which are related to my Grandparent's passings, bullying online & in person, my surgery in 2018, etc. On top of that, I have been having very graphic nightmares, which I won't mention the context of because it's too triggering. I don't even think of scary things etc but they just happen.

When these happen, it can be night or day, the nightmares obviously happen when I sleep. I have insomnia anyway so I've always struggled with sleep but this seems worse lately, I'm staying up late in the morning/night and sleeping in.

They're very scary, and they feel so real, so I feel lost from reality, and I struggle to process stuff, it's hard to explain. I can't really cope with them, and it's just very frequent.

I have a few flashbacks daily, not at any time in particular, and the nightmares, I have about 2-3 a night, or weird dreams.

Like I mentioned, I have told my GP, Psychiatrist, and my Parents about this. They want to put me on a medication for this, but it's also used for BLD (I won't mention the full word but I think you can guess what I mean) pressure, so I'm worried about the side effects of that although it would be a very small dose. I haven't taken it yet but they want to put me on it, I'm very hesitant. It's been known to help veterans, etc. with PTSD, and been very sucessful.

Yes PTSD is one of my diagnoses also. Any help would be appreciated, from you or other members perhaps.

Thanks Nurse Jenn,

- Tayla.

[Guest_1643]

hey tayla, I know the medication you are talking about - is it okay to mention that specifically here? it is used by veterans historically. I get flashbacks too. There are some threads here on PTSD which might be insightful for you. 1800 respect would be more than happy even to discuss with u the experience you had at Headspace etc - all of that can be very traumatic. They help not just with DV but with PTSD from abusive style treatment in any way. They have speicialist counsellors who you can request to speak to - and are a 24/7 service. They are lovely.
Good luck finding great support. There are a lot of resources out there for PTSD - it is a horrible experience going through it - but there is recovery available and many people find peace. There is also a concept called "post traumatic growth," which I find really inspiring - that you can heal , heal quicly and even grow and learn through an experience of PTSD. I am finding that to be the case for me, but it doesn't change the fact that as you have noted, flashbacks, nightmares, and the other symptoms - are so hard. Sending care and good luck to you.