Open House at a Hospital for the Mentally Ill

NE morning eight students met together for a clinical conference in a cheerful sitting room of Kings Park State Hospital, in New York. They had begun their 12-week psychiatric nursing experience just two weeks before. They appeared to be very comfortable with each other and to share an atmosphere of warmth and mutual respect. Everyone had something to relate which concerned their experiences with their patients that week. What was I scared of at first? I certainly don't feel that way now. It's too bad that these patients are all locked away from such a beautiful day; the sky is such a bright blue. Jane (a patient) is much like people I know. She draws, and she gave me this pencil sketch. The students apparently were aware of the needs of the patients they had become acquainted with. They groped for words which would express best what they felt and thought. Toward the close of the conference, one student suggested, If we are surprised to find that mentally ill people are like ourselves in many ways, how about inviting people from the community to see what we are seeing so that they can learn too? Another said, My family asks me all kinds of questions when I go home. Sometimes I think they want to come and see for themselves. At the close of the ward class, the instructor suggested that they might present their idea to the entire class for discussion at their next meeting. They did not do this, however, so the instructor thought that they were not ready to go further at the time. Toward the end of the students' experience, one of them referred to their idea on educating the community about mental illness. She asked the class to consider inviting their families and friends to visit the hospital. A few were not enthusiastic. People just are not interested, they said. Two others said that they had been forbidden to mention their state hospital experience at home. But most of them were enthusiastically in favor of doing something. Rapidly the initial suggestion took hold. How about our having an open house and presenting a panel like they