Video: Patient and nurse discuss best practice in prescribing consultations

Summary

I first met when Sam when he was a user of mental health services and I was working with an Assertive Team as his nurse.

Over time we established a good working relationship and Sam’s condition, and the way he learned to manage it, improved. This was achieved primarily through self-awareness and psychological input, and also through getting the medicines right (that’s medicines optimisation – in jargon). Sam used to be admitted frequently to psychiatric hospitals, sometimes more than once in a year. He has not needed inpatient treatment since 2006.

Together, Sam and I learned that medicines are not the only answer to being mentally and physically healthy. Sometimes they are needed. Sometimes less is more. The main component for success is building a relationship of trust and listening to what matters to the 'patient'. Early on we discussed the possibility of teaching together as equals, so we could share what we learned and help break down professional barriers.

We’ve now been teaching together at pre and post registration level since 2008.

Content

In this video we reflect on a role play we presented to students, of a prescribing assessment. Our conversation focuses on the eight areas that prescribing students are asked to cover.