What hospital check list was

[Aspergers_Aspie]

I have been diagnosed with sleep problems and with depression. I am on meds for both. I phone helplines regularly and feel once a month isn't enough to see my mental health nurse.
I have been to hospital as I was concerned about my mental health and spoke to a psychiatrist on occasions. A checklist I saw at the hospital was, is the patient wearing suitable clothing and footwear. I have boots and two pairs of trainers, but wear my old ones with holes as I have wide feet and some trainers like my other pair hurt my feet. So that question is flawed.

 

[Mary Terry]

I have been diagnosed with sleep problems and with depression. I am on meds for both. I phone helplines regularly and feel once a month isn't enough to see my mental health nurse.
I have been to hospital as I was concerned about my mental health and spoke to a psychiatrist on occasions. A checklist I saw at the hospital was, is the patient wearing suitable clothing and footwear. I have boots and two pairs of trainers, but wear my old ones with holes as I have wide feet and some trainers like my other pair hurt my feet. So that question is flawed.

I'm sad to read that you are struggling. I don't think the question is flawed. Nor do I think that wearing older, comfortable shoes is unsuitable.

If you were wearing a Tinkerbell costume and barefoot in freezing weather, then the question obviously is highly relevant to your mental state!

 

[Jumpinbare]

If you were wearing a Tinkerbell costume and barefoot in freezing weather, then the question obviously is highly relevant to your mental state!

Wait, are you saying some Tinkerbell costumes are not R-150 insulated? What kind of costume design is THAT?

 

[WhitewaterWoman]

I have been diagnosed with sleep problems and with depression. I am on meds for both. I phone helplines regularly and feel once a month isn't enough to see my mental health nurse.
I have been to hospital as I was concerned about my mental health and spoke to a psychiatrist on occasions. A checklist I saw at the hospital was, is the patient wearing suitable clothing and footwear. I have boots and two pairs of trainers, but wear my old ones with holes as I have wide feet and some trainers like my other pair hurt my feet. So that question is flawed.

I have seen various checklists over my lifespan and many had descriptors that were not applicable or did not make sense.

I suspect that many checklists are “flawed” in the sense they don’t make sense for aspies.

The trouble is, at least for me, historically, these questions have made me feel like there is something wrong with me. But that’s not true. I am not flawed.

 

[Cutesie]

If we're talking about a checklist to determine if someone is experiencing a crisis, it's not a flawed list. They're pointing out various things to watch out for, that could be indicative of a problem. No one is saying that wearing "unsuitable" clothing automatically means that the person is in trouble.

 

[Rodafina]

So that question is flawed.

I certainly see your point. My hope would be that the human asking the question could apply nuanced thinking and realize that your explanation for the boots with holes was reasonable.

@Aspergers_Aspie, do you think your footwear affected you that day? Do you think the flawed question was actually detrimental to you?

 

[Masked Man]

If we're talking about a checklist to determine if someone is experiencing a crisis, it's not a flawed list. They're pointing out various things to watch out for, that could be indicative of a problem. No one is saying that wearing "unsuitable" clothing automatically means that the person is in trouble.

Correct, the person doing intake would be watching for clothing items that were inappropriate. Inappropriate shoes might include flip flops in the winter or items worn on the feet in place of shoes (cardboard, for example).

Although even my examples may not definitely indicate that someone was experiencing a crisis - the clinic supervisor where I work has a habit of wearing flip flops even in the winter. This is normal for her and all of her other clothing is appropriate. She just does not like shoes and she wears flip flops when she can.

So this question is just one question in a series that can give intake an idea of a person's status.

 

[Aspergers_Aspie]

Thanks

I'm sad to read that you are struggling. I don't think the question is flawed. Nor do I think that wearing older, comfortable shoes is unsuitable.

If you were wearing a Tinkerbell costume and barefoot in freezing weather, then the question obviously is highly relevant to your mental state!

 

[Aspergers_Aspie]

I guess if the professional nurse or/and doctor doesn't expand on the checklist and find out why

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I have been diagnosed with sleep problems and with depression. I am on meds for both. I phone helplines regularly and feel once a month isn't enough to see my mental health nurse.
I have been to hospital as I was concerned about my mental health and spoke to a psychiatrist on occasions. A checklist I saw at the hospital was, is the patient wearing suitable clothing and footwear. I have boots and two pairs of trainers, but wear my old ones with holes as I have wide feet and some trainers like my other pair hurt my feet. So that question is flawed.

In other words, "given the weather conditions", is the patient wearing suitable clothing and footwear? Something like this gives one clues as to (1) mental state, (2) financial resources, and (3) personal hygiene. Keep in mind, that a fair amount of people suffering from mental health issues are also homeless and out on the streets, in the elements. So, general questions like this are not necessarily flawed nor inappropriate. They are not designed to be specific, but rather broad. That questionnaire is likely used on everyone who walks through their doors.

I would never want to see someone without appropriate clothing for the weather and would make sure they had that before discharging them from the hospital. If I saw that you had old, worn, tattered clothing or shoes, I might ask you if you would like a gift card or stipend for some new ones. Even in the US, where we do not take care of our homeless or mentally ill well (a whole different topic), if you are in the hospital, a social worker will automatically stop by, address any concerns, and if you are in need of transportation, food, or clothing money, we will provide.

Even on my 12-page diagnosis report from my psychologist, she is describing me, and noted how I was dressed, how my personal hygiene was, and so on.