Candidates are asked to manage the patient after her unfair dismissal from her workplace.
This question assesses a candidate’s understanding of the management of an acute grief reaction.
The temptation here is to go too far – for example, sending the patient to the emergency department, becoming involved in letters to the workplace and/or providing medication or mental health care plans where they are not currently warranted.
Answers that attracted more marks included steps that were simple but are often missed –
- Safety netting,
- Provision of psychological support,
- Direction to appropriate legal/representation and
- Regular follow-up.
A full list of possibilities are:
- Advise her to contact Fair Work Australia or recommend she get legal advice
- Arrange appropriate psychological therapy
- Provide her with safety numbers and contacts
- Arrange appropriate follow-up within a short period of time
- Advice regarding mindfulness; self-help exercises
- Advice regarding maintaining health habits (sleep, diet, exercise, alcohol)
- Support development of sense of safety (avoid triggers)
- Encourage contact with existing social supports
- Promote and remind of self-efficacy (highlight areas of control, recalibrate expectations)
- Promote and support maintaining hope in the situation
Note that Follow-up (time not specified) would not be awarded marks