“I just want to go to a friend for two nights,” Patricia yelled, asserting her words with some colorful language, as she grabbed the nearest chair she could reach. “You are NOT going to treat me this way,” nurse Nancy replied with more anger in her voice than she probably intended. More calmly, she added: “If you want to go on leave for longer than originally agreed upon, you need to discuss it with Marjorie, and she’s not available right now.” At that point, a blonde nurse in her mid-thirties entered the ward. As Patricia saw her, her anger rose and, heaving the chair off the floor, she threw it at Marjorie, barely missing her. Turning to the nurse’s station, Nancy told Patricia, not even looking at her: “Here are your meds and the address for the homeless shelter; for your severe aggressive behavior, you’ve been suspended until Monday.”
This piece of flash fiction is based on a true story from a fellow patient at the locked psychiatric unit back in 2008. I always felt rather conflicted about patients, especially those without a home, being suspended for severe challenging behavior. In this case though, the patient got exactly what she wanted.
I am joining the Six Sentence Story Link-Up, for which the prompt this week is “Shelter”. I am also linking up with Friday Writings, even though it’s Saturday. The optional prompt is conversations you’ve overheard. Though I didn’t exactly overhear this conversation, as it was told to me by the fellow patient later on, I thought it’d be fitting enough.
A Multitude of Musings 
wow! Great story astrid! Very well done on it!
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Thanks so much, carol anne! 💜
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❤️❤️❤️
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It’s a sad story.
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It definitely is. The patient at the time felt as though she got exactly what she wanted, but it’s sad in general, for this reason and others.
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Yes, there concept of punishment doesn’t sits right with me.
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Agree. I was at one point threatened with being kicked off the ward (full-on discharge, not suspension) for my challenging behavior while all I did was call out a staff on their not following their part of my crisis prevention plan in what apparently was quite a rude way. Granted, both this patient my story was based on and I had diagnoses viewed as including manipulative behavior, but that in itself is a problem in my opinion.
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It sure is a problem. It makes people staying here feel unsafe.
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Good one, Astrid. Keep them coming.
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Thanks so much for the encouragement.
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Patricia can now see that friend or do whatever she wanted. Good dialog developing the story.
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Exactly. Thank you for stopping by.
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A tale well told.
Thanks for dropping by my blog Astrid
Much love…
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Thanks so much for your kind words.
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What a dramatic telling, Astrid.
Such a heartbreaking way to gain a little freedom. If only she’d had a little patience.
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So true. This is such a sad tale, especially since it was based in reality. Thank you for commenting.
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That was a scary one for her.
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It was, for all involved, I guess.
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When you use such means to get what you want, you may end up getting more than you bargained for.
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Agree, so true. This patient (the real one this story was based on) actually thought she’d gotten her way in the end.
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Disturbing implications to this! I’m sure they need to be aired.
(You are welcome to join in with Friday Writings any time between one Friday and the next.)
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Thank you for commenting and I’m glad I wasn’t too late joining in.
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Human beings are such complex characters. The idea of punishment doesn’t sit well with me in a medical context. You tell the story so well and clearly.
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I agree with you about not feeling right about punishment in a medical context. Thanks for the compliment on my storytelling.
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A troubling tale, all the more so for being an account of an actual event.
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Agree, so sad. Thank you for stopping by.
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You succinctly extract an aspect of of the psychiatric system that few ever experience. Well done.
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Thank you. I honestly wouldn’t wish the locked ward experience on anyone.
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My wife used to work in a mental hospital and our eldest son is bipolar and schizophrenic, so we hear you.
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Oh, I’m so sorry about your son’s mental illness. That must be so hard on both him and you as a family.
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Thanks, Astrid. He actually manages very well these days and is holding down a job, so there’s always hope.
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That’s great to know, I’m glad he’s doing well. Thanks for sharing.
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