Jonathan Onigama

N360 PMH
10/2/2015
Final Reflective Journal: Kahi Mohala and 12 Step Meetings
This week was our final week of PMH or psychiatric clinicals. In
week 5, we unfortunately missed one day of clinical due to an incident
that involved our clinical instructor at his normal, non-teaching, nursing
job. I hope you feel better Professor Rodney! That being said, I believe
that I learned quite a lot in a matter of 6 weeks pertaining to mental
health.
In the beginning, I was very nervous and slightly skeptical about
the field (mental health) in general. Especially when I was on the
forensic units, I felt that all the patients were criminals. After having
lecture, and following the staffs advice about safety and checking my
surroundings, I felt more confident and I was able to get past my own
preconceived notions about the patients and became more open
minded about mental health. In the beginning my therapeutic
communication skills were subpar or even worse. I was so preoccupied
with thinking of what to say next rather than being in the moment and
listening to the patient. As each week of clinical went on, I found
myself improving in terms of communication skills and I was more
confident in approaching patients and I even conducted a morning
group meeting and discussed positive affirmation and a mental health
education group focused on coping in relation to animals living in their
natural/harsh environments. I was able to see patients with a variety of
mental illness with fluctuations in their mood and personality
throughout the day. Lecture and clinical really did overlap and I got to
see text book definition of schizophrenia and other mood and thought
disorders.
I have a better understanding and appreciation for mental health
and I feel that even though we did not perform in bed side nursing

skills like on a med surg floor, this clinical rotation and our community
clinicals (River of life and Club house) showed me a different side of
nursing. Kahi Mohala was a good clinical site in the sense that there
were different units for acute and residential patients,
children/adolescents/adults as well as a separate unit for soldiers who
has PTSD, and an ECT room where the staff does electroconvulsive
therapy. Overall, this was a good rotation that allowed me to better
myself as a person and a nurse, and allowed me to observe and
interact with patients with a variety of disorders and other social and
environmental issues.
For my last two 12 step meetings, I attended a narcotic and
gamblers anonymous meeting. Overall the follow the same schedule
where the recite passages from their book, and they are able to share
their stories. Some of the patients told everything such as their life
stories and how they got into doing drugs or gambling and how their
life spiraled out of control. As I mentioned in my first 12 step meeting
reflection, these meetings are helpful for them to stop their
uncontrolled habits. Its not a once I stop I dont need to attend these
meetings anymore, but the mediators of the meetings encourages the
members to come to every meeting because it helps remind them of
their disease and by sharing helps the members continue to abstain
from their compulsive habits. Whether its alcohol, narcotics, or
gambling, these habits are a crutch for the members to deal with
stress and other problems in life that they are not able to cope with. I
dont mean to over generalize but the members at the gamblers
meeting, all had similar stories as to how they started off with small
bets, which later started escalating to bets that were in the thousands
and even tens of thousands dollars. With alcohol and narcotics, the
members abused these substances to deal with socio-economical
issues, family problems, grieve, and more. Each person has a
different/personal story to tell, but these 12 step meetings really do

help these members fight their habits. I thought that these meetings
were a good idea to go to learn more about treatment outside of the
facilities.