Week in Psychiatry is an exciting topic when different people who work in the field of psychiatry share their experience. This time our guest is Maris Taube, president of Latvian Psychiatric association. Should say, the week is filled with psychiatry.
Monday
My working day starts at 7:30. I went through nurses’ reports - what’s happened during holiday in my department for patients with depression, anxiety, early-stage schizophrenia, eating disorders, early dementias. Everything seems good, some sleep problems, some panic attacks. The phone starting rung without any pauses. My patients knows that I am in the office. Questions about medicines, some symptoms changes, next visits, COVID situation, vaccination necessary, risks etc. I try to also complete my delayed paper works.
9:00 morning coffee with my colleagues, short discussion about planning of new patients for today.
From 9:30 till 12:30 we all together (my, my colleagues, residents) visit all patients in my department. We speak with each of all up to 30 patients in department, discuses treatment results, progress, medicines, psychosocial treatment methods.
From 12:30 till 13:00 we take lunch together with colleagues, some jocks and fanny stories.
From 13:00 till 14:00 I make a lot of phone calls; I call to new patients and invite it to my department (unfortunately waiting time is about one months).
From 14:00 till 18:30 I went to outpatient’s clinic and provide consultations for about 15 to 20 patients, do a lot of paper works.
18:30 I go home.
Tuesday
My working day starts at 7:30. It’s time for patients’ phone call, phone consultations.
From 8:30 till 9:00 we provide team meeting all together – psychiatrists, residents, psychologists, visual art therapist, music therapist, drama therapist, dance, and movement therapist, ergo (occupational) therapist, physiotherapist. Shortly we make conversation about patients, exchange our impressions about progress, issues.
9:00 Morning coffee.
After that every psychiatrist, residents visits their own patients, discussion with residents about treatment, some administrative issues, paper works. Zoom meetings about hospital problems, COVID 19 epidemiological, safety issues, new rules from Ministry of Health (again...), admission of new patients, individual discussion with patients in my office, meetings with patients’ relatives. In end of the day, I provide 3 to 4 outpatient face to face, phone of WhatsApp consultations.
18:30 I go home.
Wednesday
My working day starts at 7:30. Phone calls, consultations, advises.
9:00 morning coffee with my colleagues, short discussion about planning of new patients for today.
From 9:30 till 12:30 we all together (my, my colleagues, residents) go to common patients’ observation. We speak with each of all up to 30 department inpatients, discuses treatment results, progress, medicines etc.
From 12:30 till 13:00 we take lunch together with colleagues, some jokes and fanny stories.
From 13:00 till 14:00 I make a lot of phone calls; I call to new patients and invite it to department.
From 14:00 till 18:30 I went to outpatient’s clinic and make consultations for about 15 to 20 patients, do a lot of paper works.
18:30 I go home.
Thursday
My working day starts at 7:30. It’s time for patients’ phone calls, phone consultations.
9:00 Morning coffee.
After coffee usually almost every Thursday I go to main hospital facility and take part in Concilium’s for a person who will change the gender, for patients with some legal problems (e.g., request for an evaluation of mental status from military services, legal institutions, state security services etc.).
At the same time every psychiatrist, residents visit their own patients, discussion with residents about treatment, some administrative issues, paper works. Admission of new patients.
After that I provide 3 to 4 outpatient face to face, phone of WhatsApp consultations at end of the day.
18:30 I go home.
Friday
My working day starts at 7:30. Phone calls, consultations, advises.
9:00 morning coffee with my colleagues, short discussion about planning of new patients for today. Some jokes, but not so much.
From 9:30 till 12:30 we all together (my, my colleagues, residents) do common patients observation. We speak with each of all up to 30 department inpatients, discuses treatment results, progress, medicines. Friday we also correct and prepare treatment plans for next week – we write down all necessary treatment activities (music, art, drama etc.) for each patient, ask them to provide feedback – what was useful, what not so much. We also make plans for discharge, start to prepare patients for that I timely manner.
From 12:30 till 13:00 we take lunch together with colleagues, some jokes and fanny stories, but seams not so funny. Everyone is tired.
Usually, 3 to 4 patients discharge in Friday. Also, some patients are admitted or transferred from main hospital acute departments. A lot of paper and computer work.
18:30 I go home.
Saturday
Some paper works at home. I went through e mails, planning some Latvian Psychiatric Association meetings, prepare letters and/or working papers for Ministry of Health and others, write scientific papers for University, prepare presentation for conferences. Some work in the garden.
I am getting tired.
20:30 Sauna, jacuzzi.
Sunday
I am good. I am ready for work again! □