Rescue Version 3

Another form of the rescue strategy is to rescue the patient from his/her "perceived" situation.  For instance;  had a patient once that was convinced a man was in her room and she wouldn't return to her room for any reason.  Now we could've used reality orientation and told her that there was no-one there and she was hallucinating etc etc and it would only end in making the patient feel crazy and that she can't trust anyone because they don't believe her.  A better way is the rescue strategy - tell the patient you are going to clear her room for her and then do it.  Enter her room and then return to her and let her know that you cleared her room for her.  And if he comes back that she needs to let someone know immediately and we'll have him thrown out.  She'll feel confident that people believe her and this particular patient returned to her room for a good nights sleep.  I had another patient that was convinced the kitchen was trying to poison her.  So I had the kitchen pack up her lunch in a brown bag and told her I brought it just for her so I could make sure no-one tampered with it.  I could've told her that no-one was trying to poison her blah blah blah...and it wouldn't have helped her anxiety.  This way I gave her an "untampered with lunch" and she could eat with confidence.  Then I introduced her to someone in the kitchen that part of my "club" and she would supervise her food when I couldn't be there.  Then I introduced her to another person that would also keep a "look out".  And slowly we built her confidence for all of the kitchen workers.  She ate well and was able to complete her therapy because she had the food intake she needed to get stronger.