Is this "patient" care?

[ladymiresa]

Hello all,

I've applied for a position in behavioral health. The job is at a residential healthcare facility and treats people with varying degrees of mental illness and/or substance abuse. The job duties include "health monitoring, crisis intervention, administering medication, obtaining vitals", etc. To me, this sounds very much like the clinical care position I'm seeking.

My only concern is that the job listing doesn't describe those being treated as patients but rather as clients. Is this a hint that it's not really the clinical experience I'm looking for? Or is the difference between clients and patients really just semantics?

Thanks in advanced for your response.

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[FCMike11]

I would think so. There have been random inservices where my hospital emphasizes calling them "clients" and not patients.

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[hubbsbubbs]

Yes, that's very obviously patient care.

 

[ladymiresa]

Yes, that's very obviously patient care.

Why call them "clients" then? I feel like that word has certain connotations!

 

[Sardinia]

Hello all, I've applied for a position in behavioral health. The job is at a residential healthcare facility and treats people with varying degrees of mental illness and/or substance abuse.

The job duties include "health monitoring, crisis intervention, administering medication, obtaining vitals", etc. To me, this sounds very much like the clinical care position I'm seeking. My only concern is that the job listing doesn't describe those being treated as patients but rather as clients. Is this a hint that it's not really the clinical experience I'm looking for? Or is the difference between clients and patients really just semantics? Thanks in advanced for your response.

Hello all, I've applied for a position in behavioral health. The job is at a residential healthcare facility and treats people with varying degrees of mental illness and/or substance abuse. The job duties include "health monitoring, crisis intervention, administering medication, obtaining vitals", etc. To me, this sounds very much like the clinical care position I'm seeking. My only concern is that the job listing doesn't describe those being treated as patients but rather as clients. Is this a hint that it's not really the clinical experience I'm looking for? Or is the difference between clients and patients really just semantics? Thanks in advanced for your response.

@ladymiresa I'm just pulling your leg, I hope you get the job. It sounds like great experience.

 

[raf1ki]

I just got a job in behavioral health and it seems like a trend for the facilities to strongly emphasize "customer service." This must be a psych thing. It's patient care OP.

 

[LizzyM]

This discussion has been going on for a long time...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1227829/pdf/cmaj_157_3_287.pdf

and continues...


For whom do you care – patients or clients?

If these people are in a health care facility and they are using health insurance to pay for that care, you are okay to call it clinical, IMO.

 

[HooliganSnail]

Hello all,

I've applied for a position in behavioral health. The job is at a residential healthcare facility and treats people with varying degrees of mental illness and/or substance abuse. The job duties include "health monitoring, crisis intervention, administering medication, obtaining vitals", etc. To me, this sounds very much like the clinical care position I'm seeking.

My only concern is that the job listing doesn't describe those being treated as patients but rather as clients. Is this a hint that it's not really the clinical experience I'm looking for? Or is the difference between clients and patients really just semantics?

Thanks in advanced for your response.

This is defenitly patient care.

And to be honest, this job will give you a TON of insights into your health system, and the people you will encounter as patients. This is a very valuable experience if you can get the job

FYI: I don't know why they use the term "client", or worse "consumer", but it seems to be trend.

 

[teenyfish]

Yes, it's patient care. I'm per diem at a job just like this after a few years of working part-time. Our facilities are in home settings, but we do the same things you've listed and refer to our guys as clients. At the end of the day, I'm still doing the same basic wound care, trach/g-tube maintenance, administering meds, etc that I would be doing in any other medical setting. It was one of the best things I could have done for myself, I learned a TON and I think I'm a much better person because of it. Good luck!