Q1 – I would choose option 1, it would seem appropriate to reassure Sarah and try to get her to communicate with her baby as soon as possible. For Sarah’s mental health and wellbeing it would also be important to reduce her stress levels, letting her see her son via video call would improve her state of mind. Time to bond with her baby is so crucial after giving birth and hope as her nurse I would have the empathy to assist her maintain contact with her son.
Q2 – I would choose option 2, hearing Sarah crying would prompt me to want to find out why she was crying and how the issue could be resolved. Having a clear plan of action and documentation of how to implement the plan would promote consistent and continuous care within the multidisciplinary team in my absence.
Q3 – I would choose option 2 – calling security or restricting Sarah to the ward environment poses restraint issues that may not be appropriate at the time if Sarah has full capacity to make informed decisions. Sarah has every right to self discharge, however, she needs to be informed of the consequences and impact on her health if she were to self discharge. I would prefer to try and persuade Sarah to continue treatment and emphasise how she would be better able to look after Baby Theo post-treatment.
