[MD] Drama

[Heather Perella]

Hello everybody,

     I think the experience that I have at my job
provides some insight into real situations in the
human sector of life.  Also, our relationship with
nature is brought up at times.  I don't know what
specifically will come out of this post, but I will
just freely write about some events at work which I
know will be helpful in giving insight for or into the
MOQ from real case studies one might say.

     I am working on a resident unit (building) that
was falling apart and is still on shaky ground.  I was
moved to this unit from another unit that was running
very well, in order to get order and discipline back
into this ailing unit.  The supervisor at my old unit
first came down to pull this unit out of almost total
chaos, then I was asked to go down since I have more
experience than a lot of the newer staff coming into
this ailing unit.  There are only three experienced
staff on this unit, other than me, and 4-5 new staff. 
The experienced staff are taking emotional-mental
beatings, and the new staff are not sticking around
due to what I have seen as the residents ruling the
roost more than they should be.  They have been
interfering with the normal social routine that should
be happening with their numerous instances of throwing
the wrench into the smooth engine that can't.
     The residents do not independently go on to their
next scheduled routine, whether that be brushing their
teeth, washing their hands before dinner, to being
prepared to go the gym (shoes on, proper clothing,
etc...), and doing their social skills (a consequence
to not earning for the week based on their behavior
and rule following), etc...  They argue, don't follow
directions, do not redirect their behavior when asked,
etc...  All of these and others put bumps on the path
of the daily routine.  The vice-grip is closing in on
them, ever-so-slowly, but order is closing in on them.
 At this point it is similar to being on the battle
field.  They try to take an inch, such as stopping
their social skills three minutes early, this in turn
will become a space for them to further say things
like, "Well, they let us quit doing them early." 
"Can't we just do this, what will hurt?", and soon
they have an argument for everything.  The take-over
of the unit by either staff or residents is all
teetering on the balance of rules.
     Now that I have given a background on the
struggle here I would like to give further insight on
more specific instances.  When the residents don't
follow directions or rules, points are taken from
them.  If the residents become alleviated they are
directed by staff to go to the Time-Out Area.  If they
will not go, then we physically escort them.  If they
begin to struggle physically, then we physically
restrain them, by placing them face down on the floor,
holding their arms and legs still usually while the
resident is trying to do harm to staff by kicking,
swinging arms, and a lot of yelling and swearing is
happening.
     This unit I am working on had a resident that
ruled the unit and became a leader to the other
residents.  She got away with a lot of things, and
staff bashing, attitude, and negative rallying with
other residents lead to codes called that ask for
back-up from other units because things are getting
out of hand beyond the scope of the two or three staff
working on the unit at the time.  The unit has 9
residents.  Mob mentality on behalf of the residents
occurs at times where they join forces to act in
collective opposition to rules and staff.
     This former resident that behaved in a way that
controlled the unit where the attention was on her, by
her noise level, attitude, show of aggression, and the
constant swearing, yelling, or demanding created a
role-model for the rest of residents to get away with
stuff that lead them to placement in the first place. 
This former resident was eventually brought to a judge
and arrested in the court room by her behavior and
defiance in the courtroom that the judge had no
tolerance for and the sheriffs immediately put the
cuffs on her wrists and ankles to bring her to a more
strict, lock down facility.  One of the newer
residents that took on this role-model to heart and
saw what she got away with by the none enforcement by
staff that gave her the ability to bring her troubled
behavior into the unit without being put in check
continually as it is supposed to be done.  This newer
resident, as the other one was removed by the court
system, began to fill her position and rule the roost.
     That's where the supervisor and I mentioned
earlier in our move down into this unit come into
view.  There is talk of other experienced staff being
moved to this unit, too, in order to bring more order.
 This newer resident has now been on this unit for
months, and now another new resident is trying to
follow in the footsteps of the role-model established
by that first court removed resident.  So this
personality has been in this unit passed on in a
lineage by role-modeling an attitude that has been
able to aggressively hold-off rules and staff by not
theorizing, but action, real-time, time and tested in
the field characterization through you could say 3
generations of residents or a personality that has
lasted in different individuals for over 1 1/2 years. 
This has put a toll on the unit's organization and
order.  Just to finish simple paperwork has become
difficult because the residents have for me take my
time away from staff work so I can keep an eye on them
and make sure they are doing what they are supposed to
be doing so order will eventually prevail.  I have
been working only with new staff and have only been
able to trust one of them when I leave the residents
alone to give out medications or do paperwork.  When I
usually leave, when this one staff is not around, I
hear the residents starting to get a restless
attitude, that once it starts it is difficult to
extinguish and I have to come out from the staff
office to put a stop to things that at times I have
had to call for back-up to extinguish the flames of
hate, anger, aggressive behavior, and disorderly
conduct.
     So we are trying to stop this personality from
gaining strength in the third generation.  This third
generation is trying, but now the second generation is
beginning to break-down and the third generation is, I
think, noticing the failure of this role-model and she
tries to define her own.  I have told her she is a
follower and of course, they don't like to hear that. 
The big thing for these kinds of personalities is they
want to be defined as a leader.  The celebrity is full
blown here.  You see the stage and the glamour and
attention in full view.  If a spot light could be
placed on them, they would turn it on and say, "Here I
am stop me if you can."  They like to say their name
and how nobody can mess with "Ashley" and so forth.  I
do not tolerate such acts and they will bring the
aggression almost to a restraint, but this personality
does not want to lose face.  Shame and embarrassment,
a lose of show to the rest of the residents would have
them lose their power and strength of rallying the
mob.  Yes, at times they join forces with the rest of
the residents and that's why we have increasingly made
it difficult for them to talk with each other and feed
off of each other where it makes it difficult, as
staff, to challenge them (the mob) due to so much
disorder going on.  This mob became very strong a
couple days ago, where a code (back-up) was called
because nobody would go back to their rooms when staff
asked them as one of the residents was being
restrained.  They eventually where corralled back to
their rooms and all where put on shadow, which means
they have to ask to interact with somebody else or
else they will be put on interaction restriction,
meaning they will not be able to talk with any
resident for days or even a week or more.  
     It is the continual defiance by residents against
the rules and staff that has lead this unit in such a
disorderly and unorganized daily routine.  It is what
we as staff call a rebuilding of a unit that could
take months, before the residents fit the routine
schedule to a point where they begin to do, as they
are supposed to do, on their own, in a self-sufficient
manner.  The residents do not want staff to always say
to them what to do, but the residents do not do it on
their own, so we must.  The residents will lie and
manipulate to get out of almost everything, but will
consequences such as Time-out, staying their rooms for
hours or all day, taking away of free-time, etc...
hopefully this personality that has taken over the
unit will finally be dismantled.  This personality has
been socially mimicked.  The arguments by these
residents, if used positively, would make them
excellent attorneys.  Defense attorneys cause they
could get many out of the accusations committed
against them.  Prosecutors cause these residents are
out for blood, they go for the throat, and will fight
til the end hitting all the points, that as a staff
you have to know what your doing and understand the
rules and program so they don't wiggle their way out
of the trouble they cause and fear they try to
project.
     This may provide some real issues that any true
philosophy would have to provide insight into a
ultimate question 'What is going on here?'.  The drama
of society continues as the rules of intellect try to
deter even the hardiest of them future and current
criminals that will assault, murder, and lead this
society into chaos if not changed.

Thanks,
SA  

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