Preparing for a Clinical Meeting: Case Study

Kathleen

This is what Kathleen might be thinking before the meeting:

Kathleen tended to blame herself for not noticing that Jeremy was becoming ill and not doing something about it earlier.

She found it difficult to understand why he had developed psychosis and wondered if it was something she had done wrong. This made her feel very depressed. She wanted to find out more about why her son became ill. Kathleen also worries about the medication Jeremy has to take as it seems to make him drowsy and sleep a lot. She is not sure if this is something he will have to take for a long time or not. She identified the following questions:

Here are some questions that Kathleen might want to ask at the meeting:

Why has Jeremy become unwell, and what do you mean by psychosis?

Is it my fault that he has become unwell?

Could I have done something to prevent it?

How long will Jeremy have to take medication for?

Will he be like this forever?

Why does he sleep all the time?

Is there a different medication he could try that would make him less drowsy?

After the meeting, Kathleen might still blame herself for Jeremy’s illness and may be feeling low. If this is the case, she needs to think about seeking support for herself.