I found this simulation experience to be very helpful and overall, somewhat enjoyable. I have never really had any experience with truly deal with a person that is experiencing a mental health crisis and despite them being actors it was still helpful to get a sense of what that experience would be like. My expectations going into the simulation were that it was going to be somewhat of just a conversation between my groupmates and myself. In some cases, it was more than others but for the most part it mostly consisted of us really trying to get the patient to talk to us. Almost prying the information from them. I was also kind of expecting to follow a script more so than having a conversation that flowed and asking the questions that needed to be asked throughout that conversation. I felt that for the first patient my group also was kind of expecting the same thing. We kept asking the questions that we needed to but there was no rhyme or rhythm to the way we did it, we would get our answer and then pretty much just move on from it. After the first patient we realized how awkward and difficult it was making things, so we were able to make the adjustments and have more of a fluid conversation with the remaining patients. I felt that getting past that awkwardness of a first interview was one of the most difficult parts of the mental health exam. However, the awkwardness of that first interview will help us in the long run and allow us to really be able to focus on what needs to get accomplished in the mental health exam.
