Message from the Superintendent (March 03, 2008)

"But it's not just learning things that's important. It's learning what to do with what you learn and learning why you learn things at all that matters." - Norton Juster

I wanted to take a moment and comment on something I believe is very important. Riverview as a learning organization. I feel it is critical that in this age of increasing information and expanding knowledge that all Riverview maintain an attitude of learning and of teaching. I was in a conversation a few days ago and we were talking about how we learned the bulk of what we know about health care. I realized that I owe most of everything, (maybe all important things) I know (or think I do) to someone I once worked with who took the time to really teach me. I read about a lot of things but I learned about them through our work. Big difference between knowing the definition of a psychiatric illness and getting to know a person who is affected by such an illness. I have worked with people (both care providers and recipients of care) who expressed enough interest in me to explain how they understood something. Those gifts of sharing deepened my understanding more then any book could. True, there are numerous explanations to mental illness and for that matter recovery. Many theories are mutually exclusive of the others. So then which is right? Which should guide you? Tough questions.

Here are my thoughts. When we provide care to a person, we should be committed to having an understanding about the person and the expression of behavior that we witness. That understanding should be something more then our personal life experience or values. We should be committed to having a theory (based in science) about why this is happening and what can be done to help. When a client expresses anger, apathy, confusion, contempt, we should develop an understanding based on a theory of human behavior that helps us help others. This last part is very important. Understanding why first will always improve our response. In addition, we should share with others whom we work the theory we are using to guide our professional actions in different situations. Discuss them openly. Invite people to share their reactions and alternatives. This process makes all of us wiser.

Staff Development will soon be sending to the unit staff articles on behavioral theory, recovery, and other items of professional interest on a periodic basis for you to read, contemplate, and discuss. Use these as opportunities to expand your view of human behavior.

So my request to you is, take the time to explain to a peer, a colleague or an observer what you are doing to help someone and why you believe it is the best thing to do. Ask them their thoughts. These exchanges can be powerful education opportunities. Someone may think back to you as a great teacher and someone they owe special thanks to. I know I do.

As always, thanks for your good work.

In Service,
David S. Proffitt

"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young." - Henry Ford

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Message from the Superintendent (March 03, 2008)