Transcription:

Deborah Howell: So a large percentage of Americans take some sort of medications or help others in their family with their medications. And let's face it, sometimes it gets pretty complicated. Well, today, we're going to find out how The Women's Hospital helps patients manage their medications and stay compliant with treatment.

This is the podcast series from Deaconess, The Women's Hospital, a place for all your life. I'm Deborah Howell. And our guest today is Elizabeth Johnson, a registered nurse and nurse practitioner at the Center for Healing Arts and Wellness Services at Deaconess. Hi, Elizabeth. So nice to have you with us today.

Elizabeth Johnson: Hello!

Deborah Howell: I can already tell your patients are lucky to have you.

Elizabeth Johnson: Oh, thank you. I appreciate that.

Deborah Howell: So what types of services do you offer at The Women's Hospital?

Elizabeth Johnson: My area of focus is walking the road of mental health treatment with our female patients, looking at the diagnosis, treatment options for a variety of different mental health conditions and diseases like anxiety or depression, postpartum anxiety, pregnancy, or fertility-related struggles. And then collaborating with that patient on what treatments fit, what their concerns are and what their needs are, especially with regards to medication. Looking at the right medication fits, how it functions in their body, how it functions with other medications they may be taking or looking at options of combining medications together on what is the safest for the best efficacy.

Deborah Howell: Sure. And what types of medications do you manage with patients?

Elizabeth Johnson: Anything that would be treating mental health or behavioral health, anxiety, depression, medications that affect hormones in the brain like serotonin, norepinephrine. You may have heard of some of them, as they're quite common, like Zoloft or Prozac, welbutrin. Those are very common ones that many people have at some point in conversations maybe talked about or heard or maybe knew a friend that took it. And so those are the kind of not the only medications I prescribe, but those are just examples of some medications we may discuss if a patient comes in.

Deborah Howell: Got it. Now, how do these types of services and medications benefit your patient?

Elizabeth Johnson: Improving life, improving functioning of day-to-day life. I always say finding the right medication for your mental health is like finding a great pair of running shoes. You're running some and they give your feet blisters. And then you run in others and it's like you can go for miles and you just know it's the right fit for you. So it's about finding the fit that works the best for that patient, not only in their body, but also how it relates to their circumstances and what's going on in their life and what that patient has been through that is contributing to those struggles.

Deborah Howell: Well, that only makes sense. And what types of patients do you treat?

Elizabeth Johnson: I treat adult women with any psychiatric or mental health diagnosis.

Deborah Howell: What can patients expect on their first visit with you?

Elizabeth Johnson: The first visit is usually a lengthier appointment, time spent really exploring the patient's life experiences and what has brought them to my table and to my room. And it's spent mostly just listening and exploring and finding out truly, number one, what is the clients need and expectation of being there?

Some patients come in with a medication in mind or with a response to a medication maybe that makes them fearful. And some patients come in very skeptical of medication at all. And maybe that's the conversation is, what do they really play? And also what adjunctive therapies can we also look at with regards to coping and relaxation, meditation, journaling? What other things can we add? Realizing that I look at medication as a tool that can be life-changing for many, but there's still other tools that I like to incorporate alongside that to maximize the patient's outcome.

Deborah Howell: And I noticed with these adjunctive therapies, you didn't mention diet.

Elizabeth Johnson: That was not intentional. Adjunctive therapies could probably go on for days. And in terms of that, that list is not inclusive. Other therapies, diet, exercise, elimination of stressors, boundaries with regards to things like social media, sleep quality, dreaming. That list is a mile long and it really needs to be tailored to each individual person. But I completely agree with you, our nutrition, our self-care is sometimes the best medicine we can take.

Deborah Howell: Agreed. So how important is it once you are with the patient for awhile and you've prescribed some treatment, how important is it for them to be compliant with your treatment?

Elizabeth Johnson: Compliance and taking care of our bodies, it's crucial. I mean, it absolutely makes or breaks how you can feel on a day to day basis and how that translates into your relationships around you, your ability to do your job and other tasks. So it's so crucial. Understanding that our lives are in a constant state of change and fluctuations, but our medications, they're the same day to day to day to day. So if you are experiencing feeling like your treatment is not matching what your lifestyle is demanding, it may be time for a change.

I never want my patients to feel their treatment needs to be stagnant, but consistency is crucial and realizing that if there are gaps, if there are needs, if there are side effects problems or the medication is simply not sufficient, and that person is already working on those other tools that we just listed out, then I think it's time for a change. But changes should come with collaboration. So walking alongside that patient to say, "Okay, let's talk about the struggles and let's talk about what's not working and why it's not working. And let's look and see if this does mean a change in your medications. What does that look like? And how can we do that together safely?"

I do want to add, Deborah, many people are apprehensive about starting medications for anxiety or depression or their mental health, because they fear it's going to be a lifelong journey of taking medication. And so many people take pride in the fact that "I've struggled, but I've never needed anything." And so they feel that there's this place of weakness. "I'm weak if I needed to take medication. And if I do meet that place of weakness, I'll never have the strength to be without medication."

And what I would just tell you and what I tell my patients is taking medication is not weakness. You are accepting and taking help and putting your hands up, realizing that sometimes in life we are in that place we need somebody to take us by the hand and help us up. And I feel, and I always encourage patients, that for some people taking medication long-term is not what they need. And I will coach my patients through what it means to be in remission. We talk about being in remission of cancer and we have an understanding of that. But I like to introduce the conversation and the concept of being in remission for our mental health and realizing that there are many people who can successfully complete treatment on medication and then they don't need it long-term, but they know that it helped them in a phase or in a time of their life, but maybe that phase in time of their life, then they move through it and they heal through it and we process through it. And so I do always want to relay a hope that if you are apprehensive about taking a medication or starting something, it does not mean that you have to be on it the rest of your life.

Deborah Howell: Elizabeth, your passion is shining through. Is this the best part of your job, when you see women make great leaps in their lives?

Elizabeth Johnson: I think the best part of my job is the feeling of humility when a person comes and they're willing to come into a strange place, see a strange person for the first time and lay their brokenness out for this random person, not sure what they're going to be told, not sure how they're going to be judged or they're looked at. And many of these women are mamas and they fear being thought of as a bad mom or you're not doing the best that you can as being a mom and fearing that judgment in that failure. The best part of my job, hands down, is not seeing the healing, but it's seeing when my patients realize they can have healing and that they aren't so broken that they can't put their pieces together. That is the best part, is when you see that glimmer. It's not the healing. It's the hope that you instill, that is what makes me tick everyday.

Deborah Howell: Yeah, understood. Well, Elizabeth, how can our listeners receive an appointment with you?

Elizabeth Johnson: Start by talking to your primary care doctor or your OB-GYN or any of your healthcare providers, especially through The Women's Hospital as that's where I'm connected and that's where my office is affiliated with. And they can foster a referral. If you're not sure or don't have a doctor, go ahead and call our office and we can make sure we connect those steps.

Deborah Howell: Beautiful. And I'll give the number in just a second. But before that, I want to thank you, Elizabeth, for taking us inside The Women's Hospital. It's been so great to have you on the podcast.

Elizabeth Johnson: Thank you, dear. I hope you have a wonderful day. Thank you for your time.

Deborah Howell: Right back to you. And that wraps up this episode of the podcast series from Deaconess, The Women's Hospital, a place for all your life. To learn more, call (812) 842-4020 or visit deaconess.com/cha. And for more health tips and updates, follow us on your social channels. I'm Deborah Howell. Thanks for listening and have yourself a great day.