Beijing nurses serve mentally ill with expertise, compassion

BUILDING SELF-ESTEEM

With growing psychiatric disease awareness and the passing of the Mental Health Law in 2012, China's first law on the rights of psychiatric patients, medical practitioners in the field have earned more social recognition and respect.

No one understands the change better than Yin Li, who started working at the hospital in 1993 and now works at the outpatient department as a head nurse.

"I used to be afraid of telling people what I do. Now it is much better. There are more male nurses in the hospital than before," Yin said.

More than 20 years of experience with psychiatric patients have taught Yin that it's most important to let them regain their dignity and confidence.

With Yin's help, a former patient with alcohol addiction managed to return to society and is making a living in sales.

"Why did he become addicted to alcohol? It's because he wasn't treated with respect," Yin said. "What he badly needs is acceptance and recognition by society."