I am here with Raina Martinez. She is currently an ICU nurse with experience in psychiatric nursing. She shares insights on compassionate care in mental health settings, and she emphasizes that psychiatric patients often face stigma because of their conditions, which are not physically visible. She stresses the importance of treating patients as individuals first, acknowledging their fears, and understanding that their hallucinations or delusions feel authentic to them. 

She talks about her experience where she provided compassionate care to a paranoid schizophrenic patient with head lice. Many avoided her due to her violent tendencies, but Raina took the time to gently help her wash and comb her hair while communicating with her tenderly. She felt this experience reinforced the importance of empathy in nursing. 

Reflecting on her career, she highlights that patients should always be seen as people first, not just their diagnosis. Many are in distressing, unfamiliar situations, so healthcare professionals must approach them with kindness, respect, and patience to build trust.