My Amazon and Goodreads review of Hillcrest-Oakden: The Diary of a Psychiatric Nurse (Rating 3): And Then It Wasn’t So Funny – Unlike typical exposes of mental hospitals, Christine Hillingdon’s account of her years as a psychiatric nurse in Australia begins with amusing descriptions of the quirky patients and staff. Her affection for those in her care is evident, as is the need for a good sense of humor in the “loony bin.” As the story progresses, however, humor disappears in tandem with the deterioration of the government’s mental health system. Management changes, slashed budgets, and nonsensical and cruel policies become the norm, endangering patients and over burdening staff. The situation makes for a gripping story. Hillingdon is a good reporter, although, since the book is a memoir, I would have appreciated more of her own insights and analysis.
