Nurses Helping Nurses
allnurses Network: Central | Jobs | Books | Newsletter
allnurses: A Nursing Community for Nurses
Home General News Blogs Articles Students Region Specialty Degrees F.A.Q.
California Nurses /

Info about acute psych nursing in LA



Did You Know?
allnurses is the largest community for nurses on the web. We now have over 388,737 members! Join today to network with other nurses, laugh, share, and much more.

Aug 17, 2004 02:11 AM

Info about acute psych nursing in LA


Hi,

I'm a registered nurse, with 7 years experience in acute adult psychiatric nursing working in Sydney. I am looking into doing the same in LA and I was hoping you could provide me with some info on working conditions etc., as I have no idea on what to expect.

Below I've outlined what it's like in the hospital I work at, if someone could provide a similar description of their's I'd really appreciate it.

Here is Sydney,

I get paid AUS$30/hr base rate as a clinical nurse specialist, we get 10 days of per month and six weeks paid leave per year. We work 8 hour day and afternoon shifts and 10 hour nights on a rotational request roster.

Our staff to patient ratio is approx 1:4, the majority of our admissions come from ER, with some being bought directly team to the ward with the crisis team on a prearranged basis.

Registered nurses are required dispense medications, counsel and educate patients and families and work as part of a multi-disciplinary team in delivering care and discharge planning. Nurses medicate and seclude potentially aggressive patients themselves, however we can page security staff or call the police if necessary, the former we do on a regular basis. The use of restraints is illegal in psychiatric facilities.

The philosophy on our unit is one of least restrictive care. Patients are allowed leave, at the doctors discretion, nurses wear casual clothes and patients are encouraged to as well.


Thanks in advance.
Chloe


Share

Search Tags
None
Top

 
Advertisement
Sponsored Links
 
Reply




Thread Tools


Who's Online
235 members
1,913 guests
2,148

3

Four Lehigh Valley Health Network nurses accused of...

48

lawsuit - But don't most RN's work through breaks/lunch...

0

Patient Evaluation of Retail Clinic Care

7

The hard to reach on-call doctor, and its effects on...

11

Woman charged with passing off prescription drug as...

26

Man in "Vegetative State" was conscious for 23...

2

Interesting article on ThedaCare's Collaborative Care Model

14

Possible breakthrough regarding MS

63

16th Philly area hospital to stop delivering babies: Mercy...

14

Really interesting article on Indian open hearts






Currently Reading This Page: 1 (0 members & 1 guests)

Interested in the hottest topics of the week? Subscribe to the Nurse-zine Newsletter.
Enter email address: