As a recent new grad, I have been putting in numerous applications to finally start my career as a nurse. After posting a resume online, I was contacted my an in-patient substance abuse and mental health clinic that offered me an opportunity to interview. As someone who has family members that suffer from substance abuse and mental health disorders, I personally would enjoy the opportunity to work at this particular facility after researching it.

However, if I'm being honest, I know that I wouldn't want to be pigeon-holed into being a psych nurse for the rest of my life. I see this as an opportunity to learn and grow, especially since the communication skills you learn with psych nursing can be used in all fields of nursing, but my dream job is to work in an ER. I personally think it would be a good learning opportunity because I have seen plenty of ER nurses that shy away from psych or withdrawing patients that come in. However, even though I see it as a good learning opportunity, do you think hospitals would look down on me for only having psych experience and no med/surg skills? I haven't really heard from any other hospitals that I have applied to, so I certainly don't want to miss out on my first opportunity just because of a nagging voice in the back of my head.

"Look down on" may not be the right phrase, but you may not be as competitive of an ER candidate as someone with a med/surg background. It wouldn't be impossible to switch over, though. This job could lead places, and will definitely lead places that no job won't.

In the future, you could apply for psych positions in hospitals, then network or even ask to float/orient in med/surg. You could apply to a medical/psych unit down the road. You could even consider moving to an area where nurses are in shorter supply and people with limited experience have more options.

For now, go to the interview!! You have nothing to lose by seeing what they have to offer. And even if you decide not to take the job (assuming it's offered), you've gained valuable interview experience.

I think, depending on the ER, psych experience might make you more competitive. I was talking to the manager of an ER at a job fair, and he was specifically looking for nurses with psych experience, due to his current staff not having a lot of that particular background. I think a year of experience, any experience, makes you more competitive. You can practice and get proficient at skills anytime; it's the critical thinking that makes you competitive, which you can certainly develop in psych.

I can't think of a better place to really learn how to have therapeutic conversations with patients than in a psych nurse situation. You learn how to listen, when to talk, what to say, how to get a history, how to de-escalate. These are all amazing traits for a nurse. If you eventually want to be in an ED, then having some psych experience will be invaluable! I have friends who started in psych, and then moved on to med/surg to hone their skills before finally transferring down to the ED. Sure, it was a roundabout way to do it, but they were extremely strong candidates when they applied for their first ED position. Good luck in your decision!