[spunkymunkey]

I decided before I even started nursing school that I wanted to be a psych nurse. I am hearing impaired and find Med/Surg very overwhelming noisewise and as much as I have an amplified stethoscope, it is taking it's told pulling the aids out and telling the patient that I can't hear them when they are out. It is very stressful, and I fear one of these days, pulling the aids out as much as I have to on a Med/Surg unit that I am going to lose them. My psych rotation was wonderful. My hearing aids stayed in and the floor was basically very quiet. The patients and staff were great. There is a psych hospital near my home that offers programs for new grads, with outstanding results!!! I'd like to hear from "seasoned" nurses as to whether they feel a year or 2 in med/surg is warranted in being a psych nurse. With the shortage, I was told by my instructors that the sky is the limit in nursing, and we don't need to "pay our dues" in Med/Surg before we go on to a speciality. I am also 50 years old, not too old, but also not very young!

[thekingster]

Originally Posted by spunkymunkey

I decided before I even started nursing school that I wanted to be a psych nurse. I am hearing impaired and find Med/Surg very overwhelming noisewise and as much as I have an amplified stethoscope, it is taking it's told pulling the aids out and telling the patient that I can't hear them when they are out. It is very stressful, and I fear one of these days, pulling the aids out as much as I have to on a Med/Surg unit that I am going to lose them. My psych rotation was wonderful. My hearing aids stayed in and the floor was basically very quiet. The patients and staff were great. There is a psych hospital near my home that offers programs for new grads, with outstanding results!!! I'd like to hear from "seasoned" nurses as to whether they feel a year or 2 in med/surg is warranted in being a psych nurse. With the shortage, I was told by my instructors that the sky is the limit in nursing, and we don't need to "pay our dues" in Med/Surg before we go on to a speciality. I am also 50 years old, not too old, but also not very young!

Always need psych nurses...more power to ya sister!

[twigloo]

Hi
I am also 50 years old and graduating in april/06 with a BSN. Where are you located? I am from Canada and like psyche nursing as well. I can live anywhere in the States so that isn't a problem but want to hook up with a good hospital to start......any suggestions?

[elkpark]

There are several older threads here where that question has been discussed at length -- you could search and review them, and get a lot of opinions about the pros and cons.

Best wishes for your education and future!

[SFCardiacRN]

Go for it!! I loved my psych rotation in school and considered it before going to the OR. Med-surg is not a pre-req for psych. The new grad program will teach you all you need to know. That's why they are called new-grad programs!

[spunkymunkey]

To Twigloo:
I am from Massachusetts. McLean Hospital is one of the country's finest psychiatric hospitals. It is a teaching hospital affiliated with Harvard University. Here is their website www.mclean.harvard.edu. Good luck to you!

[jen42]

Go for it. If you decide you want to do med-surg later, there's enough of a shortage that some hospital will train you well. For now, why not do what you love?

[nypsychnurse]

I am also a hearing impaired nurse. I went right into psych from nursing school 12 years ago and never regretted it. Good Luck!

[Brainyheart]

Here's my plan...

I am starting my second year in an ASN program (will grad May 07 if all goes well), and I am seriously considering going right on (while working as a new nurse) to an MSN program that's newly opening a CNS component starting in September. I'm thinking now that I'd like to do burns/wounds...Anyone out there who has done something similar and can share pros/cons? Or any other considered opinions? Thanks for sharing...it's great to have input from folks who love the profession and can help each other out.

[Brainyheart]

OOPS! Just realized that I may have posted in the wrong place...should this have been a new thread? I apologize.