10 Words or Less

1) What is the best thing about your job as a psyche nurse? my coworkers and patients; learning what makes them tick

2) What is the worst thing about your job as a psyche nurse? being short staffed, entitled patients

3) Are you appreciated as a valued memebr of the team? I'd like to think so

4) Have you always worked psyche? Yes

5) What makes a psyche nurse special? We care for the people that some would like to forget

1. It's never dull; the disorders/diseases/treatments are fascinating
2. Borderline Personality Disorder; involuntary patients
3. The patients (even some involuntaries) say they appreciate what I do for them
4. Yes
5. It's not a job for everyone

Though it's more than 10 words: when I say involuntary patients are the worst...it's not necesarily the patients themselves, but the fact that this patient is being held in the hospital involuntary that can be hard for me to deal with sometimes. In some patients, I can easily see why they're involuntary (such as the actively psychotic and/or suicidal). Then there are rather high-functioning patients who ended up being detained and it can be difficult for me to understand why they're here, especially when they seem like they don't need to be for the most part. Though these are sometimes also the same patients that are not happy they are involuntary, and because of that the attitude/behaviors they cop can make them difficult to deal with.

1) What is the best thing about your job as a psyche nurse?
--> Being able to see my patient's frown turn upside down (mostly because of the mood stabilizers, but I'd like to think I helped out too!)

2) What is the worst thing about your job as a psyche nurse?
--> Extremely self-righteous patients, not enough staff, Doctors wanting to over-sedate patients so that they'll be quiet.

3) Are you appreciated as a valued memebr of the team?
--> I don't need anyone else's praise to be honest. As long as my patients are fine at the end of the day, I get an A+. Nursing =/= Thank You's.

4) Have you always worked psyche?
--> This will be my 2nd month as a Psych Nurse ... or Nurse in general! I"m a new grad and have always wanted to pursue this field.

5) What makes a psyche nurse special?
--> The superhuman ability to have patience and intuition. Also, a humongous Ear to listen with also comes in handy when needed! I think at the end of the day, everyone has some sort of mental issue, so who better to deal with them than a fabulous psych nurse!


NurseThis21, BSN, RN
UIC Alumna
Psychiatric Registered Nurse