Do I want to do this?

finness · Jul 16, 2004

i have recently begun thinking about switching my career to nursing, specifically psychiatric nursing. i have been a high school teacher for 6 years and the part i really enjoy about my job is working with young people and just helping people in general with their problems. i sort of "fell into" teaching. i love many aspects of mediciine but again, enjoy helping people. my aunt who is an rn suggested pscyh. nursing as a future career. what sort of options are out there in terms of this specialty (treatment centers, etc) and about how long is a program? do you just attend school geared towards an rn with a specialty?
what exactly do you do in some of these fields?

perhaps other posts and posters could do better to answer your specific questions (i am just a student), but i wanted to wish you luck in pursuing your new career. nursing, especially the psychiatric sort, can certainly use people like you!

pattyjo, MSN, RN · Jul 16, 2004

I have recently begun thinking about switching my career to nursing, specifically psychiatric nursing. I have been a high school teacher for 6 years and the part I really enjoy about my job is working with young people and just helping people in general with their problems. I sort of "fell into" teaching. I love many aspects of mediciine but again, enjoy helping people. My aunt who is an RN suggested Pscyh. Nursing as a future career. What sort of options are out there in terms of this specialty (treatment centers, etc) and about how long is a program? Do you just attend school geared towards an RN with a specialty?
What exactly do you do in some of these fields?

I'ts always nice to hear from a potential psych nurse!

In order to become a psych nurse-or any other type of nurse for that matter-you must first go to school and pass your state boards to become a RN. Because you already have a degree, you will be able to find a school which has a fast track program to a BSN. There are many out there, including on-line programs. The schools will evaluate your existing degree and then set up a program to complete your nursing requirements. Diploma schools and associate degree programs also provide education to become an RN.

As far as specializing; on an undergrad level you would not pick a specialty and focus on that. The undergrad programs present all areas of nursing. Once you graduate and are pursuing a career, you can then apply for jobs in whatever area of nursing you choose. There are many options in psych, including brief stay inpatient facilities, long term, home care, clinics, adolescent and youth, substance abuse and forensics.

I've worked psych for a long time, worked other areas too, but somehow always wander back to my true love in nursing. Good luck to you, hope this helps to get you started

Patty

mattsmom81 · Jul 16, 2004

My memories of psych nursing in nursing school (on the CD wing especially) are of smoke filled rooms....LOL! Of course back then the nurses report rooms were like this too.

Just curious..are inpatient psych units still allowing patients to smoke or is the antismoking policy enforced in psych units like it is in most hospitals.?

A new treatment hospital is opening up in my area and I was curious...couldn't hack the smokers now with my asthma.

Just wondering how this is managed today.

pattyjo, MSN, RN · Jul 16, 2004

My memories of psych nursing in nursing school (on the CD wing especially) are of smoke filled rooms....LOL! Of course back then the nurses report rooms were like this too.
Just curious..are inpatient psych units still allowing patients to smoke or is the antismoking policy enforced in psych units like it is in most hospitals.?
A new treatment hospital is opening up in my area and I was curious...couldn't hack the smokers now with my asthma.
Just wondering how this is managed today.

LOL, I sure remember those days as well. We had an unvented, closed door smoking area on one of the units I worked years ago. Yikes, that was awful! At my past 2 jobs, including my current one, we had an outside area for smoking, and certain times of the day when those with "privileges" were taken out for a cigarette. I know of some hospitals though that do have inside smoking rooms, fortunately we have grown up a little and realized that nonvented rooms are not such a great idea!

There's some interesting research on smoking and psychiatric disorders; of course there's some equally interesting research on second hand smoke as well!

Patty

StuPer · Jul 22, 2004

Here in NSW Australia smoking is not allowed in hospitals at all, and therefore all psych facilities have outside smoking areas that are always available to smokers. We try and encourage smoking ceasation with free nicotine patches but they are rarely taken up. I notice that pattyjo tanlked about patients with 'privileges' being taken for a smoke, we do not restrict smoking like that and I certainly have witnessed hig levels of violence in patients who have'nt had access to a smoke (mainly because they ran out, rather than we prevented).

regards StuPer

finness · Jul 22, 2004

lol, i sure remember those days as well. we had an unvented, closed door smoking area on one of the units i worked years ago. yikes, that was awful! at my past 2 jobs, including my current one, we had an outside area for smoking, and certain times of the day when those with "privileges" were taken out for a cigarette. i know of some hospitals though that do have inside smoking rooms, fortunately we have grown up a little and realized that nonvented rooms are not such a great idea!
there's some interesting research on smoking and psychiatric disorders; of course there's some equally interesting research on second hand smoke as well!
patty

out of curiousity, do you know what the studies regarding psychiatric disorders and smoking pertain to? the same as substance abuse? just curious.

ahearthealer · Jul 24, 2004

Just curious..are inpatient psych units still allowing patients to smoke or is the antismoking policy enforced in psych units like it is in most hospitals.?
I, too, remember the days of getting report in a critical care unit by nurses who were smoking (when the nearby patients could not).
No smoking allowed in the last few hospitals I have worked in the past 15 years, including psych. There are secure smoking areas outside and the patients can smoke there.
Todd