Leave LTC to go into psych nursing?

[Dewman]

I'm a new male RN, but RN is a second career for me. (I used to be an engineer - then an unemployed engineer.)

First job offer (which I took) was in LTC. Mostly giving meds to 20+ patients a shift. If there is a way to do patient assessment when 19 other people are waiting for their meds, I haven't figured out how. After one month, I feel more like a QMA than a nurse.

I'm interested in psych nursing, and my last instructor in school suggested I consider it. I'm pretty empathetic with patients, and I enjoy the interaction, but there is precious little time for it now.

[Hygiene Queen]

It might be better in psych.

I work on a geri-psych unit and interaction with the pts is key.

I do alot of talking with my pts during my med pass. I take my MAR and meds and sit down with each pt. While we are together, I can ask about how they are feeling, any suicidal ideation, hallucinations, etc. I am also looking at them and doing a quick physical assessment: any cuts, bruising, swelling, how are they breathing, etc. I learn alot about them at this time.

Things can get very hectic and I may not be able to spend as much time as I want, but it has got to be way better than LTC.

I can have 5-8 pts and, depending on the acuity of the unit, I can have the crappiest day and not know hardly doodly about my pts, or it can be the easiest nursing job ever!

You should try it.

[ChelleNurse]

I graduated nursing school last year, worked an LTC for 6 months as my first job out of nursing school before moving into a Psychiatric Nurse position, which I have been at for the past few months.

It has been a prudent move for my career and I am not sorry for a second that I made the change. Not only am I working a job that is paying what the local ER nurses are making, but My office is fully if not overly staffed, and pays overtime/benefits properly as we deserve as nurses. I felt like The LTC was a great learning tool to jump off into nursing with and I will always carry with me the experience of working with 30-60 patients in any given noc shift at the LTC, and getting to know the LTC patients closely and for an extended period of time was also an endearing.

Another advantage: There is very little, to no cutting corners or going around policy in the psychiatric setting. Not compared to the LTC. I felt that the LTC's always had such little moneys there were very high liabilities simply because there was never enough money and never enough staff.. Also, I received extensive and intricate training as a new psychiatric nurse. That was very much appreciated as someone who was new to the field.

The difficulties I have entailed with psychiatric nursing?

-Patients being medicated against their will, when their behavior becomes dangerous/meets criteria. It takes some getting used to.

-Seclusion and Restraint of violent patients: I am ok to do it, but it definitely breaks my heart to see someone get to that extreme.

-High population of acutely psychotic hard-drug users

-Less vacation time off {the LTC was so desperate for good nurses, I was able to basically make my own schedule.Psych nurse job is very normie, meaning, I have no seniority and have to wait in line for my vacation time off, like most jobs}

-8 hour shifts, which I don't mind.

[Dewman]

Hygiene Queen and ChelleNurse:

Thank you for your replies. I'm getting better (read: faster) at my LTC job, but it's not getting any more interesting. I think I'll just keep at it to glean as much experience as I can get, while keeping an eye out for Psych nursing jobs around here.