Scared at new job in psychiatric hospital

Specialties Psychiatric

Published

I started a job a month ago with a state mental hospital. I was happy to get a job as a new grad, and they said they would give me 6 weeks of training. However, being in the unit, I've been feeling extremely overwhelmed. Many nurses and psych techs have been attacked by patients from broken ribs to punctured lungs and concussions, stabbing with pens...scary stuff! I was training in the Patient Observation Unit (the Psych hospital ER) and that was not as scary (the patients are only there for a minimum of 3 days and they're more being observed). Recently, I started training on the inpatient unit. I'm very concerned here because due to budget cuts, they have cut back a lot on staffing (there are 18 patients to 1 RN and 2 psych techs. A lot of these patients have a history of violence, many coming from the prison system, angry to be there, and unpredictable.

I am concerned doing med pass on this many patient as a new grad and making med errors. I'm concerned with my safety (the patients have free reign on the unit and are wandering around, constantly at the nurses station making threats and yelling). They say don't turn your back on the patients, but I don't see it possible to do this because they are all around me! I'm really not sure this is the right position for me or if it's worth risking my safety. As a new grad, I know there are not many options right now and it would be good to get experience. But I'm just feeling very scared and uncomfortable there. Any recommendations?

I also went through orientation at a State Psych Hospital, along the way, I weighed out the pros and cons. I finally decided that it was in my best interest to leave. Safety is number one priority. Good luck to you making your decision.

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Specializes in none.
Involuntary and TDO patients are stashed on locked units. Voluntary patients may also be kept on locked units d/t their acuity. In the last couple of facilities I worked in, there was no separate "involuntary/TDO" unit: the locked units were a mix of involuntary and voluntary.

However, I have never worked in a state hospital...that's a whole other ball of wax.

The State hospital in which I worked was divided by counties. So you had the chronic on one floor, the acute on another, and so forth. except for one building that housed the criminality insane and the Meagan's Law (Pedophiles) These scumbags were in regular prison but most had said they wanted to commit suicide, made little cuts in their wrist and the wonderful state mandated that they must be hospitalize. They did this because in real prisons, Pedophiles are dirt.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Thanks for the info, Merlyn

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Specializes in none.
Thanks for the info, Merlyn

No Problem

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Specializes in Home Health.

Update- I ended up turning in my resignation letter at the psych hospital after I was offered a home health Case Manager job. I still have a lot to learn as a new grad (I'll be doing a lot of wound care, and PICC line care, wound vac dressing changes, etc.) but I'm excited to be learning in this type of a setting. I have worked home health as an LVN and I love the patient interaction and the more casual atmosphere. I think it might take some time to build up clientele, but I see a lot of potential in making pretty good money and having a flexible schedule. And most importantly, I can learn a lot! As a new grad, I care more about learning than how much money I make because I know the more I learn, the more marketable I'll be in the future. I feel good about my decision and have appreciated all of your feedback and comments on this thread. Merlyn, and others who posted, I think you are a special breed of nurses who can work in psych. There is a definite need, but I just realize now it's not for me!

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
There is a definite need, but I just realize now it's not for me!

And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that: you gave it a try and realized it's not for you.

You will find your nursing niche once day...and at least you'll be taking away from your time here some valuable psych skills because like it or not, psych patients show up everywhere...even in home health :)

Good luck with the new job!

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any suggestions for psych jobs other than state hospitals?

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Specializes in none.
any suggestions for psych jobs other than state hospitals?

Private Hospitals and Clinics. These are places that are on the cutting edge of the Psychiatric field. Behavior therapy, Biofeedback, Hypnosis therapy and so forth. If you what to work in the Psychiatric Field, these are the places to shoot for.

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thanks merlyn, i will look into clinics in my area. I have been applying to private hospitals since I graduated in 2010 with no luck. I was planning on sticking it out at the state psych hospital for the experience, but decided it was not a good environment.

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Specializes in corrections, psychiatric.

I work with very dangerous inmates. Murderers. Multi-murderers, etc. Some are the highest custody level there is. You know who scares me the most? The ones who have just come from the state psychiatric hospital. Some of them scare me even when I have an officer standing right next to me. And when they are psychotic and violent - it's too much if you don't have proper security in place. Even then there are risks.

I agree with your statement. I left the state hospital and went to work in corrections because it's safer in prison. Plus, in the state hospital there were no repercussions for purely bad behavior. I saw a lot of people get hurt and it became too much for me to go to work everyday and feel good about my job.

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Specializes in Utilization management, psychiatric-mental health.

Hey Gypseygirl, are you still at the psych facility?

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