Afraid to admit but......

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I work as a psych nurse on the night shift because I'm terrified to do anything else. I've been an RN for three years and I still hold my first position I got after graduation. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy psych nursing but I feel like its holding me back. I'm bored with my job and I need a change but I'm so afraid to get into another area of nursing. During nursing school, my clinical rotations were a nightmare for me. Psych nursing was the only thing I felt comfortable doing. So here I am, three years later, feeling quite safe but hating myself for not being brave. I so admire nurses who can handle the everyday challenges of med/surg, ICU, telemetry, Peds, etc. and I deeply envy them as well. If I am truly honest with myself I can say I lack the confidence and organization that it takes to handle the stressful day-to-day tasks that most nurses endure. I work night shift because it is relatively laid back and I don't have to deal with the chaos of doctors, social workers, visitors, phone calls, etc. I might add that doctors scare me to death and I try to a avoid them unless absolutely necessary. I love my patients and I enjoy the luxury of having time to spend talking to them(another plus for psych). I want so much to be as confident and composed as so many other nurses. Sorry for the long post. I guess I just need some insight and/or encouragement. Thank you.

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I'm a new grad LPN 7 months now. I do private duty because the company I worked for as a CNA offered me a job. I'm bored to death and my brain Is turning to mush. I've been applying to different jobs but still no luck. I'm scared that I won't be able to handle the stress either. But u have the job I'd love to have. I want to do psych nursing or work for the VA in their PTSD unit. The only way we will figure out we can do it is just to suck it up and do it. ? good luck!!!

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Would it be a great tragedy if you spent your entire career at this very same job? As long as you do your job and derive satisfaction from helping your patients, there is no one to criticize you for making the choice to stay where you are. "It's a lousy job, but somebody's gotta do it!" should be your attitude. When you feel that the need to move on outweighs the satisfaction you are getting, then it will be time to move on. Meanwhile, enjoy your job.

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Thank you for responding:) I do enjoy my job but I sort of feel trapped. Some days I leave and think "I don't want to do this! I'm going to quit!". Then sanity returns and so do I. Everyone says " you have to work on the medical floor or you'll never be able to work anywhere else". I hate this idea! I had to leave before clinical once because I was so nervous I had a panic attack.

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I'm a new grad LPN 7 months now. I do private duty because the company I worked for as a CNA offered me a job. I'm bored to death and my brain Is turning to mush. I've been applying to different jobs but still no luck. I'm scared that I won't be able to handle the stress either. But u have the job I'd love to have. I want to do psych nursing or work for the VA in their PTSD unit. The only way we will figure out we can do it is just to suck it up and do it. dde09 good luck!!!

I work at a hospital with several psych units: General Psych, Acute Psych, Geri Psych, Adolescent Psych and Chemical Dependency (my home units which share a nurses station). I have also thought about the VA hospitals. The closest one to me is and hour and a half away. I like the elderly population and I think I would like an assisted living position with an Alzheimer's unit. Geri Psych is very interesting to me but they usually have alot of medical problems as well so it's similar to med/surg in a way.

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My very first private duty pt had Alzheimer's. We had a blast together. Same convo's over and over. She was hilarious. I had so much patience with her that it even amazed me. I had her for 9 months before she passed away D/T a stroke. Still bothers me to this day an it's been 4 years. Geri psych was my favorite clinical rotation. I begged to go there. Hated OB Loved surgery. My BF has PTSD so I've read a lot about that. They hve my upmost respect for serving our country and then our government turning their backs in them. I say if they were in a combat zone give them 100% benefits. Cause they gave 150% to get back to their families alive. Look how many needle junkies are drawing 100% due to their own stupidity. Sorry to rant. But that's a touchy subject with me. LOL.

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I understand what you're saying about drug abusers getting much assistance from the government. I work primarily on the Chemical Dependency unit, we medically detox alcohol, opiate, and benzo addicts. Many nurses abhor this population. I care for them just like I care for my psych pts and adolescents. My point (sorry, got off track) is I had a pt who was injured in active duty a few years ago who was addicted to IV heroine. The military medically retired him and he gets $1400 a month pension for the rest of his life. That's cool because he was badly injured serving the country and his addiction to opiates started when he was injured. Plus he gets free health insurance as well. As for the Geri pts, I also adore the dementia and Alzheimer's pts. I never get bored talking to them. I love the stories from "the old days". The only time I have been "injured" (I wasn't hurt at all) by a psych pt in my 3 years was a poor old lady who grabbed my arm and dug her nails in....I calmly removed her hand and applied foam mitts to her hands. It makes me so sad to see the Geri pts because most of them are there because their families can't/won't care for them properly. I try to spend time with them, talking to them or just holding their hand (some of them are so sick they can't speak). It scares me to think of getting old because I could very well end up like that.

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