Any helpful tips on Psych

[chinkychunsa]

So this semester and even last semester, I getting by barely passing, or not passing. Now that I am in psych - its a 14 weeks course crammed into 7 weeks. I don't worry about clinical or even the clinical papers, I seem to do well. I read the book, I took NCLEX style exams based on the chapters in the book, did the ATI that they told us to do. I DON'T know what it is, I came out confident and I still ******* got a 26/40. I'm so mad and annoyed at this point. I've gone to professors, I have seen tutoring ppl, just don't know what it is......sigh. Maybe this more like venting post

[NICU:)]

I have found that the key to psych for me is to be assertive, yet understanding. There is no "set" way to really communicate as the patients all have symptoms that are not always the same. I always choose the "tell me more." Remember to not play into hallucinations or delusions, but you need to know what "they" are saying, feeling, etc. For this the answer would be more like, "Well, Mr. So-and-so, I do not see or hear what you are feeling, but tell me what you are seeing (smelling, hearing, whatever). That way you know if they are suicidal. Also, SAFETY is the priority for every psych patient. Hopefully this helps, my answers are really general.

[chinkychunsa]

thank you, I'm gonna see how it goes. I need to ace or try ace the 2nd exam, because after that, its the final.

[Racer15, BSN, RN]

Another bit of advice if you aren't already doing this...always pick the question that forces the patient to really have to explain what's going on. The open-ended questions. If it can be answered with a simple yes/no, or one or two words, it's not the best choice.

[Clovery]

Memorize the therapeutic and nontherapeutic communication techniques. Know examples of each one. These are really key to psych. Never choose a response where the nurse asks "Why?".

The first thing to do is always "establish a therapeutic relationship" - this could be as simple as "I'm Sue, and I am your nurse." You're not going to get anywhere if they don't trust you. If someone is suicidal or wants to hurt himself you want to ask about a plan or means. Then ask him to agree/contract not to hurt himself this shift. If someone is anxious or flipping out, it's always a calm, non-threatening approach. Know the meds and their side effects and interactions, especially for schizophrenia. Know the effects of substances of abuse, and if someone is withdrawing it's always the opposite. Review group therapy, know the phases and the different roles the clients might assume, and your role as a nurse during each phase. Know the personality disorders. Psych has a lot of definitions, I found flashcards to be really useful.