Day in the life?

[linda2097]

Would any psych RN be kind enough to describe a typical shift? Thank you very much.

[aloevera]

get report, get pts. ready for their tx. plan meeting with Dr. and therapist, do paperwork for mtgs, assess and chart on anywhere from 25-42 pts...make sure all are seen by psychiatrist, send any med problems to ER, do discharges, then maybe have 0-5 admits (which take 2 hrs.) and in between all this, taking care of pt. needs, escalations, keeping staff happy with rotating LOS shift, and the real challenge: FINDING TIME TO PEE AND EAT A BITE !!!!!

HOPE THIS HELPS.....

[wonderbee, BSN, RN]

Other takes on a day in the life of a psych nurse:

Decide whether I'm going to be angel of mercy or nursezilla with syringe and 1-1/2 inch needle and, more importantly which patients are going to be the recipients of which of my multiple personalities. I have to admit, sometimes giving that IM is therapeutic for ME! Can anyone relate?

Teach the medical residents how to replace a pulled out trach or some other intervention that they get that clueless look about that should be so much more their domain than mine. This helpless behavior always gets a chuckle at the very least from the nursing and ancillary staff.

Picking out my favorite pen for charting and protecting it with my life.

We do a lot of laughing. We do it to maintain our sanity. Some of the stuff we see is just absurd.

I know this is a bit off the track but these are some reflections of a day in my life.