Do psych nurses really just hand out medication?

[Trinklee]

I've wanted to become a nurse since I was five-years-old, but I absolutely love psychology. I wanted to mix the two things I like and become a psychiatric nurse, but when I ask people what psych nurses do they tell me that they just push meds.

Does handing out medication and doing paperwork really comprise most of the job? I want to care for the mental health patients, talk to them, maybe do fun things with them...am I planning on going into the wrong line of work?

EDIT: I am not trying to belittle anybody or come off as disrespectful. I just want to know what exactly psych nurses do to know if it's right for me.

[PeacockMaiden]

I work inpatient psych and yes we do med passes and paperwork. But I also do patient education, conduct groups, admission interviews, discharges with patient education, one on one interviewing and assessing the patient. There is the opportunity for a lot of patient interaction.

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

We are more than pill pushers! I agree with all the ops said. We counsel them on their condition, use therapeutic communication to obtain med compliance, teach classes, get hugs and watch them, hopefully discharge to a lower level of care. We do wound care, FSBS, give shots, do head to toe physical assessments, etc. We use critical thinking to determine when a pt is delusional or when they have an underlying medical problem but can't make their needs known.

[fiba]

We are more than pill pushers! I agree with all the ops said. We counsel them on their condition, use therapeutic communication to obtain med compliance, teach classes, get hugs and watch them, hopefully discharge to a lower level of care. We do wound care, FSBS, give shots, do head to toe physical assessments, etc. We use critical thinking to determine when a pt is delusional or when they have an underlying medical problem but can't make their needs known.

awesome!!!

[gzussu]

Psych nursing is easy and chill....until those moments when all hell breaks loose.....and those moments are precarious because there is no algorithm to follow. There is no one size fits all resolution /de escalation......unless a take down is warranted but in the three years I've been in psych, I've only been involved in 5 or 6. It's pretty important to build a rapport with a patient when they first arrive. That way, in the event of an escalation, he or she has built trust in you that they'll listen to you. And one of my challenges with building a rapport is that for some nonsensical reason we seem to find ourselves having to do more computer/charting and phone work....and talking to providers....!!!! It's annoying. But it was like that at my other job too. Sometimes I feel like a glorified, high paid secretary. But I have been able to build a rapport with many patients that come and go. I won't lie, I don't make much effort with the high functioning homeless substance abusers. I have become unsympathetic towards them. But from what I hear from the few former medical nurses I worked with, psych is cake. Psych is mentally draining because i do deal with people who are needier than kids...who complain about stupid, trivial stuff...thing is....these people are Walky talky and not chillin in bed all day...they knock on the window every freaking second of the day and they will attack you with complaints as soon as you step out the nurses station to go pee....I've heard that psych is like babysitting....and really I can't disagree. Sometimes it can be like babysitting

We do deal with medical stuff beyond insulin injections..and I enjoy it when I have to do a dressing change or have to break out the manual blood pressure cuff, etc.....I know it seems silly that I am excited when there is an opportunity but it offers a change of pace from my psych nurse norm.

But that is not to say I want to be a medical nurse. I really like being a psych nurse. Can't see myself in patient care for too long though. I'll give myself about five more years then I'll move up somewhere else away from the floor.

by the way. Therapeutic communication is not easy for me. I still struggle

[Percvalh]

I work in a care home as a mental health nurse I dont just give medications . I refer to dietician, falls team, tissue viability, physio, etc. I care for 18 residents on a daily basis so no I dont think we only give medications.

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

Yes...my 12 hour shift I hand out meds and then go outside and watch the clouds for 11 and a half hours.

Do people THINK before they post this stuff? Good god...

[shanon0403]

Yes that is most of your day, but there are also groups and processing with patients. It is very rewarding to help patients who are in crisis mode if that's some thing that interests you.