Good books for a beginning psych nurse?

Specialties Psychiatric

Updated:   Published

Hi just wondering if anyone could recommend some good books that helped them as a mental health nurse. I have my psych textbooks & care planning books from school but just wondering if there is anything more out there. I don't have any needed area in particular but just in general. Looking around on Amazon all I see are textbooks or things more specific to nursing students. Also curious about mental health nursing journals-any you like more than others? Subscriptions are expensive, but I am thinking about subscribing to something, just not sure what yet. Thanks!

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Congratulations on your new job in psych!

You may already have this, but if not please take a look at this site.

http://www.apna.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3334

and you might want to pick up the most recent edition of the DSM

http://www.psych.org/MainMenu/Research/DSMIV.aspx

Best wishes!

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DSM-IV-TR ?? lol

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Hi!

I'm also a fairly new psych nurse with a little more then 1 year experience. I read everyday to stay current with the ever changing world of psychiatry. The following subjects have really improved my practice.

http://www.amazon.com/Motivational-Interviewing-Second-Preparing-People/dp/1572305630

http://www.amazon.com/Realm-Hungry-Ghosts-Encounters-Addiction/dp/155643880X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1301303166&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/When-Body-Says-No-ebook/dp/B004HW6GOQ/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301303202&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Living-Outside-Mental-Illness-Schizophrenia/dp/0814719430/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301303231&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Darkness-My-Only-Companion-Christian/dp/1587431750/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1301303231&sr=1-3

I can keep going all night. LOL Hope this helps...

Take care!

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I have found that reading first person accounts of mental illness has given me more insight to what my patients are experiencing than most subject matter books. Recent reads have been

Mind Race: A Firsthand Account of One Teenager's Experience with Bipolar Disorder

Monochrome Days: A First-Hand Account of One Teenager's Experience With Depression

The Day the Voices Stopped: A Schizophrenic's Journey from Madness to Hope

Me, Myself, and Them: A Firsthand Account of One Young Person's Experience with Schizophrenia

Get Me Out of Here: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder

I buy all my books used on Amazon (cheap). Many of them are also available for Kindle.

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Specializes in Pediatric Mental Health.

Autism: False Prophets is a great book explaining early autism theories.

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Specializes in Forensic Psychiatric Nursing.

Verbal Judo

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Thanks everyone!!

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Specializes in psych/mental health.

Anything written by Kay Redfield Jamison, PhD. She is a psychologist who was diagnosed with bipolar d/o in her 20s. An Unquiet Mind (autobiography) and Night Falls Fast (about suicide) are especially valuable, but anything she writes is worth reading.

Crazy by Pete Earley about his experience with his young son's illness and the mental health system in general. (The title refers to the system, not his son!)

Addictive Thinking by Dr. Abraham Twerski helped me understand a lot about this. He has written much about substance abuse and is known internationally for his work.

Agree with jahra regarding APNA; think about joining.

Good luck in your new job!

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