did I make a huge life mistake?

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Hello everyone!

So I am sitting here, like a little worry wart. I chose to go into psychiatric nursing right out of school (it was always the part of my nursing clinicals I actually enjoyed). I have been doing that for 5 years, and still love it. I have gotten to see a good deal of medical things, as the psychiatric hospital where I work is affiliated with a large university medical center. Here is the problem: I may be forced to relocate out of state, due to my spouse's job. I am absolutely TERRIFIED that I will not find a nursing job in the new state. I hear the job market, even for nurses, isn't the best anymore. I'm also terrified of finding a non-psych nursing job, and just being completely inept to handle it. While I have seen a good deal of medical things (we frequently deal with IVs, NG tubes, EKGs, dressing changes, lab values) I still feel not as confident as a nurse with past med surg experience. I'm so afraid that I have pigeon-holed myself by going into psych right out of school. What are your thoughts? Will hospitals even give me a second look?

Please, any thoughts or advice are welcomed. I am beside myself with worry right now :(

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Specializes in Telemetry.

I'm not a nurse recruiter, but I'd imagine you are very desirable to be hired into a psych facility! You have 5 years of experience in a psych hospital, that's excellent. I have a frend that was hired as a new grad to psych, so I'm sure they would love to be hiring someone who has a passion for it plusss experience. What state will you be going to, maybe people can recommend great facilities for you? :)

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Specializes in ER.

Do you want to work psych when you move? If so, then I think you should have no problem getting a psych job. We are seeing more and more psych patients in the ED. Many ED's now have a separate section for psych eval and holding until they can be placed at a psychiatric facility. I want you to be a psych nurse. If I had to do psych nursing, I would have to go work at Lowe's in the garden department because I KNOW, even after many years of nursing, I couldn't do it. So press forward fearlessly, and go for what you are good at!

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Specializes in Home Health,ID/DD, Pediatrics.

Even though the job market for nursing is horrible in many places, with your 5 years experience I bet you do find a job. Psych nursing is amazing, and if you can do that then you could handle nursing in any area. I had a few pshyc patients during my last quarter of nursing school on a med surg floor and it was challenging, they were patients who needed their nurses to know how to handle sticky situations and remain calm. I have no doubt you will do well where ever you go. I know it's easy for me to say, but try not to worry so much and trust in yourself and your skills. You have been a nurse for 5 years and no doubt made of tough stuff.

Best of luck to you!

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Specializes in Trauma, Critical Care.

I second everyone. To me, you sound like a desirable candidate in any area of nursing. A lot of large hospitals have inpatient psych. Maybe there's one close to you? What would you struggle with in a hospital? Time management? Nope, you've done that. Knowing when something's wrong with a patient? Nope, you've done that. Staying calm in tense situations? Nope, done that too. What's left to worry about?!? ;)

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Ditto to all the previous coments. Just a suggestion here - how about State cilvil service psychiatric services? If there's something in the new potential area that's travel-able, you may just want to look into it as they frequently need staff. Salaries may be different, but the civil service benefits are usually good. Good luck to you.

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Five years of psych nursing should have taught you that strength lies within us.

Were you applying cognitive therapy with your patients?

Heal thyself .. stay strong... and move on.

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