I need to know!!

Karina212 · Oct 3, 2004

Absolutely go into psyche nursing if that is what you want to do! It is definitely possible for you to work as an NP on an outpatient basis and not have to deal with bodily fluids. (Of course, you will encounter this in nursing school as you have to do clinicals in many specialty areas) Nursing is very diverse...you can go many different avenues. Sometimes it is just a matter of trial and error until you find what's right for you. Good luck!

I'm trying to figure out whether psych nursing is the thing for me
Psych has always been my knitch, but I've heard the field itself is pretty hopeless to go into now.
My ultimate goal would be to become a psychiatric NP and do the office setting along side a psychiatrist... Also, I heard that they are able to do ther
The thing is, I tell a lot of people that's what I want to do and they tell me to give up because "all nurses do is clean up piss and **** and vomit."
Is that really the case!? Especially with psychiatric nursing... I'm sure there's a good share of it, but I didn't expect for there to be much. I don't have much of a problem with urine, but vomit is pushing it... I'm sure I'd get used to it, but I don't know if I want to.
The point is, maybe I'm looking for a cushier job than psychiatric nursing. The hospital sounds fascinating to me, but not if I'm cleaning up fluids all day long... that's why I'd rather do the therapy and office stuff. Maybe I need to totally drop the psych thing completely and major english or something - haha!
Can I get anyone's advice :)?

Spazzy Nurse, RN · Oct 3, 2004

The thing is, I tell a lot of people that's what I want to do and they tell me to give up because "all nurses do is clean up piss and **** and vomit."

And how many of these know-it-alls are actually nurses? :rolleyes:

Yes, there are nursing positions where you clean up every single type of bodily fluid each and every day. There are also positions where you sit behind a desk and wear a skirt and heels. The opportunities are endless, which is one very attractive thing about the field of nursing. In school is where most people find out which areas they like and which they don't particularly care for. You may think you feel one way about an area, but when you do clinicals in that area you may find that you feel the complete opposite. You'll get a taste of most areas throughout your schooling, which will help you to decide what you want to do once school is done.

The gross factor in psych nursing can vary, depending on where you are working. I'd guess that nurses who work with the recently admitted psych patient may have more fluids flying around than the nurse doing psych homecare visits with the stable, med compliant client.

Good luck in whatever decision you choose to pursue. :)

nterval · Oct 3, 2004

Thank you so much! This is exactly what I wanted to hear :) I never knew nursing had so many choices

Chinacat · Oct 3, 2004

I'm trying to figure out whether psych nursing is the thing for me
Psych has always been my knitch, but I've heard the field itself is pretty hopeless to go into now.
My ultimate goal would be to become a psychiatric NP and do the office setting along side a psychiatrist... Also, I heard that they are able to do therapy practices?
The thing is, I tell a lot of people that's what I want to do and they tell me to give up because "all nurses do is clean up piss and **** and vomit."
Is that really the case!? Especially with psychiatric nursing... I'm sure there's a good share of it, but I didn't expect for there to be much. I don't have much of a problem with urine, but vomit is pushing it... I'm sure I'd get used to it, but I don't know if I want to.
The point is, maybe I'm looking for a cushier job than psychiatric nursing. The hospital sounds fascinating to me, but not if I'm cleaning up fluids all day long... that's why I'd rather do the therapy and office stuff. Maybe I need to totally drop the psych thing completely and major english or something - haha!
Can I get anyone's advice :)?

We seem to have the same goals. In January, I hope to start Graduate school in a Psychiatric NP program. I can't wait. :) As for the cleanups, I've worked in both a state psychiatric hospital and currently in a psychiatric forensic center. I don't remember ever cleaning up "piss, ****, or vomit". In the state hospital, the techs did that, and in the forensic center, we have Medical Security Officers that take care of the cleanups. Patients seem to love to smear feces. We have very little face to face contact with the patients. I work nights, so I only see patients when they need a prn. Good luck with your future plans. When you start nursing school and go through the different clinicals, you will have a better understanding of what you are interested in. Things may change.

Hukilau · Oct 5, 2004

We seem to have the same goals. In January, I hope to start Graduate school in a Psychiatric NP program. I can't wait. :) As for the cleanups, I've worked in both a state psychiatric hospital and currently in a psychiatric forensic center. I don't remember ever cleaning up "piss, ****, or vomit". In the state hospital, the techs did that, and in the forensic center, we have Medical Security Officers that take care of the cleanups. Patients seem to love to smear feces. We have very little face to face contact with the patients. I work nights, so I only see patients when they need a prn. Good luck with your future plans. When you start nursing school and go through the different clinicals, you will have a better understanding of what you are interested in. Things may change.

Please help me too! I want a job where I don't have to clean up after anyone and perhaps not talk to them very much either. Certainly not smell or hear them.

But I want to help them and get paid well for it. Oh, wait... I just saw an ad for a psychic hot line reader. That sounds a lot easier than this nursing thing...

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Oct 6, 2004

I agree with Spazzy Nurse. However, if there is a body, there are fluids. We all have are certain degrees of comfort. Mine are phlegm balls from trachs which almost hit you in the chest...Yuch! However, don't go into psych if your planning to only stay away from the fluids if it perchance may be less, depending on your setting. I always wondered about that certain breed of psych nurses who dressed like an executive secretary, dripping in jewels and being more concerned about chipping her manicured nails than providing care, which often could entail assisting a patient in hygiene or sitting right down there on that floor next to that patient where he/she is at...oh, and by the way, the patient soiled himself/herself. What is your motivation to go into psych nursing? I guess that is the question you need to ask.

nterval · Oct 6, 2004

I want to do mental health nursing because psychology/psychiatry is really my passion. I wanted to do therapy, but I was told that psychiatric nursing would be much more lucrative, so I researched it and it sounds right for me.

Working in a hospital has always been of interest to me, but I want to be more of a caregiver than someone who cleans up (which, I know! is in the requirements)

On the other hand, I love the idea of working with babies...... so, maybe thats a possibility too. But my heart is set on psych right now.

Spazzy Nurse, RN · Oct 7, 2004

I had a client who saw an RN as her therapist. I had never heard of that before, so it sticks out in my head. I'm not sure what level RN she had.

The majority of psych nurse positions involve fluids and crud. Not always on a daily basis, but it's there. I'll never forget being 9 months pregnant and holding up a garbage can while a client with a VERY strong gag reflex tried to get down her pills. You could hear her yawking all the way down the hall. :)

Go through school with your eyes wide open. See all that there is out there. There really is so much!! Once you do it, you will have a pretty good idea as to whether or not you like it.

StuPer · Oct 14, 2004

I have to say the "body fluids" bit was a concern for me when I first thought of becoming a nurse. I had been in the military and a engineer, so people's leaky bits were not a personal passion...lol. However within the first 2 weeks of training I acuired 2 hands full of melena when turning a terminally ill patient... after that anything else was childs play... seriously though despite your misgivings, it really becomes second nature and not something you worry about. Incidentially I now work in a consultation liaison position assessing psychiatric presentations to the ED (ER) and do not exchange fluids with anyone :)

regards StuPer