I am a real nurse

Specialties Psychiatric

Published

So often I hear that psych nurses aren't real nurses. I work on an inpatient unit. I do modified head to toe assessments, listen to heart and lungs sounds, give PRNs for things ranging from high blood pressures to panic attacks, give injections, test blood sugars, and all with the added bonus of occasionally dodging a flying chair. But since I haven't started an IV in years and need help somehow I'm not a 'real' nurse to some medical professionals. Anyone else run into this?

Completely agree

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Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Public Health.

I hear ya. I work corrections..even out inmates don't think we are real nurses!

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Specializes in Telemetry.

I worked on a hospital floor where only IV team RNs placed IVs so I haven't placed one since school.

I imagine that if those who have the mindset the OP mentioned would think clearly for a hot second, they'd realize how wrong they are. Pretty much every nursing specialty will come into contact with psych patients (diagnosed or not) and most of us are relieved we don't encounter that all the time and are in awe of those of you who thrive in such environments.

Though I will say my first job out of college (before nursing school) was as a case manager in outpatient community mental health. I was clueless as far as the case mgmt went regarding medicaid, social security, benefits and such but truly enjoyed so many of our clients, several of whom had spent lots of time in the nearby state hospital.

I had a blast doing group activities with them (my first degree is in recreational therapy)and loved seeing them experience new things.

Actually the only people there who annoyed me were mid/upper mgmt - and I swear some of them had more "issues" than my clients (you know, CEO with sociopathic tendencies, lol).

A patient having a psych crisis can be difficult to manage but is just as important to treat as another patient's hypertension.

Psych nurses (and aides) get kudos and ♡♡ from me. :)

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Specializes in MDS/ UR.

I do MDS for reimbursement. I am not a real nurse until the CMI goes down and they want to know why........

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My bf told me last night over dinner that LTC (my preferred specialty) is for people who are too dumb, strange, looney to work in a real job, like hospital. I'm a BSN with15+ years experience:ER, ICU, med/surg, home health and LTC...guess what he didn't get last night :-)

Someone was making their own sandwich and fetching their own beer.

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Specializes in peds, allergy-asthma, ob/gyn office.

The years of office nursing felt pretty real to me.

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery.

It's unfortunate how some people think that some nurses arent "real" nurses because of their specialty. Unfortunately it happens all the time. I experienced it when I was an LPN, where some people assumed LPNs weren't real nurses . A nurse is a nurse is a nurse! Just because some have had more schooling doesn't mean they're a nurse. We all hold licenses! It's hard to see past it sometimes (I know I've been guilty of it).

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Specializes in geriatrics.

I'm a real nurse managing a unit in LTC. I am well aware that some people think I'm not a real nurse. I am:

1) a nurse

2) the office manager

3) a case manager

4) physio

5) OT

6) spiritual care

7) social work

Why? Employees 4 through 7 work reduced hours but nursing gets to do it all and then some in LTC.

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LPN working in a specialist office--double "not real nurse" whammy there. People see the LPN on my name badge and ask me what that is so I have to explain it. Yes, I'm a nurse, but I'm not RN, no I don't want to work in a hospital because it's more important to me to be home evenings, weekends, and holidays with my kids being so young; yes I had to take my boards. In fact, someone on AN made the comment that clinic nursing isn't "real" nursing and that we couldn't handle doing the real stuff. Thanks.

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Well I have worked IP psych. It doesn't get any realer than a 6'5" 350 pound guy with psychosis threatening to kill you and MEANING IT. Just my .02 cents.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.
Well I have worked IP psych. It doesn't get any realer than a 6'5" 350 pound guy with psychosis threatening to kill you and MEANING IT. Just my .02 cents.

Oh... I'm so sorry. Did we send our pt there after he tried to kill another pt? We had a similar pt. great guy. When he wasn't trying to commit homicide. We sent him out to a phf.

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Specializes in peds, allergy-asthma, ob/gyn office.

As a clinic nurse.. no, I might not be hanging IV meds but... there are the other usual clinic skills and still some critical thinking and triage. We had a lady come in with an abscess on a busy half-day. She had been seen in urgent care a few days before and needed to follow up with us. I did all her vitals, dipped her urine as I do for all new patients. Wrote down results appropriately. The doctor had her in the stirrups, examining her. There was a moment where ... I knew the doc did not realize her urine dip was abnormal... tons of glucose, ketones. The minute I saw it I thought 'this patient is diabetic." The doc started asking if the patient had been getting yearly bloodwork with her primary doc (the answer was no- never ordered!)... at that moment I told the doc about the urine dip. Long story short, my doc sent her for a bunch of labs and her A1c was 16!!!! So right away we got her in with a different primary doc and she was started on appropriate meds. No, this is not life and death as in something is going to happen to the patient in the next 5 minutes, no codes, no IVs, but office nursing is still nursing.... as is school nursing, and psych nursing. And gosh it is hard to explain the difference between RN and LVN to people who don't know..

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