I was told that Psych Nursing is "too depressing"...

Jules A, MSN · Jul 18, 2008

I would disagree, of course. With your background it sounds like you know many of the pros and cons. It can be depressing but so can most nursing specialities depending on what you view as success. For me if my clients feel cared about and respected that is a daily success. If just one of my kids makes it out and can have a happy life that will be worth it, even if it is only one.

Not that I would ever be rude enough to say this to a fellow nurse or student but what I find depresing are the specialities like Telemetry. Good Lord a majority of my patients were frequent flyers from various nursing homes and should have been diagnosed with an acute case of the dwindles. So while I value and respect those nurses tremendously for me it was a daily struggle to feel positive about that experience so to each his/her own, I guess. :)

wonderbee, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2008

For me it was quite the opposite. I found psych nursing to be interesting and diverse in its many facets of skill applications. I would describe it as frustrating at times and potentially dangerous. For me it's been anything but depressing. In fact, I think our experiences with our patients have expanded our senses of humor. We do a lot of laughing.

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Jul 18, 2008

Hi everyone!
I mentioned it to a nurse I know (who currently works in a Doctor's Office, but used to work a floor in a hospital, don't know which one), and she warned me not to go into psych nursing. "It's too depressing," she said. "You can't really do anything to help those people, and it can be very sad."
I would like to hear the other opinions! Thank you!:)

Depressing?! Definitely not psych, maybe oncology or hospice. Never a dull moment in psych

medsurgrnco, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2008

Many in our society have negative opinions about working with those who are marginalized in our society. You liked working in special ed, so my guess is you might really like psych. For me, working in med/surg was quite boring. I really enjoy working as a psych RN and previously worked with many other patient/client types (including the DD) that most of society wants to avoid as much as possible.

aloevera · Jul 19, 2008

Depressing???? Never !!! We laugh a lot, cry a lot....but never a dull moment....to me depressing is hospice, geriatrics, peds, and many others....we see many pts. come in suicidal and after 21-30 days they are ready to face life again with a positive attitude...it is amazing....

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Jul 20, 2008

The best thing in psych was witnessing broken spirits becoming renewed, folks losing hope finding it, and lost souls finding purpose once again.

theLAW · Jul 21, 2008

Go for it! I was a psychiatric/community mental health nurse all of my career and working with the clients was a wonderful experience. Sure, some may not improve, some may commit suicide but always most of the interventions have helped to improve their lives. It was very rewarding to have the clients come to my retirement party and express their feelings about the years I worked with them

theLAW

Mish56, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2008

Thunderwolf says it all! I'll take a million psych patients over 1 hospice, or med/surg for that matter. What can be more rewarding than helping just one human soul turn a corner to healing? Sometimes you hear from a pt. or family how much you helped apon discharge; others. it's a note 10 years later, some not at all. The essence of a person is so much more than a bone or artery. Go for it!!

cherubhipster · Jul 22, 2008

So it sounds to me, according to many of you, that the whole process of psych nursing is wrapped up in a holistic approach to nursing. Would you say that's true?

How often would you say you get some sort of acknowledgement from your patients that you helped them? Is that a rare occurence, but a special one (of course)?

Do you feel like you get that sort of gratification from your patients more than you would/did in other areas of nursing?

Jules A, MSN · Jul 22, 2008

Do you feel like you get that sort of gratification from your patients more than you would/did in other areas of nursing?

I do think Psych nursing is holistic but if you are looking for gratification from patients you may be disappointed no matter what nursing speciality you pursue. People in general, especially sick people, tend to be more concerned with their needs than those around them. My kids will call me a MFer one minute and then want me to read them a bedtime story the next so you have to put it in context. Most times the best I can hope for is not to see one of them back again after discharge. It is what it is. :)

Blackcat99 · Jul 22, 2008

I use to work in state psychiatric hospitals and yes it was depressing. I was glad to leave because I was becoming very depressed myself.