Long story short, my sister has decided that she wants to become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. She has a master's in psych, and believes this will be an easy thing to achieve, but she just simply doesn't want to clean poop.
I do assist with peri care, sometimes with a tech, and sometimes because the tech is with another patient. It's not the biggest part of my job and it is not the worst part of my job. It gives me a chance to assess skin issues, to change any bandages that may be on the coccyx, and to let the patient know that I'm there no matter what reason they need me.
I tried to explain this to her, and she just doesn't 'get it'. I get this idea that becoming an NP is practically the same as a MD to her, and that worries me. She'll learn, I suppose. I just hope that she will understand that assisting a patient at a time when they can't even go to the bathroom by themselves is not a bad thing. It's not horrible to help someone. It's what we do.
I'm just bothered by it. Thoughts...comments? Ways to make her understand? all appreciated.
I agree with Dranger and some others. I believe that, once you get through nursing school, you can get an NP job where you do mostly medication management and don't have to clean up poop on a daily basis. If the OP's sister wanted to do counseling or therapy, it does seem like LCSW or psychologist would be a better route, but it sounds like she wants to do the medications. Has she considered going to physician assistant school? PA school would be shorter than doing nursing school then an NP program, and then perhaps she would not have to deal with nurses saying she must clean poop.
MissMollie, It will be one of those experiences you just have to learn the hard way. She will either change her mindset or she will quit. It will cost her some money and time. Either way, you tried to warn her! Sounds like you have a good heart for nursing yourself. I'm glad you chose that career path! Good luck and God bless!
I am 'justavolunteer' & sometimes I help the staff on my unit turn patients who need to be cleaned up. Volunteers don't necessarily need to, but I figure I'm there to help, so I do. I remember once I was helping a student (now an RN) do this. She said "there are people in my classes who talk about how they won't have to clean up pts. after they become nurses". They figured the CNA's would do it all. We both had a pretty good laugh at that idea. The fact is poop, blood & general 'gross stuff' is part of pt. unit life. Doctors, RN's, whoever, may eventually get away from it. First you have to 'pay your dues', though & go through the less desirable part of the job.
She can jump into a Master's entry program and become an NP in 2 years. Depending on the position, Psych NPs are not generally cleaning people up. In terms of salary, working conditions, and job satisfaction...I have spoken to many psych NP's and social workers...and the NP's win on all accounts. If that is where her heart is...she should go for it!! Psych NP's are in HIGH demand right now because there are so few.
I've found that there are no "rude awakenings" in nursing...you get to try out lots of different roles and choose throughout your career which works best for you at that time. I am an NP and I can tell you that I LOVE being an NP and I love the plethora of opportunities available to me....my NP friends LOVE their job and are in a variety of settings...and I don't know anybody who deals with "poop" other than those using it as a metaphorical term for political "doo doo" that we deal with on a regular basis. Psych and all other NP's do what they do because they love being in service to others. Maybe the sister who started this post should consider just loving her sister by supporting her in whatever she chooses to create in her life...including the role of psych NP.
These things tend to take care of themselves. I have a relative who, after many visits and chatting with her dermatology PA declared, "I am going to be a dermatology PA!" She only saw the swanky office, sharp clothes and perceived easy money. I started to talk to her about being a PA involving a LOT more than hanging around a nice office talking Rodan and Fields, but she was having none of it.
One semester in, that was over and she switched to business. No further education by friends or family needed.
I'm curious as to how many NPs have HAD poop strewn, smeared or flat out thrown at them in a psych ward? I know of one Physician who had. I think thats what a few of us here are trying to point out. Behavioral health is a whole other ball of wax. Even if an NP isn't cleaning a pt, it doesn't mean they won't have to deal with poop on them. It happens.
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I agree with Dranger and some others. I believe that, once you get through nursing school, you can get an NP job where you do mostly medication management and don't have to clean up poop on a daily basis. If the OP's sister wanted to do counseling or therapy, it does seem like LCSW or psychologist would be a better route, but it sounds like she wants to do the medications. Has she considered going to physician assistant school? PA school would be shorter than doing nursing school then an NP program, and then perhaps she would not have to deal with nurses saying she must clean poop.