Is psych a good experience for a new grad to go to med/surg?

ccoombs · Oct 5, 2011

Maybe. It depends on where you go next, and how you sell yourself. Being comfortable with psychiatric patients is a definite plus, also health promotion is a big part of psychiatric nursing (ideally) so you get a lot of patient education experience. The flipside is that you wont use many psychomotor skills in a psychiatric setting and many of your medical issues are chronic not acute. I would be sure to continue to study up on med surg stuff so you stay fresh and current. Another benefit of psych experience is that the vast majority of what you learn is not taught in school, especially the psychopharm, so that will help you to stand out among other recent grads.

Orca, ADN, ASN, RN · Oct 5, 2011

I started in psych fresh out of nursing school. This really hampered me in my early career. I worked in a free-standing mental health facility that was closed by the parent company. There was not an abundance of other mental health jobs in my city. Hospitals wouldn't even talk to me because of my lack of med-surg experience. I had a very difficult time finding employment. There is a widely-held perception that mental health nurses can't do anything else - something to consider as you decide.

linsmirn · Oct 6, 2011

Its all about selling yourself, take the job since you dont have one. Having experience is better than none. When the time comes it might be hard, even experience nurses are finding it hard to get a job so dont let this opportunity pass you by.

Ochin09 · Oct 6, 2011

Thank you very much for your answers, I guess I will stay there for a while until I can get a job in other hospital, but I think that as a new experience is great since in other hospitals I will not have the opportunity to see too many psych cases.

Wabi Sabi, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2011

If you can't get a job somewhere else, then of course, keep this psych job (for now). Continue to look for Med-Surg job meanwhile and once you get that, then you can quit this job. I think any nursing experience is better than none.

chevyv, BSN, RN · Oct 7, 2011

I too accepted a position in psych and was told to stay at least 1 yr and then look for other employment. That way you gain experience and it tells any future employer that you're willing to work.

jawij · Oct 16, 2011

In other hospitals I will not have the opportunity to see too many psych cases.

I'm just going to let you know now that this perception is very inaccurate. Psych patients are EVERYWHERE, as I'm sure you've noticed working psych that they don't get transferred to psych until they're medically stable. That means a lot of patients with psych issues on med surge floors, EDs, etc. You might not see as many simply because that isn't the focus of your floor, but trust me, they're there. ; )

That being said, *I* personally think that psych experience is useful for any RN who wants to improve their therapeutic communication, being able to handle emotional situations with clients, etc. But from what I've seen a lot of hospitals really don't 'count' psych experience for medical related jobs... and I've been told countless times to get med/surge experience in case I ever want to work a medical setting again. Psych is seen as a very niche profession and that psych nurses can only work psych. So, be careful staying there too long and continue to look for whatever field you really want.

Ochin09 · Oct 17, 2011

Thank you very much for your reply, you are right when you mention about to improve therapeutic communication since that it is what I am trying to do everyday since I work in the hospital, and at the same time I am looking for a med/surg job in a different hospital. :)