Is this right for me?

CharlieRN · Jun 21, 2006

I am trying to figure out if this would be right for me.
I am intrigued by psychiatric nursing, though unsure if it would be something I would like to get into. HELP!!!!!!!

Anybody got any advice or advice about qualities one may need to posses.

Also if anyone can give me a more detailed description as to what exactly goes on in this career.

All the Thanks in World.

Ho Boy! well first, a psych nurse is a nurse. A nurse's primary duty is to form and foster an environment in which healing is possible. It is not to heal or cure. As a psych nurse you are responsible for making the environment safe and theraputic.

In psych, minding the "process" is more important than doing the "tasks". This does not mean tasks can be ignored but that they can't be the focus of your work.

By and large psych patients are not helpless. Most of the things that medsurg pts need nurses to do for them, the psych pt can and should be encouraged to do for themselves. They can feed, wash, and toilet themselves. They can dress themselves and make their own beds. They can come for their meds when they need them.

Process on the other hand, is how every component of the unit is working together and how is it impacting a given pt, and that pt impacting the unit.