Leaving Interventional Radiology for Children's Psych?

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Specializes in Oncology, radiology, ICU.

I am really torn right now. While I mostly enjoy what I do in radiology there are issues. The biggest one is that our hours are constantly being cut, all we hear about is how we are so far over budget and that we aren't flexing enough. Lately we've been cutting ourselves so short that we are putting ourselves in dangerous and unstable situations. I'm also tired of working 5 days a week never being able to make plans because I never know when I'm going to be off in the evening, not to mention the on call time. For the past few months I've been looking for a different job. I interviewed at one place but the thought of going back to hospital floor nursing actually sent me into an anxiety attack so I never followed up after not hearing back from them. Then one day just for the heck of it I went onto one of the job hunters websites and saw a position open in a Children's psychiatric facility. I figured what the heck I'd send them my resume. This was a Friday and on Monday they called me for an interview. Friday I went in and interviewed and I really felt like it was somewhere I belonged. I am going in this week to do the drug test, fingerprinting, and paperwork. Honestly I am scared. I want to be sure I am making the right decision not just one based on emotions. I was talking about the job to another nurse and she said just from how I was talking about it made her want to apply. I'm not naive, I know that this job is one that will be physically and emotionally challenging but I'm thinking it will also be rewarding in some ways. I guess I'm just looking for a place where I actually like being a nurse and feel like I belong.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Neuro, ICU, travel RN, Psych.

I worked a variety of M/S, tele, ortho, neuro, etc for 5 years. I traveled for a couple years of that. Then I did 1 year of ICU. I wasn't really happy, had trouble grasping things that used to come easy to me to learn. I "thought" it was the environment, negativity, etc. I broke a bone, and was out for 3 months. Went back and was there 2 days when I realized it was the job itself I was tired of. I just didn't enjoy it anymore, like I used to. I thought I wanted to work ER, and this was a bridge to that. But now I realized I just wasn't into it.

I put in a transfer to psych. I'd always been interested, but due to stories that go around, and the stigma psych can have, I was a bit hesitant. I've been there almost 9 months now, and it was the best decision I ever made. I actually enjoy my job again. But I had to listen to what my gut was telling me, not my head trying to sort it out and rationalize things.

Yes, it can be frustrating at times. But thats just nursing. I say go for it, and give it a shot. The beautiful thing with this job, especially if you are an experienced nurse.. is if you don't like it, you can move on. You will know within the first 30 days if it's for you or not. It's pretty obvious if it's not.

Good luck to you, and keep us posted how it goes!!

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Specializes in Corrections, Psychiatric.

Good luck to you. I absolutely love Psych! And just like the previous poster said, you will know if it fits you or not within a short period of time.

By the way, I completely agree with your statement about the anxiety attack and floor nursing! UGH! I cannot imagine having to do that. I admire those that can, I have come to realise I am not of that sort. :)

I wish you lots of luck on your new adventure!

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I worked at a psych facility for young boys and I loved it. I was very happy at that job. The only real problem I had with psych is the stigma that is attached to it. I just couldn't get over the fact that some didn't consider it "real" nursing. I was young then and impressionable so I went to bedside nursing....Looking back though if I had to choose I think that psych nursing was my favorite job.

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Specializes in ICU, Telemetry.

If you worked in my ICU, you'd know we do psych nursing...just with each other..*grin*

Good luck. I knew psych wasn't for me when I was in clinicals -- that door slammed and locked behind me, and I just about came out of my skin. I guess it would have felt better if I had a key. I kept thinking, I'm going to be the disheveled person the next class sees who keeps telling them, "I'm not crazy, I was left here by my teacher last year and they won't let me out, please let me go home."

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.

I started my career as a charge nurse in an inpatient pediatric psychiatry unit. I'm still there three years later and I will still be there twenty years from now. It's such a different experience. You will see an occasional emergency (seizure, acute medical issue, asthma exacerbation) but for the most part the kids are medically stable, unless you're in a large teaching pediatric hospital which tends to get more medically complex children. I love the people, I love dialoguing with the patients, I love that I can relate to them and help them work through problems. I think most teens go through a wave of depression, but nowadays we act more radically on it. There are tough moments, especially with dissociative episodes or having to restrain a child with a PTSD history, but those moments are infrequent. You learn how to approach kids with behavioral dysregulation, and eventually you develop an intuition about what makes them tick. The best piece of advice I can give you is to go in to each shift with an open mind. The more concretely you plan your day, the more out of sorts you'll feel at the end of it when absolutely nothing went how you thought it would. Sometimes keeping a kid's labile behavior under control is a dance, and you don't always get to lead! You'll also learn the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, and mentally ill parents often breed mentally ill children. The dysfunctional family dynamics can be heartbreaking, but overall you do feel like you're making a difference. Good luck to you, let us know how it goes!

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Specializes in Oncology, radiology, ICU.

I just want to say thank you for all the replies. I did a lot of heart and soul searching and have decided that I am going to go with the psych job when and if I get the final offer. I go in this Friday to do the drug screen and fingerprinting and some paperwork with HR. It's a state job so it could take a month or so to get everything finalized. This feels like the right decision.

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I just want to say thank you for all the replies. I did a lot of heart and soul searching and have decided that I am going to go with the psych job when and if I get the final offer. I go in this Friday to do the drug screen and fingerprinting and some paperwork with HR. It's a state job so it could take a month or so to get everything finalized. This feels like the right decision.

Congratulations on your new job in Child Psych ! Best wishes in your new specialty..

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I just want to say thank you for all the replies. I did a lot of heart and soul searching and have decided that I am going to go with the psych job when and if I get the final offer. I go in this Friday to do the drug screen and fingerprinting and some paperwork with HR. It's a state job so it could take a month or so to get everything finalized. This feels like the right decision.

Good luck!

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