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Discussion

Looking for advice on my career path.

Hi everyone,

First, a quick background on me. I'm a Registered Psychiatric Nurse (majority of my training focused on psychiatry, but my scope includes everything that a Registered Nurses's scope includes except for maternity and pediatrics.) I graduated in December 2012 and I've had a few jobs since, mostly in inpatient psychiatry.

My problem is - I'm not totally satisfied. I don't love this type of nursing, I don't feel that it's my 'niche'. But - I am fairly new, and maybe I just need to try something that isn't inpatient.

I have so many thoughts running through my head, and they change constantly- maybe I should pursue my RN (it would take a further 2 years for me to bridge. While I am technically qualified to work in a number of areas other than psychiatry, I don't feel comfortable enough to do so. I would want more training and knowledge, because my knowledge is VERY basic. Example: I just learned what a troponin level was the other day...) or maybe I should finish my degree in psychiatric nursing (I have a diploma, all that is necessary to work almost anywhere I would want to work but if I got the degree, I could pursue a Masters in Social Work, another 'dream' of mine) or maybe I should just completely change and become an accountant.

I know, it's a TON of seemingly random ideas. But this is why I need help. Obviously I am posting to a nursing forum, so maybe nursing is the way I want to go. But I change my mind practically hourly. And I do work in a hospital, and I have done med-surg clinicals, so I do have an idea of what being an RN would be like, and I *think* I would like it but I also have this weird desire to do more 'office' work, hence the social worker and accountant ideas.

SO. Any ideas welcome, any thoughts or insights?? Would it be useless to get a degree in psychiatric nursing? Would it open more doors to get my RN? I would think the majority of nurses work with/have some contact with social workers, what do you think about their profession?

Also- I think I would enjoy any of these jobs because I love helping people, I love medical knowledge, but I also love doing boring budgets and writing reports. Where do I belong???

One last note - I am TERRIFIED of getting my RN because I am scared I will not know enough/be a good enough critical thinker. I like psych because I can take my time with assessments etc and I am scared after working in psych I am too conditioned to take my time and I will fail at other types of nursing. But I feel so restricted in my practice and I've only been doing it year!!

Sorry for the LONGGGG post.

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    So are you currently an LPN? As an aside, and I am not trying to be mean, if you are not an LPN nor an RN, be really careful when calling yourself a nurse. Because unless you are an NCLEX-RN or PN passing license holder, you are usually not a nurse.

    I have not heard of a diploma in psych nursing, and am not sure where this would be able to be used. Are you from another country other than America? Or is this a certified psych aide/medical assistant? And you hold a certification in psych? I am always wary of courses of study that charge large $$ promising "nurse" type titles and one will find it somewhat useless in attempting to bridge to something else. But I am, as I said, unfamiliar with the course of study which you speak. But so know that psych aides, depending on facility and state can have a large scope of practice essentially unheard of in acute care.

    Never the less, if you are an LPN, there are bridge programs, and your local community college would be a great place to start at least taking classes here and there and see if you enjoy them. Or, if you hold a bachelors degree, you can in some schools in some instances take an accellerated BSN program.

    If psych is not for you, it is not for you. It is a love hate thing. Acute care is a whole different ball of wax. Maybe see if you can become a per diem CNA at your local hospital and really see if you like the work?

    Best of luck to you in your endevours.

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    Are you licensed as a RN or LPN or a mental health tech? Legally you cannot call yourself a nurse unless you are licensed as a nurse. It is difficult to get out of psych and into medical areas but can be done with persistence.

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    • Author

    Hi,

    Thank you for your reply! Sorry, I should have specified that I am from Alberta, Canada. Here we have RNs, LPNs, and RPNs. So Registered Psychiatric Nurses are a specialty and we are regulated by a college, I have a nursing licence etc. We aren't very common, but we are legal =) Not many have heard of this specialty, I'm not sure if it exists in the States.

    I do like the idea of becoming an acute care CNA though, I might give that a try. I never thought of that. I did work in a nursing home as a CNA for a while and I loved it, but the nurses there were so burnt out and worked so hard, it wasn't something I wanted to try.

    Thank you for your advice!

    PS. If anyone is confused/interested in learning exactly what a psych nurse is here in Alberta, we are registered through the CRPNA (College of Registered Psychiatric Nurses of Alberta). They have a website. There are also psych nurses registered in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba in Canada. Like I said, no idea about the States.

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    In the states you have to be a RN or LPN to be a psych nurse. There are psych techs but they are not nurses.

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