I may be offered a per diem (from an agency) position in psych nursing. I sent in all of my information; license, malpractice, resume, etc... and the orientation is on June 17. I would like to know the following things about psych;
1. I have to take a test on psych meds. What sort of questions might they ask?
2. What are the most common drugs you guys have come across while working in psych? Are there any drugs, in particular, that have special things to observe, such as drug levels, (such as lithium), etc...
3. Should I expect dosage questions? Do they inquire about safe dosages of meds?
4. What is your basic routine working in psych?
At this time, I am looking through drug textbooks, but there is a great deal of information. I am in the process of summarizing what is to be expected, so to speak. And, I will practice NCLEX-styled questions just to get a feel on these medications (almost like reliving the nightmare of that dreaded exam once again, folks). I have to work another job this entire weekend, but I will begin creating a chart to seperate the barbituates, benzodiazephines, anti-anxiety meds and mood stabilizers. I really feel like I am in school again :angryfire. I used to work in psych as an aide, and we used to administer meds, but that was LONG and FAR ago (about 20 years). Some, I remember, others, I don't. I wish I had a bit more time, because at this point, studying is not really my thing anymore, but, I do want to have psych experience as a nurse and this place is in my neighborhood, making it convienent.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Well, I am a few steps closer-the agency called me yesterday and told me that I had to do an on line exam on psych (not related to the one that has to be taken at the facility) the same day. I wasn't able to access it from work, but when I got home, I saw that they actually had me down for three on line exams. One was for psych terminology-about 30 questions, a test assessing LPN skills (about 60 questions) and then a dosage calculation test with about 60 questions as well. I was totally unprepared for that, so to speak, because math is a subject that still freaks me out to no end (you would NEVER believe I got an A in medical dosages-not that I can't do it, but it take constant review due to my math phobia). Had I known THAT, I would have reviewed math. I had many IV calculation questions-it blew my mind. But, somehow, I got an 85% and I'm good to go.
Now the agency has to send the profile to the client and I will be contacted to go to the facility to take the psych exam and orientation is the 17th, if I do well on that. Thanks, everyone for their suggestions, words of support and advice!
Specializes in A little of this & a little of that.
FYI: Anti-hypertensives such as clonidine are often used for psych patients who are agitated/manic as they can have a sedating effect. I believe this is an "off-label" use but is common.
Duties for an LPN vary as stated before depending upon the hospital policy.
Definitely look up side effects and symptoms of toxicity. Be sure you are familiar with EPS symptoms and the drugs used to treat/counter them (Cogentin, Artane, Benadryl). Good Luck.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
FYI: Anti-hypertensives such as clonidine are often used for psych patients who are agitated/manic as they can have a sedating effect. I believe this is an "off-label" use but is common.
Duties for an LPN vary as stated before depending upon the hospital policy.
Definitely look up side effects and symptoms of toxicity. Be sure you are familiar with EPS symptoms and the drugs used to treat/counter them (Cogentin, Artane, Benadryl). Good Luck.
Thank you. I just discovered that fact about clonidine as recent as a few days ago. We give it like candy in my clinic for the hypertensive patients (we get many that are over 200/100), and a friend of mine that works with mentally challenged children revealed this to me.
I didn't hear from them as of yet, but hope to soon!
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Well, things didn't pan out. The agency sent my profile over to the facility and the facility didn't think I had enough experience in psych as a nurse (actually, none, but had many years as an aide that administered medications). I have to admit that I was a bit peeved, because most times, in this place (I found out who the client was-and it was the place I suspected), the LPN primarily administers meds and that is about it. Another thing that annoyed me is all of the time I spent reviewing psych medications, terminology and such to prepare for this. I kknow these people had their criteria, but I also know that I would have been a phenomenal nurse for them.
Oh, well, I will begin to pursue again for other venues, and thanks, everyone for your advice. :0)
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Well, things didn't pan out. The agency sent my profile over to the facility and the facility didn't think I had enough experience in psych as a nurse (actually, none, but had many years as an aide that administered medications). I have to admit that I was a bit peeved, because most times, in this place (I found out who the client was-and it was the place I suspected), the LPN primarily administers meds and that is about it. Another thing that annoyed me is all of the time I spent reviewing psych medications, terminology and such to prepare for this. I kknow these people had their criteria, but I also know that I would have been a phenomenal nurse for them.
Oh, well, I will begin to pursue again for other venues, and thanks, everyone for your advice. :0)
Well, the client lost out on a good nurse. It's totally their loss.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Thanks. I am quite ******, really. I know that there are other opportunities, and will be pursuing them, but I did take a great deal of time to review medications, psych conditions and was well prepared because I take each position very seriously. I plan to show nursing professionalism wherever I go. I feel, especially, for LPNs that we have to demonstrate intelligence and express ourselves accurately so that they are aware that we are not dummies. I'll get over it within a few hours, but, yes, I know that they missed out on a great, caring and willing to learn nurse.
They do have home hospice cases, that I may consider for the moment, but for now, I'll focus on the health fairs that we provide for the community in the summertime. It will improve on my teaching and it still gives me incentive to review because I get approached with many health issues.
Since I never looked great on paper I always had better luck with face to face interactions with HR. I wonder if by some chance there was another applicant that had experience in psych? I'm as puzzled as you are and would like to get to the bottom of it. If you ask me they are fools!
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Since I never looked great on paper I always had better luck with face to face interactions with HR. I wonder if by some chance there was another applicant that had experience in psych? I'm as puzzled as you are and would like to get to the bottom of it. If you ask me they are fools!
Probably. But, the situation is that the profile was sent over before we know who the client is. I think that the agency does this so that the nurse is not supposed to have any interaction with the client/agency in case the nurse does decide to go on their own (the agency will lose money this way). I called the agency Friday and the person that was recruiting for this particular assignment was not there and her assistant spoke to me. The assistant let it slip who the client was, and I was not supposed to know. I would sure like to know myself, but don't know how to go about it without making enemies with the agency by jumping the gun on something I was not supposed to know anything about to begin with, or compromise the person who made the mistake of telling me.
If I do decide to go to HR, I would give it a bit of time, then go and reapply for myself for a regular per diem where the facility themselves would be paying me rather than the agency. I am another person that presents very well and will consider doing that later.
Could you just walk in and apply at the facility with the reasoning that the more you thought about and spent hours of your own time researching a psych position the more interesting it sounded? At the very least you would be able to get a first hand evaluation of your resume and let them see what a bad mistake they made by not snatching you up the first time. No need to let anything spill, just a quirky coincidence. For all you know the agency could have sent more than one person's info anyway. In any event if you are interested in doing psych do not let this put you off.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Could you just walk in and apply at the facility with the reasoning that the more you thought about and spent hours of your own time researching a psych position the more interesting it sounded? At the very least you would be able to get a first hand evaluation of your resume and let them see what a bad mistake they made by not snatching you up the first time. No need to let anything spill, just a quirky coincidence. For all you know the agency could have sent more than one person's info anyway. In any event if you are interested in doing psych do not let this put you off.
Great suggestions! I'll think about how to go about doing this during my day at my regular job. Plus, I do know people there, it may look better if I mention their names as well. There is an RN that works at my job (psych) and also over there. In fact, he worked both places as an LPN as well. He can give me a rundown on what is done there, and they do seem to like him, so, maybe he can put in a word for me. On a mission...chat later, Jules A.
:angryfire. I used to work in psych as an aide, and we used to administer meds, but that was LONG and FAR ago (about 20 years). Some, I remember, others, I don't. I wish I had a bit more time, because at this point, studying is not really my thing anymore, but, I do want to have psych experience as a nurse and this place is in my neighborhood, making it convienent. 
a psych position the more interesting it sounded? At the very least you would be able to get a first hand evaluation of your resume and let them see what a bad mistake they made by not snatching you up the first time. No need to let anything spill, just a quirky coincidence. For all you know the agency could have sent more than one person's info anyway. In any event if you are interested in doing psych do not let this put you off.
Jules A, MSN
8,864 Posts
Good luck and keep us posted!