Male Nurse considering the switch from M/S to Psych

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Specializes in ED.

hello everyone, im an RN with a month of Med Surg under my belt, but somehow im unable to keep up with the pace with med surg with 8 patients, and i want to really spend some time with my patients. I really liked Psych when i had clinicals. I took the Med Surg job because it was one of the only open jobs within 25 miles of where i live. I work in a unit with majority old women and somehow dont get along with the male nurses. Its just the environment in Med Surg where i work at is not too good. I liked Psych and my batchmate whos also a male is working in Psych 12 miles near me and loves it. Since i have med surg under my belt would be good to apply it there and at the same time focus on spending time with my patients. My friend also told me that there are plenty of male RNs over there and said ill get along with them. I work for a Tenet Hospital right now and i dont like it. I made 2 non-life threatening mistakes which my facility makes a big deal outof. Any opinions? Thank you

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Specializes in Behavioral Health/(New To) Neurology.

Behavioral Health/Psych. is my passion, and the area of healthcare in which I have the most experience. I love working in Mental Health; I find it incredibly rewarding and fascinating. I don't mean rewarding in the way someone might if they were talking about working in L&D or the Newborn Nursery or something, but for those who are a good fit for working with the mentally ill or those with behavioral manifestations of other illnesses or injuries, working with this population allows us to be involved intimately, impactfully and therapeutically in a person's life when they are most vulnerable.

The difference between regaining health and function or sinking into abject misery over the course of a Psych. patient's illness can frequently depend on the quality and dedication of the care givers who have helped (or not helped, as the case may be) them along the way.

However, for those who tend to get very emotionally attached to their patients, Psych may not be a great place to work, for a number of reasons. I won't describe them all, but can sum it up by saying that if one can not compassionately detach from their patients, the staff member will suffer for it, and so will the patient.

There's a great book called "Trauma Stewardship" that I believe anyone involved in social services, mental/behavioral health, home health, and any direct patient care should read. It discusses the complex dynamics of providing and/or facilitating care and healing, and the factors that contribute to an employee's, organization's, and patient's health, well-being and ability to participate in the treatment milieu in a positive way, while minimizing burnout. I highly recommend it.

So, if you have a passion for Psych., you should definitely give it a try. For the right people, it's the most amazing, rewarding gig possible.

(PS-Sorry if this post seemed a bit rambling. I'm usually very concise. However...I just took my sleeping medication, and, well...it sometimes makes me a little out of it. So my apologies if that's the case!)

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"a month of med surg ... since I have med surg under my belt" ROFL.

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Specializes in ED.
"a month of med surg ... since I have med surg under my belt" ROFL.

i smell a troll :lol2:

I've since transferred to Psych ER and loving it

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Specializes in Psychiatric.

You sound a lot like me when I finished nursing school. I had a sinking feeling that I had made a big mistake, I just wasn't liking med-surg, and the feeling that there was something still undone at the end of the day. Fortunately, I found a job in psych, and 20+ years later I still enjoy my career. As above comments point out, this isn't for everyone, but it sound as though you have found your niche.

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"a month of med surg ... since I have med surg under my belt" ROFL.

ITA -- I would hardly call "a month" of med surg experience having it "under (your) belt. :rolleyes:

I would question whether this is really a matter of wanting to spend more time with patients or whether the OP is just uncomfortable (appropriately so, as a new grad) with the pace of med-surg and not liking his co-workers. Nearly all new graduates feel uncomfortable with their positions in the first few months of a first nursing career. I would strongly encourage the OP to stay put and develop/grow professionally to the point of being able to cope adequately with the pace and milieu of his current position before job-hopping to another position. What happens when the new position isn't all you hoped it would be after a month or so? Change jobs again? Before long, you're on your way to being unemployable.

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