from med-surg to psych nursing

PMHNP10 · Dec 5, 2003

Now this is right up my alley. Before I got into nursing I got a bach. in psych. I loved it, but to make a long story short did not go on in my education after graduating with my bach. because I didn't want anything more to do with school at that time--I was also a pre med student (childhood dream). Over the next few years I tried a few other things--teaching, then management, but found myself often thinking about my true passion--behaviors of humans. One day I returned to the town where I went to college and met a few nurses. They seemed to be doing ok, so I decided what better way to unite my passions into one, so I decided I wanted to become a psych nurse--the contact of a counselor, with a fraction of the time needed for the education, and add the bonus of being in great demand.

Psych is the only reason I got into the profession, and if you knew me, you would easily see the logic in me being a psych nurse, but I digress. Throughout school, instructors recommend you get some m/s experience first to solidify your newly acquired skills and knowledge, so I very, very, very, very begrudgingly did so. As a result I hated my experience with a passion. Misery wasn't the word for it; I loathed working. After a few months of being a charge RNs midnight snack I found a psych position and so here I am. Words alone cannot express how much I love psych nursing.

As for the m/s after graduation...yes it is certainly beneficial, and as long as you practice as a prudent nurse can only benefit you. Having said this, though, not having the experience doesn't necessarily hurt you. For example, I worked with a lady who started with the VA (which happens to be one of the few VAs which are a psych facility) right out of nursing school. She is now working towards her masters in management, so I don't think her lack of m/s experience is going to hinder her chances of getting into admin with the VA once she earns her degree.

Now if you are wanting to get into psych nursing because you are hoping for an easier job, psych might not necessarily be the answer. True, the patients are usually not acutely physically ill, but psych nursing has its demons like most other fields of nursing.

I apologize for this lengthy response, but bear in mind you got a very condensed version of all of the goings ons of how I got to be where I am today. If you have any further quesions, don't hesitate to ask.

marthaj1977 · Dec 5, 2003

Thanks so much, after I posted and re read it, kind of sounded like I was looking for an "easier" job and thats not what I wanted to portray. I am not looking for anything easier just something that I can be passionate about and love!!!! I want to look forward to going to work and find some motivation in what I am doing... You know what I mean??? Your post has certainly given me hope. Thanks again!!!!

Will Benson · Dec 5, 2003

Hi martha

This will be my 24th year in nursing, most of that (18 years) in psychiatry. I am rather passionate about my job and my patients. So much so that I got my Master's in May and my Practitioner's Cert. If you go into psych nursing (or OB or peds or ANY specialty), you will find that people either love it or hate it with a passion. There's usually not much middle ground. The people who hate it don't stay around long. Those that love it become very proficient at it and often foster professional growth of others around them.

psychrn is right about a number of things. Psych nursing is good in a number of ways but people have misconceptions about psych nursing. Many believe that we sit, thinking lofty thoughts and drink coffee all day. They don't see what we do on a daily basis. Out on the M/S units you can see if the wounds are getting better and if your patients are healing like they should. That isn't so evident in psychiatry.

Managed care has changed the way we work in psychiatry and, at least at my facility, we are seeing more medically compromised people. My m/s skills are coming back into play out of necessity. We are caring for clients with central lines, PEG tubes, IVs etc that we didn't see before.

Add into that the potential for violence, suicide and other safety risks and you can have a pretty volatile situation. Staffing needs are still a problem just like anywhere else.

I'll end by telling you that if you like working in psychiatry, psychiatry will love having you. However there's a saying that goes "The devil you know may be better than the devil you don't know". Much luck on your decision to change specialties.:kiss

New Castle Ken · Dec 5, 2003

Originally posted by marthaj1977
I have been reading some posts on here by psych nurses and have any of you all ever worked med-surg with a patient load of umteen hundred and you just hate the thoughts of going to work, and think nursing is just not for you?
I have always thought Psych nursing would be interesting to work and did very well during my clinical roatation when I was in school. My instructor even told me that I should become a psych nurse.
I really think for my own health and sanity I need to change specialties but how do I decide what is right for me?
Can any of you tell me your experience if you changed specialties and went into psych? Also there are even so many types of psych patients, geriatric, adoloscent, child.... I could go on and on... Any help or input would be greatly appreciated!!!!

Try it and if you don't like you can always go into something else. It doesn't hurt to try it and this will give a whole new perspective to nursing. I have been in different areas although psyc. was the longest (17 years). Psyc. does have its whole set of problems though as does every specialty.

Good luck.

Ken

laurenkst · Dec 11, 2003

Martha:

I had 27 years of nursing as a LPN on such specialties as Med/Surg--54 patients, Neurosurgery--32 patients, CICU-10 when full, Neonatal Intensive Care--24 patients, PICU-7 patients

and then I became an RN,BSN in 1991, and worked 3 nursing homes, and prison nursing before I finally came to roost in a state run facility for the mentally ill in Delaware. I feel like I've really found my home now. Before I was really stressed with more and more responsibilities being taken from physicians and thrown onto nursing personnel with none of the power to do anything about my positions' problems. Now I can get help when I need it and all of the pressure I operated under before has prepared me for my job responsibilities at this time.

If you are really interested in a field, give it a try. What were you really interested in while in nursing school. They usually give you a well-rounded sampling of all the possibilities in your area while you are a student. You might even consider moving to other areas where the job opportunities you like are available. Check the back of your nursing journals for job opportunities. I do not know if you have Advance For Nurses in your area, but they usually list job opportunities by specialty.

Good luck, all you can do is give it a try--Lauren

psycorn · Dec 30, 2003

i really enjoy the psy nursing in geri psy, because you still have some med surgical skills required but you are not on over loead like med RN. i work on a 28 bed psy geri unit there is usually 3 nurses and two tech sometimes 3 tech's. I love th e elery because they ask for so little, and only want some one to tell them where they are or who they are, there is a lot of med surg skills required due to there age and illness , i think its the best of both worlds