Mental health nursing.... need some good advice on what to expect!

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Good evening all. I am a recent graduate with two degress in Mass Communcations and Nursing. I wanted to go into ER, Trauma... but NONE of the hospitals in my area are hiring new nurses. I applied for a job with a mental health hospital in my area, and it looks like I got it. This will be my FIRST nursing job.

Ok... from what I have read on this forum thus far.... if you start in Mental health you can get pigeon-holed and in the future, it's hard to get another job. This is pretty much the case?? :uhoh21:

Also, heard it was more psychological communcations and talking to the patient. If so, this is great because I am very good with communications. :D I heard not as much hands-on 'nursing' stuff.... more passing meds, charting, that type of thing. Am I right on these?? What about cleaning up the patients? Are most of them continent of body functions or is there a lot of basic patient care that needs to be done?

I appreciate the feedback. Just trying to get a general idea of what lies ahead. THANK YOU! :nurse:

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On our unit the the basic patient care issues are tended to by the psych techs. Our nurses spend most of their time talking with the patients, charting, and passing meds. The nurses are also responsible for doing groups with the patients, taking referrals, processing new admits etc. Our facility is a 32 bed crisis unit that is part of small town hospital.

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That is great advice! I do appreciate it! :) So it sounds like the RN does more of the interaction on a communication level. That is good. Sounds like I will like it.

Thanks again very much! :p

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Specializes in Ambulatory Case Management, Clinic, Psychiatry.

On our unit (22 bed inpt psych/dual diagnosis unit), nurses talk with patients, chart, pass mads, verify orders, deal with behavioral issues, etc. Most of the "talking" is not so much 1:1 counseling, as it is dealing with requests (for PRN's, assistance with a particular task, etc) and redirecting when there are behavioral issues. But this is just our unit. When I'm not the "med nurse," I would say 20% of my time is spent redirecting/dealing with behavioral issues or escalations, 70% charting/verifying orders, and 10% having 1:1 conversations with pts. When I am med nurse, it is 80% passing/documenting meds, 5% charting, 4% redirecting, 1% 1:1.

Hope that helps!

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Specializes in Addictions/Mental Health, Telemetry.

I currently work in a private, for profit substance abuse treatment program. We have 5 inpatient units and a partial hospitalization program. At this facility, only the therapists facilitate the group therapy. However, the Behavioral Health Techs also run certain groups, such as Morning Inspiration, Relapse Prevention, and the 12 step group. All BHTs are in recovery with a minimum of 1 year sobriety required. Nurses do not run any groups that this facility, thankfully. At other facilities, nursing had to run the medication group or the medical issues group....in between med pass, jockeying the desk, taking off orders, rounding with the psychiatrist and medical doctor, and dealing with behavioral issues. Now nurses assess patients, pass meds, take off orders and administer treatments, as well as provide support and encouragement to the patients 1:1. Oh, and then there is charting, of course. Psych nursing may sound simple, but you really should be up on your assessment skills, as psych/recovering addicts/alcoholics do have medical crises occur, such as dehydration, DTs, seizures, chest pain/rule out MI, acute abdomen, etc. Early detection goes a long way to preventing having to send a patient to the hospital via 911, unless, of course, it's r/o MI. Patients in early stages of detox from alcohol, benzodiazapines, opiates, present with various withdrawal symptoms that require interventions. Good luck in your new specialty. I would suggest, however, that you not stay too long, if your heart is more in medical surgical nursing. The longer you stay in psych, the less your chances of being able to return to hospital nursing, as your technical nursing skills do tend to fade. For this reason, I am leaving psych and returning to Telemetry because my career aspirations are more in line with Acute Care, as I plan to become a NP specializing in Adult and Geriatric Nursing. Psych is too limited in scope, and thus, your job opportunities in a community will be limited as well. Some people are happy with this, as they truly wish to remain in psych. I just do not, although I do enjoy my work at this point. I just know for me, I need to go.

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I am applying to a behavioral/mental health unit. There is a hospital opening up in my area. I am in my 40's and have done med/surg, ICU, LDR, Home Health, and Wound Care. I have not done psych. I am interested because we have a niece who is bipolar and I've been trying to support her for years...but I am also concerned. Do you have to be really strong physically? I would not be able to break of a fight with my size. Does size matter?

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
Do you have to be really strong physically? I would not be able to break of a fight with my size. Does size matter?

In my experience its not so much about size as it is about gumption. Its not smart to put your self at risk but there are times when you will be dealing with aggression. We have a large nurse that never leaves the desk in an emergency, not even to attempt to re-direct her own patients. :rolleyes: I also work with a tiny 50 something that is in the middle of everything. Hopefully there will be male techs or security available to assist.

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