New Grad going into Mental Health??

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Hi all!

I graduate in just a few days! I have been searching for a job, and so far the only lead is with a county MHMR. The position is brand new, the program was created to take the pressure off of local ERs. It will be a clinic setting, and will involve assessments, possibly drawing lab work, and giving referrals. I have a strong mental health background. But you hear all the time that a new nurse needs a year of med-surg and then you can go anywhere! So I am afraid if my first job is in Mental health I will be limited as to what positions I can get later. Do you think this is true or just an irrational fear?

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Specializes in Mental Health.

Do you actually want to work in mental health or are you more interested in med-surg, etc.? If mental health is your interest then go for it! You shouldn't do a "year" in med-surg if it isn't going to be a good fit for you. Any nursing job will give you valuable skills and experience : D Starting in mental health may or may not limit you later on it really depends on a multitude of factors. There are going to be psych patients in every type of setting, therefore, mental health skills can be an asset.

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

Hi, anymeans!

Congratulations on your new position working in an Outpatient Clinic for the Mentally Ill. What does the "MR" stand for? Will you be working with the Developmentally Delayed also?

Your Question regarding Psychiatric vs Medical when starting out as a new Nurse has been dicussed on this Forum NUMEROUS times. A Search would direct you to those pertinent Threads.

Here's a Link to a Recent Thread:

https://allnurses.com/psychiatric-nursing/will-i-stuck-882361.html

Good Luck to you in your new position, anymeans, and hey, don't be a Stranger!

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Hello Anymeans,

Congrats! on your new career as a nurse. I graduated from nursing school in 2010, worked on a med-surg floor for

about four months and was hired for a position in metal health. I have been working in mental health since that time. I feel that strictly working in mental health has limited me for future positons. I'm not saying you shouldnt take the job because as someone has already mentioned you can gain valuable knowledge in any position. I suggest taking the job, but keep your options open!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in Family Nursing & Psychiatry.

I would apply for acute care while working for mental health. You have about a year to take advantage of your new grad status.

Matthew, RN

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Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

It isn't an automatic dead end. I worked for about six months on an ortho floor and absolutely HATED it, so began watching the posts on the employee bulletin board by the time clock. Soon a RN position in the psych building was posted. Problem? It was 11-7 and I had always been a go to bed on the early side kind of girl.

I interviewed for it and was hired and told they would train me then mentor me. I got it and they were great! I stayed almost two years until the unit became outpatient only. I then worked in the psych field for 20+ more years, added a M.S.N., and eventually applied to a NP program.

During that time I did CPR on a dying patient, changed a colostomy bag on a very depressed woman, became a better plumber, and generally kept my skills brushed up. Remember that psych patients get sick too. Sometimes when they say they're ill, they really are.

Keep your skills and requirements current and you'll be fine.

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@Anymeans2014: Are they still looking for nurses at your new job? Need a job sooooo bad

Any info will be much appreciated

Thanks

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.

I can only speak from personal experience. I went straight from nursing school into a mental health nursing job. I worked for a facility that was closed by the parent company. I couldn't buy an interview. I went from a full-time charge nurse position to drawing unemployment compensation for 90 days - and I had five years of nursing experience, almost all of it in a supervisory capacity. This was at a time when hospitals were running full-page ads in the Sunday paper looking for nurses.

There is still a stigma regarding mental health nursing. Once you go into it, in the eyes of many employers you can't do anything else.

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.

New nurses don't need to be on med-surg. Med-surg is crap. I never understand what these "skills" are that new nurses need to develop in med-surg which is basically just a unit on which you can become overworked and develop a serious disdain for nursing. If you like psych, go into psych. There's nothing about putting dressings on wounds, cleaning the rears of incontinent people, rolling obese people over every couple of hours, and sticking assorted tubes in their holes that will make you a better person or better nurse. M-S slings pills, isotonic fluids, and IV antibiotics. Woopty doo. You never have time to talk, think or learn. You merely do one thing, then another, then another until it's past time to go home, and you're hating your job living for the next check.

The other facets of nursing really aren't that bad though so if you like psych then get after it! Believe me, most other nurses will be saying, "Oh, my, I can't do psych." Psych evals/DIs are interesting, and psychopharmacology is really interesting.

ETA: My first nursing job was med-surg charge nurse. I got one to three LPNs depending on the census, and all the other shifts got one LPN and 2-3 RNs. I had to do most of my staff's work for them since they could do little with IVs, couldn't do assessments, and were too lazy to do anything else. I hated life, and I hate med-surg, lol.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

A year of med-surg first is in no way essential to being a successful psych nurse. You'll go through the first year growing pains and learn the essential new nurse skills (prioritization, delegation, time management, etc.) no matter what specialty you go into. You can also keep up on the medical knowledge on your own...in fact, you'll have to because patients don't check their medical problems at the door when they admit to psych--they will still be there, and you will have to take care of them as well.

As far as limiting your options...you will find that many facilities require recent experience (such as within the last 3 years). A year of m/s at the start of your career will help if you're planning to switch out of psych after a year or two. It won't be as helpful if you are looking to switch 10 or even 5 years down the road.

Your best bet for keeping as many career options as possible open would be to work in both fields: take a position in psych and do m/s per-diem, or vice-versa. Or find a true psych-medical unit: then you get the best of both worlds.

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It seems like there is some variety across the country as to what the "best" first move is after graduating! I come from a new grad friendly hospital so we are very fortunate that no experience is required before entering into psych nursing. For those of you looking, it might be worth checking us out! I work at St. Alexius Medical Center (www.st.alexius.org) in Bismarck, ND (www.bismarck.org). We accept new grads in to all specialty areas including psych and are currently looking for psych nurses with and without experience! We have an inpaitent adult (16 bed) and adolscent (9 bed) unit and a outpatient partial hospialization program!

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This is my fear! I have been at this job for about 6 months now, I am terribly bored and don't feel I have learned anything that will carry any weight in another field. I am planning on trying to get on at Texoma medical Center in Denison because the Metroplex has not been kind to me when it comes to interviews.

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