Not a real nurse?

mwski · May 23, 2011

I started as a tech in a psych hospital while in nursing school, with every intention of going into perinatal when I was through with school. I graduated last week and accepted a job at the psych hospital on the very same day. I had many people tell me to work in med-surg for 2 years to "hone my skills" but I decided against it. I love where I work and I love the population I get to serve every day. During my final evaluation, my clinical instructor said to me "It's too bad you are going into psych." And when I asked why (thinking it would be something about "REAL" nursing), she said simply "You would make a great acute care nurse." While I was flattered that she thought that about me, I don't regret the decision I've made. Every single patient has some psych component and most med-surg nurses are terrified they are going to get the psych patient assignment. I don't have to be worried...I know when I walk through the door every day I will face someone in crisis and I can try to meet their needs because I am a psych nurse!!

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · May 29, 2011

funny saying that, when one of my pre-requisite course teachers asked what are majors are, i said nursing along with two other students in our class, but i didn't just say nurse, i said "psychiatric nurse", since then, when she is relating the course assignments with nurses, she calls out on the two other girls, and doesn't recognize me at all...
Maybe the chance will arise for you to educate the educator. What a dolt she is.

sallydee101 · Jun 5, 2011

I am on acute psy unit. The very nurses who say " we are not real Nurses, have a easy job, do nothing ect..." have a fit if pulled to our unit and then are scared to go out behind the nurses station.

So ask them...we need a nurse on our shift want to transfer.....normally stops them in their tracks.

tahitianmoon · Jun 6, 2011

"She walked to the nurse's station and came back about a half hour later. She jokingly said that she told the other nurses at the nurse's station that I am a psych nurse and they said "oh that's not a real nurse". I was offended."

I think people say things like that because there are some differences in everyday psych nursing skills compared to something like med or other nursing fields where there's a greater focus on hands on skills (i.e. chest tubes, multiple IV lines ect.). However to think that a psych nurse is not a real nurse is an ignorant comment to make.

I never came to understand why many people fail to recognize and remember that the brain is an organ just as the liver, kidney's ect. Just because it doesn't require a tube inserted to fix it doesn't mean it makes the skills of a psych nurse any less complex. Fully understanding and caring for pt's with complicated mental health issues takes solid understanding of neurology, psychology, pathology, pharmacology, therapeutic communication to name a few. Open a neurobiology textbook to test for yourself if you are still doubting.

One who jokes around saying psych nurses are not real nurses, must also consider what that may imply of patients with psychiatric disorders. Does that mean that psychiatric patients are not real patients, since their nurses are not real nurses??? Are psychiatric patients needs less important than those whom life is altered from a heart attack?? Is pathology of the brain meant to be less valued than pathology of the pancreas?? It would seem ignorant, discriminatory and narrow minded to believe so.

Also psych nurses encounter various health problems, as many people suffering from mental illness manage other concurrent illness such as diabetes, a heart condition, COPD, ect.

MyGranniePanties · Jun 12, 2011

I actually think a lot of this comes from a misunderstanding of psychiatric disorders. I think it is common for people to believe that mental health issues are not real illnesses. A nurse SHOULD know better, but that doesn't mean he/she does.

Anyway, this whole thread and many others on this site distress me. I would LOVE to be a psych nurse. I have a passion to work with the mentally ill. Unfortunately, I hate the thought of getting into a profession that seems so divided. I have read many threads about "this type of nursing vs that type", or new nurses vs experienced nurses, or this degree means more than your degree. It just seems so catty, immature, and unnessecary. It is very disheartening to someone that hasnt even started yet. Is this really what I have to look forward to?

tahitianmoon · Jun 14, 2011

I actually think a lot of this comes from a misunderstanding of psychiatric disorders. I think it is common for people to believe that mental health issues are not real illnesses. A nurse SHOULD know better, but that doesn't mean he/she does.
Anyway, this whole thread and many others on this site distress me. I would LOVE to be a psych nurse. I have a passion to work with the mentally ill. Unfortunately, I hate the thought of getting into a profession that seems so divided. I have read many threads about "this type of nursing vs that type", or new nurses vs experienced nurses, or this degree means more than your degree. It just seems so catty, immature, and unnecessary. It is very disheartening to someone that hasnt even started yet. Is this really what I have to look forward to?

Arcticrainbows, you are right. There is an unnecessary amount of division and negativity when it comes to different nurses and so on. I am new to this forum, but so far I do find it warrants a more negative tone overall of how nurses feel towards each other/treat each other ect. And in the work force you might have these same problems (that depends on where you work to). Either way I hope that if you do wish to be a psych nurse that you do not let what you read on this fourm from discouraging you! Remember that at the end of the day it's about your patients and if you feel that you would be a great nurse for those reasons, then go for it! You can have a lot of rewarding experiences helping others. Also, every work place/profession will have its problems. Personally I've found nursing to have that slight "catty" factor more of less because of so many females being competitive with each other, trying to better one up or its just the general climate of having too many females in one place together at one time...you see people letting their egos cloud the big picture and better judgment all to often. If you say it is your passion, I hope you hold on to this and ignore the rest.

Chaser, BSN, RN · Jun 23, 2011

The horizontal violence within our profession makes me disappointed. I had my senior practicum in a CCU. When I would tell the nurses I planned to work in psych they would get really confused. "Wouldn't that not be much of a challenge after this? And dealing with Those people? No thanks"

IMHO psych is very challenging and psych nurses are definitely "real" nurses. It takes talent, tact, and knowledge to manage a milieu.

"Just as our patients are disrespected, SOMETIMES, so are we." -Whispera

I think some of it comes from prejudice for psychiatric consumers. It doesn't ruin my day when people say things like this, but I definitely challenge it when I hear it said. Which of course gets brushed off because I'm a young new grad :grad:

MickeyTong · Jun 23, 2011

I think some of it comes from prejudice for psychiatric consumers.

I think you've hit the nail on the head, Chaser.

There is still a huge stigma attached to mental illness, and lots of ignorance and fear.

Callisonanne · Aug 2, 2011

This is definitely why I believe in the "walk a day in their shoes". I will be a new psych nurse very soon and certainly consider it a "real" nursing job. One of the hardest patients I had in nursing school was not my stroke patient or my laboring patient but the psych patient who chased the charge nurse with the fork. lol

critical thinker · Aug 4, 2011

I find the same thing when you say "I work in geriatrics" many nurses believe that is not "real" nursing?