Once you go into Psych nursing

[Crazed]

I've been told like elevendy billion times that while I am most certainly either a psych nurse or an ED nurse that if I begin my career in psych it will be difficult for me to do anything else.

Is this a true statement in your opinion?

Ultimately I'm interested in transition from crisis in the ED, to inpatient, to community and how we can improve outcomes. I feel that in order to make this work possible in addition to more education I'll also need experience in all of these areas. I have a fear that if I start with psych that it will be difficult to later obtain an ED position.

[Nurse Blondie, RN]

I started in Geri-Psych, and was told the same thing. I had no trouble floating to other floors while working in the hospital. I always worked per diem outside of that job, both for an agency (unrelated to psych) and for a crisis center/respite program (related to psych). I now work in home care as a clinical liaison and love it, but have been offered jobs in rehab, TCUs, and the like.

I don't think working in psych gives you a label - it shouldn't. In many ways it's more difficult than working the other floors.

We ALWAYS had medically complicated patients on the Geri Psych floor - they just had a psych component on top of all the other diagnoses - and we were always short-staffed because no one ever wanted to float to our floor. I was able to gain a lot of knowledge working on that floor. I think it would be ridiculous for someone to say you are limited because your specialty is psych. Nurses are adaptable and no matter your background, when you transition to a new area, you will have to learn a new skill set.

[jessica.k.h]

Thank you for this perspective! I am a "new grad", but nursing is my second degree, the first being in Psychology. I have been job hunting for 2+ months in the Nashville area, and the hospitals are pretty limited on how many new grads they hire for "hospital work." I think it will be easier to get my foot in the door via psychiatric nursing, but people had warned me about getting pigeon-holed. It's very reassuring to hear that people do transition and go on to have fulfilling careers outside of behavioral health!

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I started out in psych but have worked lots of different other-specialties. What you mentioned has never been an issue for me.