Ped Psych RN

[lmb117]

I have been working in a pediatric psychiatric unit since graduating nursing school, 4 years ago. I have been interested in transitioning to a more medical unit and am wondering what would be a good specialty for someone with psych experience?

[TriciaJ, RN]

There's a certain amount of overlap with neuro.

[pinkiepieRN]

Maybe not your cup of tea, but you could always consider Adult Psych. Adult Psych often has more medically complex patients (depending on what your unit accepts) and there's of course the obvious co-morbidities, like asthma, COPD, HTN and obesity. I just left an Adult Psych unit that did IV fluids, PICCs, TPN, wound care and handled a patient with a trach. You can still use your psych skills but it's a little more challenging.

I left Pedi Psych to go back to Adult Psych. I was on nights. I like kids and nights but it got boring because kids mostly sleep through the night and if they're up, it's a PITA.

[NurseCard, ADN]

Bless. Your. Heart.

I did pediatric psych for a year and a half. That's all I could stand.

And I even worked nights. They slept most of the time but for that

short time that they were awake... Wow.

Anyway, I concur with Pinkie Pie, maybe adult psych or even

geriatric psych. Geriatric psych, you will for sure see a lot

more medical issues that you can play with.

[Orca, ADN, ASN, RN]

My hat is off to you for hanging in this long. I worked in a stand-alone mental health facility that had geriatric, adult and child/adolescent psych units. On occasion I was pulled from my normal geropsych assignment to cover the child/adolescent unit. I did not like it at all. I was offered the day shift charge position on that unit, and I told them that I would just stay put.