Yoga RN

I've never seen a review of a hospital, pysch or not, that DIDN'T have a negative review. I wouldn't take those reviews seriously. If you want an accurate description of what it's like working at either of those hospitals, simply call the unit during non-prime hours (i.e. PM shift), let the nurse know who answers you are considering working on the unit, and ask them to describe what it's like.

Congratulations on your decision! That is very exciting! From my experience, if something has been on your heart for a while, it is worth pursuing. To answer your question, start with a search in your area for an eating disorder treatment center and see what you find! These types of places definitely do exist. There are clinics, outpatient groups, acute inpatient facilities, and residential programs all dedicated specifically to helping those with eating disorders. There is an amazing clinic/residential program in my city for eating disorders where people of all ages can get treatment, and the staff includes nurses, psychiatrists, nutrition counselors, and therapists. I also know of two other inpatient psych units for eating disorders nearby, one is dedicated solely to people with eating disorders, the other is an adolescent psych unit where they treat a fair amount of eating disorders. If this is your passion, then it is worth pursuing. Good luck!

I would score this patient 3 on the CIWA scale. 1 for slight tremor, 1 for mild headache, and 1 for mild light sensitivity. It sounds as if he was already quite sedated from the previous doses of Ativan he received, and since his vital signs were stable and CIWA score was low, he does not need an Ativan currently. I would just let him sleep, make sure he stays hydrated, and reassess q2hours while awake and q4hours while sleeping. When it comes to an addictive medication like benzos, less is more. When I assess tremors I keep this scale in mind: Scoring 1 is "tremor not visible but can be felt fingertip to fingertip." Scoring 4 is "moderate with arms extended," meaning the patient would have difficulty using a fork or a pen. One trick to accurately assess tremors is to watch the patient when they don't know you're watching, like when they're eating.

It depends on the day and it also depends on where you work. I work on an inpatient psych unit, and I am able to spend a good amount of time with my patients. My day consists of almost constant communication with my patients, assessing their mood, providing them with encouragement, and offering advice. I find it to be an art form, because if you are not able to communicate effectively with your patients, they could escalate. I would recommend PM shift for you, it is a slower pace so you would have more time for therapeutic communication with your patients. However, there is a difference between a nurse who intentionally spends time with their patients, vs. a nurse who chooses to sit at the computer all shift.

I find a better work/life balance with 8 hour shifts.

Common Plans of Care for my mental health patients include: Altered Mental Status r/t Psychosis. Impaired Safety and Fall Risk r/t AODA Withdrawal. Ineffective Coping r/t Depression and Anxiety. Impaired Nutrition r/t Catatonia. For your first example, fatigue is a symptom of sleep pattern disturbance, so using an example such as mania would be a better fit.

Request to schedule a face-to-face meeting with your nursing manager. They will be able to offer advice on how to better adjust to your unit, as well as if it is possible to transfer to psych. It never hurts to ask, and it is important to honestly communicate about how you are feeling in your new position. It seems to me if you love working with the patients and completing assessments, then psych would be a great fit for you.