hpcat

If you're interested, give it a try. I've been doing it for 3 years and love it. You will learn to recognize when patients are escalating and how to bring them down. A good rappor with your staff is essential, as mine have actually prevented me from ...

Just an FYI, psychiatric nursing shifts are typically 8 hours instead of 12. That's because the patients are really rough on the staff. Don't assume psychiatric nurising is easier, in fact it can be much more difficult. Some of my coworkers left psyc...

If you work inpatient in a state psychiatric hospital or short-term acute hospital unit or facility, you need CPI. Typically the hospital will give you the training in a class. I have worked for the state and short-term acute, you need CPI to protect...

Try to present yourself with confidence, they will want to know if you can maintain your cool in an emergency.

For this type patient, you need to know crisis prevention & intervention (aka self defense for psych nurses), you need to be able to medicate with PRN and/or stat meds, over objection if necessary, and you need to be able to use seclusion and/or ...

I was taught in school to aspirate. But sometimes circumstances make it less than ideal. When medicating an agitated, adrenaline fueled psych patient who's being restrained by a half dozen staff, you need to consider the safety of the patient and sta...

I strongly believe that psych nursing has a huge "social work" component to it - the pt's social problems are the prime reason they become ill and the biggest barrier to getting well. The medical aspect to psych can be much lighter than any other kin...

I also started in psych which is the specialty I wanted, first a 13 week contract at a state facility, now at a small acute psych facility that used to have a prestigi0us rep but now on the wane and awaiting takeover from a hospital network. I work n...

I am about to leave a job at a psychiatric facility (my decision, got a job offer:yeah:). This was my first job out of school. The facility got a great rating from JCHAO. I had a contract position weekends double shifts and have floated to many ward...

I'm a new nurse, and while there are nurses I meet who like to treat you like an idiot, MANY MORE are supportive and helpful cuz they remember what it was like to be new. Every workplace has its share of jerks, and I bet you're not the only one who t...

I used to work for a case management dept of a hospital (nonnursing position) and saw what happened when families had to face loved ones whose health was declining and/or they could not be placed safely back home and needed LT care. #1 problem is den...

Don't overlook the value of anything you've done, even for a short period, that is healthcare related. I did some volunteer work with emotionally disturbed children, did flu clinics, had a non-nursing job at a hospital, trained adults adjusting to di...

I had a major neck injury at age 35 but fortunately my then employer gave me long term disability insurance. I couldn't work or drive even for a year and a half. Short term disability and saved personal/sick time runs out fast - I was so happy to hav...

My daughter's nurse practitioner has bipolar disorder. She also has 2 MSNs (nurse practioner) in behavioral and peds, and is considered an expert on children with ADHD. You can do this.

Must be a "frenemy"

you can douse a room with buckets of blood and diarrhea, one ill-placed loogy can send me retching...

I don't think it's all that gloomy. New grads are going to have it tough of course, no one wants inexperienced nurses cuz it takes too much time and $ to train you. I'm starting to hear of more nurses retiring which will open up some spaces. I'm find...

Good reminder - if you want to live in NYC you have to pay city taxes in addition to regular state and federal. Well to New York!

I'm doing Molloy in the fall, but my hospital want to certify me themselves, I'm taking it cuz basically it looks good on a resume.

Look into schools on discovernursing.com, there are some online bridge programs for people with a bachelor's in something else, I can't recall the schools offhand but they have you take a couple of extra classes and you can go onto a master's.

I agree, the cost of education is pricey, good luck with that tuition reimbursement. Maybe it will cover if you go to a state school and stretch out over time, but, uh, everyone else is competing with you for those slots cuz they're trying to save a ...

I think it's great to encourage RNs to get their BSN. I have an ADN plus a BA in social sciences, I plan on getting a MSN. However, we're in a time period when the employers can call the shots since there's a lot of unemployed nurses. Watch things tu...

I think it depends on the position, try several travel nursing companies. Many travel nursing jobs look for very skilled people, yes, but there are also temp assignments cuz they don't have the budget for new positions, need people to cover employees...

yes they are called supplemental health care, so far I've had good results and service from them, they are nationwide. Good luck!

Update! A travel nursing position came thru for me for a local state psychiatric hospital - ironic cuz that's what I wanted to specialize in. It's only 32 hrs a week (2 weekend double shifts, yikes!) for 13 weeks but the pay is great and they even ga...