PsychRN29

Hi I work at a psych facility and have for about a year and a half since graduating from nursing school. I actually work on a child unit, but when there are code blues in the hospital 1 nurse from every unit must respond. I recently responded and felt like I didnt know what to do with myself. I ended up doing the recording and did the best I could. What I was wondering was if a doctor or PA isnt present, whose decision is it to give the pt meds (oxygen, aspirin, nitro, etc). We have psychiatrists in the building usually..would they order it? Can nurses make that call if a dr is or isnt around? a PA? I feel embarassed asking because I should know this, but i havnt been involved in code situations before so Im not sure. I definitely want to take the time to familiarize myself with our crash cart and review my kn0wledge of oxygen administration, but are there any other tips you can give me?? This code I recently responded to was for an adult, but I work with kids. Any tips on responding to a child in a code situation?? Thank you!

Can anyone tell me the responsibilities of an RN in an outpatient psych setting?? I currently work at an inpatient psych facility with kids and Im curious about the similarities and differences of an outpatient setting. Is the pay usually less?

I have been a psych nurse for about a year and have thoughts of transferring to a med surg unit in the near future to keep up my clinical skills. From what I have heard, the hands on skills like putting in a catheter or starting an IV will come back to you much quicker than you think. And not to mention, the communication skills and conflict management that a psych nurse possesses would definitely come in handy in the ER. The majority of our patients come from the ER and are much more acute and difficult to manage there, so I can imagine that the ER nurses possess similar qualities of a mental health nurse. They must be able to handle all types of patients with different personalities and many of whom have mental health diagnoses. They must be able to diffuse a situation and be prepared to handle anything, which is exactly how I would describe the role of a psych nurse. Inpatient psych units are often very chaotic and so you learn how to function and remain calm in a chaotic environment, which is a marketable quality when applying for that ER job! Good luck as a psych nurse and keep the ER in your future plan. I think you'll find that you're more than capable to transfer the skills you have gained as a psych nurse!!

Thank you both for the encouraging words! It's nice to hear from someone else that it is doable and worthwhile. I do think that my clinical skills would eventually come back to me, but I just feel somewhat anxious like Im starting all over again. Part of me is nervous to be a med surg nurse because I feel like its easy to get overwhelmed and theres so much to learn. Not to say that psych nursing isnt also challenging, but it carries a different type of stressors. Another part of me feels that if I don't try I will regret it in the future, and I shouldnt let my fear or anxiety about it get in the way. I should give it a shot and take it as a challenge, knowing that I will eventually gain confidence and feel less nervous. Thanks again for the encouraging words and listening to my venting.

I graduated a year ago and have worked on a child psych unit ever since. I would like to get back into a med surg environment because I feel like I am already losing my skills and dont want to be in a situation where psych nursing is my only option. A position just opened at a nearby hospital on the unit that I did my clinical rotation on, and I would like to work there because I know the population and would feel somewhat comfortable with this transition. Im wondering if anyone has made this transition from psych to med surg and how it went? Was it really difficult or manageable?? Im sure that Ill feel anxious and overwhelmed for maybe the first year, but will my skills come back to me?? I was a patient care tech while in nursing school so I do have a little experience which Im sure will be helpful. Im also wondering if the manager will want to hire someone like me, keeping in mind that hospital nursing jobs in my area are hard to come by....So is there anyone who has gone from psych to med surg and has insight for me??

I'm a new grad working on a child/psych unit and Im confused about the difference between EPS symptoms and tardive dyskinesia. How does each present in a child? Is Cogentin used to treat both? What about ativan or benadryl? Thanks

Im a new nurse too and often feel the same way, but I talk to my friends that are nurses and they all say to hang in there...its normal to feel this way for the first year or so. Hearing this always helps me and I often think about it after a challenging shift. So you're not alone...Hope that helps!

Thanks for the encouraging words Davey Do. I agree that everyone has different approaches for dealing with these patients and not every technique works for everyone. I definitely have a more calm apporach as opposed to the loud and in charge approach so Im going to continue to observe those around me that are wonderful nurses and learn more from them. More importantly, guess I have to be more patient with myself as a new nurse and understand the complexity of these children..Thanks again for your advice!

Hi, Im a new grad working at an inpatient psych hospital on two different units. One unit is children ages 5 to 12, and the adolescent unit is ages 13-17. Ive been there about 2 months and Im still orienting. I find that I related better with the adolescents but I dont have a choice as to which unit I work on. I have to go back and forth to both units. Although I like working with the younger kids, I often leave feeling incompetent and like the kids don't take me seriously. I try to set limits with them but it doesnt usually work. And theres always a couple that give me a hard time about taking their meds. Sometimes these kids are oppositional toward all staff so I dont take it personally, but other times they are compliant with other staff, so it makes me feel like I need to learn a new approach. I do understand that Im brand new to the field and Im sure it takes time to develop confidence and effective techniques for working with this population, but I would love some concrete tips! Usually there are 2 nurses working on the unit with a few mental health counselors, but lately it seems that there is only 1 nurse working when someone calls out, and I fear that I am off orientation soon and I will be there by myself with kids not listening to me and refusing meds...Help!