PsychNurseDee

I work in a state psych facility with children and adolescents. I have seen a better response to clonodine for tremors in adolescents, but I agree, if this is the first drug that has been tried with your son, then I would suggest a different drug be tried, instead trying to combat side effects of that one. the least amount of drugs to control symptomotology the better. Consult the physician about your concerns and problem solved together. YOU and your son should be active in the treatment planning process. Best of luck to you both. Dedee

I will graduate from massage therapy school on Dec. 16th:D I have been a RN for 17 years, and pursued it as an area of interest after I myself recieved my first massage several months post op for a fractured knee. They accomplished more improvement with my ROM than several months of PT had accomplished, by soft tissue mobilization. I personally hope to use the MT in association/conjunction with psychiatric counselling for my clients when I obtain my Nurse Practioner's licensure. I believe that as a therapist, I provide the level of service my client needs based on assessment. I may start out doing a Swedish style massage, but if I locate trigger points, then I will proceed with more NMT and deep tissue work, with the goal being relief of discomfort and improved mobility. In reference to my experience, I was seen my someone who was nationally and state certified as an MT, with specialty certification in NMT, reflexology, and aromatherapy. Their licensure should be posted in their office, and it is certainly your right to ask about credentials and ask to see them.

Hi, In my opinion, the double major is probably unecessary pressure. I graduated with a BSN and went straight to work in a psych facility. Within a few years, I took the exam to become a RNC, with certification being in psychiatric nursing. If nursing is yoiur major, and your passion is psychology, I would say that I have learned more on the job and through continuing ed than I think I would have sitting in psychology classes. Whatever your decision, I wish you the best and keep me posted. I have worked in psych for 17 years. I plan to go back and get my NP in psych nursing, and wish I would have stayed in school and done it before I got out....but you live and you learn:uhoh3: I currently am also in massage therapy school...go figure!!( and I love it, plan to merge that with the psych stuff) Dedee

In Louisiana they are about to open some positions like this. I am not sure what the specifics are, it is within the state system, so salaries will be consistent with MS pay scales. My considerations are regarding medical coverage and psych emergency coverage for these particular clients, as well as staff/patient ratios. Dedee

I think this is absurd!! Please get a second or third opinion. I might also recommed a dietary consult. Many children has severe hyperactivity as a response to some preservatives, colors, ingredients. I certainly would want a child "labeled" as bipolar at two years old without a thorough medical eval to rule out any other possible etiologies. And I certainly would not want to start antipsychotics in a child this young...even if it is an atypical. Please keep me posted. This is concerning to me. Dedee

Nurseyperson I am in MT school now, and have been a RN for 17 years. I have certainly learned that there is ALOT I didn't know about the benefits of massage..and it is certainly more involved than a "backrub" as we were taught in nursing school. NMT has been an amazing eye opener for me!! I love what I am learning. I am interested in your comment about "medical massage". Is that a seperate certification/classification, and if so what are the requirements for it? I am in Louisiana, and per a request for a decision on my ability to perform massage as a nurse, they say that it is covered, but can't be called "massage therapy".. I wonder if medical massage is what they are referring to. I am quite leary of how/what to advertise as to what I can legally do and how to charge. Any other info you can provide me is great. Thanks Dedee

Perhaps if there was no previously identified etiology or risk factors it is classified as NOS. Or, as in psych, it doesn't fit one of the already common categories of heart disease ASHD, etc. Not sure. Ask your doc and let us know what you find out.

Of course you can provide good nursing to psych patients. You have more insight into their needs and feelings than many. I am a psych nurse who has major depression. I went through the same questioning after my first episode. I was unable to work for about 2 mos. Had a "trial and error" episode with meds to get me stabilized. Had the experience of stopping my meds "because I was doing so much better...I must be through it". I went through months of therapy (and boy was I a resistant, asonine patient for that therapist initially). Those were difficult times for me. I wondered about my abilities. How could I tell patients not to "adjust" their own meds when I had. Because now I had first hand experience as to the situations that lead to noncompliance. Keep yourself stable, and you will be an immense asset to your clients. Use your experiences (with appropriate disclosure of course) to help you patients see that they can make it through and flourish. God Bless you. Take care

I agree. Getting the right diagnosis is important to ensuring you are put on the right med for you. Having an emotional disorder, controlled with treatment, should not preclude you from being employed. I would recommend checking around for Psych NPs or another psychiatrist at least. Make some initial contacts in your area, and networking will provide you with additional resources. Best of luck to you. Keep us posted on how you are doing.

I have been a psych nurse for 17 years. I went to psych straight out of college. I have to agree, it is important to keep up your medical skills because psych patients have medical issues too, and the psychotropics can cause or exacerbate some medical issues as well. I worked PT in med-surg and full time in psych for the first two years. Since then, I do my own education through CEs, journals, etc to keep up with new knowledge. Of course I haven't started an IV in years and am unfamiliar with new medical gadgets, but I think there will always be psych patients to keep me in a job.