busybug

Thank you!! I really appreciate your response!

Thank you very much! Wow! That's awesome! I'm even more excited than I was before now!! I am glad for the fact that getting a BS in psych wouldn't really be of too much benefit; although I adore psychology, I do not have the funds for that much schooling, err, at least do not feel like taking out that many loans! I don't mean to be a bother, you answered all of my questions perfectly though, it inclines me to ask more! If you wouldn't mind? I saw you typed that you actually get to spend time talking with your patients and holding therapy and education groups. Concerning talking with your patients, is it like a pseudo (for lack of a better word) psychologist session? I find that wonderful psych nurses (and I am naive, so maybe its most nurses) can spend time with their patients and get to know them. Is that like that anywhere being a psych nurse or just in certain settings (is it more fast paced, less time to spend with patients etc)? And for the education and therapy groups - do you need extra certification to hold them (teach them)? And again, are the education and therapy groups common among psychiatric nurse's duties everywhere or just under certain conditions/settings? Thank you heaps! Your input is grreeatly appreciated! :thankya:

Hello everyone! I am a senior in high school, graduating in three months, and then heading off to college in the Fall of this year. I am going to college to earn my RN-ADN degree. I intend to go to a four year college at the same community college I will be attending to obtain my RN-BSN. I have read numerous posts and threads here about whether it is worth it or not to obtain your BSN in nursing (as well as researching the internet) and I have come to to the conclusion that it is what I am going to do. I was excited to have that much figured out, haha, however, I am still confused about how to become a psychiatric nurse. I have a slew of questions, and if anyone could help me out I would be SO grateful...as I know many people on here speak from experience! :loveya: (And as a side note...I know some of my questions probably don't specifically belong in this board per se, so feel free to correct me on that as well ). While in nursing school obtaining my ADN, do I need to take additional classes geared toward psychological studies? Does one need an additional certification to become a psychiatric nurse (if so, how would I go about that? I've heard of APNA - do they have a process of some sort)? I may be wrong, but contradicting my question above, if one does not need an additional certification, does it benefit academically/professionally/salary wise? Would it be [very] beneficial to obtain a BS in psychology? (I adore psychology, so the extra schooling wouldn't bother me, it would be the money, hence why I ask would it benefit) And this last one, I'll be brutally honest...as I mentioned before, yes, I do love psychology (thus why I believe I would want to nurse in the specialty of psychiatric), however, I haven't the slightest clue as to the duties that differ from what I have been reading "bedside nurses" in the ER. Forgive me for my naiveté in the subject - I know nothing in the field, but I have a passion to change that. I appreciate any help. If I was confusing I am certainly willing to clarify as well. Thank you.