Halle396

I'm a RN in an acute psych facility. I think that it is extremely important to search EVERY patient on admission!! Although they are each wanded when they come through the door, this can miss things. We have them go to a room and remove all clothing. This is an external viewing of their body. In addition to searching for items; we also are marking down all scars, scratches, cuts, burns, bruises, tattoos, & etc. We search and wash everything they are wearing & all clothes they brought with them. This is to hopefully destroy any pills or drugs they may have sewn into their clothing. I have personally found pills taped under breasts & bellies, lighters, matches, needles, inhalers, razor blades, and even a knife once during the safety check. And this was all after the "wanding". If facilities aren't doing this now, then they should definitely step it up. We do this for every patient. I know that it's hard to believe that a 65 year old granny would come toting pills or marijuana, but you would be surprised! Psych patients are mentally unstable. They are sometimes impulsive, oppositional, drug addicted, or just plain scared they won't get their benzos that they have relied on for twenty years. Best to check everyone and everything they bring along thoroughly to ensure their safety as well as your own.

I am in western nc @ a for profit hospital owned by tenet healthcare. Starting pay for new grad RNs regardless of ADN or BSN is $19 with a $3 shift diff. In previous years a BSN would earn an extra dollar on the hour but they have recently shut that down.

I have been a psych RN for almost five years. It was the first and only nursing position that I applied for as a new grad. No real reason, I just saw the opening & applied. When I was offered the position-I took it & didn't think twice. I have enjoyed my job, but....be careful going into psych as a new grad. There are certain skills that you learn in nursing school and will not use in psych. I think when you dont use- you lose! I now have a fear of leaving psych because I have not used those skills in 5 years. Psych nursing allows for the occasional NS IV fluids (rarely) and the even rarer catheter. But if there is any emergency, we call 911 & an ambulance takes our patient a 1/2 block away to our main hospital. We have a crash cart that has an ambu bag, IV start kit & fluids, O2 masks & that's about it. No emergency meds. With that being said, I will tell you that I do enjoy my job. It is probably not as fulfilling as medical nursing. I get cursed & threatened more often than not. I work our detox unit & there is nothing worse than telling an involuntarily committed addict that "Sorry, the doctor has stopped ALL of your pain meds & benzos, but I can give you some tylenol & vistaril instead". Now, that's always an ugly situation. Rarely do I ever get a genuine "thank you", if it is heard then it's most likely one of our manipulative staff splitters that you have to be very weary of. Of course there is perks too. It can be fun. & it can be very easy. You have the opportunity to meet people when they are on their way back up from rock bottom, and there is a great feeling of internal reward here. Although psych patients can flip on a dime, usually any decline in health is not sudden & you have the opportunity to intervene before it gets critical. If I could do it over, I would definitely go into med surg or a specialty that allowed me to apply the things I learned in school. I have been told over & over that skills come back to you, but I am not sure of this. If u have the choice to work any medical unit as a new grad then u should take it, and then later switch to psych.

I am in NC. I started out with just an RN associate's degree and worked at an acute care psych unit in a small town hospital. It started out @ $19 per hour almost 5 years ago with $1 more per hour if you were BSN. I picked up my BSN in May & they are not paying any more for this on the hour now. They have said that they no longer pay more for BSN. I love psych & I love this area, but I have been there for too long to be making only 22 per hour with a $3 shift diff for working night shift, so I am interested in travel nursing. I know this has good pay.