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I'm not sure what section this belongs in. My school went from using HESI exit tests to using Kaplan exit tests and I am doing horrendous on Kaplan. So much so that I am really wondering if I am going to pass the NCLEX in December/January. I was doin...

Just curious what patient population everyone works with, or would like to work with.

Just wondering if any psych nurses have malpractice insurance? Is this something I need to think about getting? I was told conflicting advice in nursing school and am not sure the best course of action. Thanks!

Thanks everyone! I'll definitely look in to getting some.

Not as a nurse, but when I was a PT aide I walked to/from work (~0.5 miles) in a blizzard. It was so bad they ended up getting the plows off the road for a period of time. It made for very eerie walking! The walked to/from work for the next 2 weeks a...

Another new grad who went straight to psych nursing. While it's only been 3 months, I don't see myself regretting my decision. I WOULD have regretted my decision to do med/surg! That's just not me. It's never been me. I've ALWAYS been a "psych" perso...

Wish I could like this more than once! Can't agree more about the teamwork and trust in coworkers.

Heard this all through nursing school. It's not the clinical skills that are hard, it's everything else. A lot of the clinical skills we do, someone has taught a family member to do to take care of their loved one, or taught the patient themselves. ...

Each shift got food every day. Everything from free breakfast for night shift, to pizza, desserts, wraps, etc.

I know those still waiting are frustrated, but keep in mind that just because no one on Allnurses has had a change in status this week so far, that it doesn't mean no one has received a change in status this week. Allnurses is not the entire populati...

My unit doesn't do this, but you could have the patients give the people they want to be able to get information a "code word" that the caller must give when they call. Not sure how it works since the person could give it to another person. As for i...

I think of it more as an adjunct. Some psychiatric patients have a mental illness with no behavioral health (acting out) symptoms, such as those with certain types of depression, whereas those with dementia have a psychiatric illness that includes us...

PinkEagle I am so happy for you!!!

So true Viva. ANY ONE can end up with a mental illness. I really don't understand some people's "get over it" attitude. Have they never experienced mental illness, either personally or someone in their family? What if it happens to one of their kids?...

I had the same number of clinical hours for psych as I did for OB, peds, and community. The only clinical that had more was med/surg. It baffles me that some programs have so little exposure to a population that is in so much need.

Interview invitations went out over a week or so period, if I remember correctly. Try not to let the knowledge that someone has an interview and you don't (yet) worry you. I know that's impossible, just trying to help.

I do not think they send out announcements/invitations in alphabetical order. It's random.

Pretty much this. And it hasn't happened yet LOL. I'm only in my first week on the unit though, so in time I'm sure it will.

Two of my classmates were pregnant during adult health/med surg clinical. One of my classmates was pregnant her last semester. It's not an issue if the required classes/clincals can be completed. My advice is to buy cheap scrubs, especially tops, ...

There were cuss words?

Goodness this all hits home for me! Psych has been my dream job for over half of my life and I am very excited to start working in psych as my first job out of nursing school! Thanks for a great write up!

There are no CNL's at Shady Grove, only Baltimore. From a graduate's perspective, the new program is MUCH better than the old in terms of workload management. I also did the 16 month version so the longer version, as well as different class pairings...

Wanted to add that UMSON - Baltimore does NOT have an "official" Facebook group so you WILL have to make your own. And we were/are all very thankful there is no staff on there

Breakfast is really important and it doesn't take that long to cook up some eggs. How far is your commute/what time are you getting up that 15-30 minutes to get in a healthy breakfast seems like too much? As for lunch, sandwiches, wraps, leftovers, e...

Check NCLEX pass rates. Hopkins is almost 10% higher than Towson. I went to University of Maryland and never even considered Towson because of their pass rate.