nursedanny614

Does anyone else get annoyed when people tell you "you work with the crazies" or some other condescending word about the mentally ill. any normal person could end up having a mental break even temporary. I think people need to educated. What do you all think?

The powers that be don't care about my well being just a buck. Sometimes I don't mind it but I have to be in the right mood. I always get the nurses who tell me "you're too young to be tired" They don't care so I have to speak up.

a year and a half now. I love being the voice of the sick but I need to find the voice for me. I am the youngest and newest nurse on the unit and the generation gap can be intimidating.

Very true. Perhaps I'm too hard on myself or paranoid. I work on psych so who knows haha.

My main issue is that I don't want them to think I am not taking it seriously or just making excuses.

The word gets to me sometimes. There are times where I am expecting it and I have an answer but sometimes I get caught off guard and feel stupid. Even if I don't end up doing it I have this sense of guilt about it. is it just me or is it normal. mind you that it frequently is asked of me.'

We had a floating unit clerk the other day who had nothing but respect for us. Made me feel good. I think psych is harder than other specialities. Think about it. You can scan a heart to find a clot and fix it but you can't scan a person's psyche.

Yea I have been told that other types of nurses look down on psych nurses. Forget that I think we are just as much nurses as any other specialty

Sounds fun. I'm just nervous it may be hard. I was never the best at research

What's grad school like for a psych np program?

Any psych nurse practitioners here? I am in the process of applying to graduate school to become one and I am so excited. Any advice?

Best advice is lead by example when teaching coping skills. Show them how a normal reaction is by remaining calm and assertive.

My favorite patients are the ones I refer to as "pleasantly psychotic" they just talk to themselves and don't bother anyone and they are nice. I have one who if he sees another patient freaking out just says "chill out" ha

I feel like I could write a book with the stories I have and I have only been working in psych for a few months. I love my job. Does anyone else feel like they were meant to be a psych nurse from the start? I feel like it takes a special person. Let's be real you can scan the heart to see a blood clot but you cannot scan the psych. Give it on up for psych nurses :)

I get in a little before 7 and my managers stated i have to be out by 3:30 pm. I work on inpatient acute psych. I notice a lot of nurses taking a lot more time then i do. I always feel like i am doing something wrong or not doing enough.

As a psych nurse I have seen occasions where the patient was the most sane one.

Is that rare? Or do nurses tend to exaggerate? I do what I gotta do and on time.

Yea I told them it wouldn't be safe for the patients and I wouldn't risk my license if something were to happen because I was too tired.

I have been asked several times to do doubles (16 hours) in one day. I usually have to work the next day. I tell them no. I don't think I can handle getting home by 11:30 and waking up at 5:45 and I am still fairly new. Should I feel bad about saying no?

Anybody wish they could go nurse ratchet on a patient (jokingly because of ethics and hippa) some of my patients are a piece of work lol

One for regular meds, one for diabetic meds, one for abx, one for pain med, one for iv meds (ok maybe it is 5 lol). They are tailored to the type of med for example the diabetic mars have room to enter in blood sugars and insulin.

I wish it was all on computer. Half is on computer and we have like 6 different mars depending on the type of med. its unorganized i must say.

How often do you check the mars and the charts for doctor's orders during a shift. Is every hour enough?

Communication techniques are important. To keep a good conversation going use open ended non judgmental questioning. Try not to ask closed ended yes or no questions.

It's sketchy that the nurse manager would do that for her under the table.