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I let them use them while they rest because I determine if they need to rest. I'm going to pick my battles and that is one I'm not willing to pick.

I would not feel bad about stepping away from your job for a while. I had a similar situation, I did not quit my job but I suffered unnecessarily for too long. I've since moved on from my job and I don't miss it. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate right now, and job place safety might be nice. Good luck.

In Texas the Board states you have to have one nursing degree higher to teach students. Not sure what California says.

I'm starting on my PhD in August, but I've been through the application and interview process so I can answer your first question. Before starting my application process I knew the population and general subject I wanted to study. I did not and still do not have a specific question narrowed down yet, but I know what I want to study. Professors really liked that I had an idea/area I wanted to study and population. They also liked that I wasn't completely rigid with my ideas as well, but I had direction. I spoke with six schools and specifically spoke with faculty from each school whom I thought could possibly be my advisor. Doing that helped me narrow down my school choices. As far as your second question: each PhD director told me the exact thing regarding staring your doctoral education earlier. I'm a second career nurse, so I feared not being a 10-20 year practicing nurse would hurt me. It also would not be physically possible for me due to my age. They all explained that is why we have a nurse faculty shortage because of the misguided belief that you have to have a 20+ year clinical career then pursue higher education. No other science field does that. I do not need 10+ years of bedside experience to be a researcher. I feel comfortable teaching in my clinical field with the experience I have and will continue to gain during my program.

It depends on what do you want to do? Do you want to handle them medically? Do you want to be a generalist? I work with NP students and for FNP you have a different set of pharm, you are accountable for pedi through geri, you have to be knowledgeable and tested over pelvic exams, etc. PMHNP are sought after and paid more because it is a specialty that requires a knowledge of drugs that most MD's do not like to mess with. As an ER nurse you know it requires immense therapeutic communication and specialized training that not everyone is cut out for. Some people like being generalist, some people prefer to be a specialist; I have not found many who do both well in my opinion.

In my opinion you don't need the DNP because you are a practicing NP at the moment. From what I have seen the DNP programs are more focused on clinical side, which you already have. Do you want to conduct research and add to the body of knowledge? Then I would consider a PhD in nursing. I am doing that with a focus in global nursing. You could pursue a PhD in public health, but I think it's easier to stay in your science and focus on public/global health with your research.

Do exactly what chacha82, ADN, RN said. Prioritize paying your loan over everything else! Like one finance guru said "the latte factor" people will drop $4-5 on a latte a day (or whatever you are spending money on), well that $4-5 dollars adds up to big money. I have paid off big student loan debt, big credit card debt doing exactly what I'm suggesting. You have to cut expenses to the bare bones, work you butt off, and you will see the debt come down. You won't pay off this kind of debt in a year, but if you're smart and work hard you can pay it off in a very short period of time. I would not begrudge your debt either. If you are the first college grad in your family (like I am) it's your ticket to making a better life. Make those payments with pride!

Normally these pt's have medical issues that need to be taken care before a private psychiatric facility will accept. Attempted suicide-if they were injured those need to be addressed. If an acute psychosis pt has any medical issues (hypertension, diabetes, etc) then they can transfer. Psych pt's are traditionally placed in ICU due to lower ratios. Most of the time you can't have a patient in restraints 24 hours prior to transfer. I'm a former ICU nurse turned psych nurse. Depending on diagnosis psych patients don't like being confined to a bed or a room. Most are addicted to nicotine and want to smoke and want many other substances. My heart aches for these patients and the staff that care for them. There needs to be more training in this area.

I'm willing to bet you are at a UHS facility.

No they are not obligated to report you to the BON. They are only obligated to report suspicion of abuse. A third party to report to the board would normally be your employer if your diagnosis impaired your nursing abilities on the job-psychotic episode or something or if someone showed up to work drunk.

Here is the website which maybe can answer your question. Welcome to TPAPN - Texas Nurses Association

Lesson learned: no more giving her a head's up. It was not owed to her, nor was it required. This counselor is unprofessional and intimidated by your relationship with the students.

Love our psych CNA's!!!!!

Is psych boring? No. You state you want to work psych and that is awesome! I would talk to your clinical instructor and he or she might be able to give you more insight. Remember there are many different areas to psych besides acute inpatient. Your situation could be the floor you are on: * Related to type of patients (addiction, low psychosis, gero psych (would not be boring), intellectual differences) * Related to physician: are patients being over-medicated and zombie-like? * Related to Nursing: Understaffed and only have time to pass meds/chart? Low morale? Hospital attitude where they prefer clinical staff to interact more with patients? * Related to protecting you: When I have had student nurses I really didn't have much for you to do or witness because our hospital was so acute I feared for their safety and I kept them away from patients. They were not trained in our safety measures and I honestly didn't trust their instincts or my patients not to sense fear. I love psych and we need passionate nurses. I left critical for psych because ICU was just too predictable for me, so to each their own. Good luck!

I'm an experienced psych nurse who has given many IM injections to psychotic patients who were actively trying to attack patients and nurses. I will "try" to aspirate and I do not z-track because normally the patient is in a hold with at least three people restraining them and they are extremely angry, so more harm would come from using Z track method. This is where you can be taught something in school, but you prioritize safety of patient and others and decide the best treatment. You do not aspirate on vaccines any longer, but if you do no harm done.