ellienurse3

I love this post because it really hits home for me. I have always loved psychology but never went to school for it because I didn't know what I wanted to do (I've always been very interested in counseling though). I loved volunteering at my local hospital in high school and helping others. I got my first degree in biology (thinking I wanted to do med school... but later figured out I loved patient care) and my second degree is in nursing from an accelerated program. During mental health, all my fellow classmates were moaning and groaning about how boring and awful it was but I loved it! When I told others I did, they made comments like "YOU can do that, I definitely wouldn't" or "only those who are actually crazy work in psych." One of my absolute favorite days of nursing school was when I went to a outpatient transitions program and got to sit in on group therapies. I also loved talking to patients in the unit and even if I got them to tell me one thing they loved doing per say, I felt like I was helping. The attitudes of others who don't understand psych or don't like it bother me because every speciality needs nurses who are passionate about going into it. I understand it is not for everyone (I personally could not do med-surg) but the theme of ridiculing others or criticizing them for liking something that's different needs to change. Thank you for posting this for all new grads to read, especially those interested in psych.

Hi all! I am a new graduate nurse from an accelerated BSN program and recently got offered a position in an inpatient psych unit for a residency program. I also was looking into inpatient rehabilitation and the like. I really like seeing patients over the course of their treatment and building relationships with them. However, I've always liked the psych aspect of nursing and not so much the med-surg aspects (though I believe it is just as important to understand the physical as well as psychological aspects of a patient and their diagnoses). I was just looking for some advice as to what job would be better for a new grad. I am afraid if I take a job in another area it will put me behind in psych as I am thinking of becoming an NP someday and would need experience...but have been told I should get medical experience first before psych. As well as this, my family seems nervous for me to go into psych (but that's the stigma of mental illness that needs to be overcome!) Thanks in advance!