BSN_DEC_2006

Any insight into what to take into consideration as a new grad PMHNP? Inpt psych hospital or outpt private practice psych clinic (as an employee)?

If a physician ever orders IM haldol/benadryl/ativan, how do you typically administer it? Do you mix them all together or separate syringes. I've read that benadryl isn't compatible with many things. Thanks.

I too, administer the IM Haldol & Ativan together while giving the IM Benadryl separate. It's only because of the drugbook i have says that the Benadryl and Haldol are not compatible.

Am currently in a Psych/MH NP program and will finish in a year. I hope this last year goes by fast because the program is busy and intense. I miss the travel RN life.

Just curious, What sort of things do u do on your inpatient adult psych unit to promote good sleep hygiene (excluding sleep meds)?

I strongly suggest that you get some type of med/surg, ER, or ICU experience as a new grad before going in to psych nursing, even if it's only for a few months. I started out in the ICU before going in to psych, which helped tremendously with my phy...

Just curious.... Does your institution require that patients be placed in scrubs if they are on suicide precautions, or any other type of visible identifier for that matter? Our psych facility does, but I'm not a big fan of the policy. How does ...

I'm currently in a psych/mental health NP program, and am currently paying everything out of pocket. I managed to save a significant amount of $ while doing travel nursing 2 years ago. This was when travel companies were paying good $, and nearly a...

Thanks for the responses. I tried to do a brief literature research regarding this "scrubs" policy that we have for patients on suicide precautions, but i couldn't find anything. We use paper scrubs on every new admit we get, and the patients alway...

Well, to answer your question jcmoore2007... I think both technical and interpersonal communication skills are equally important and necessary in any specialty of nursing. I think both of these skills can be learned and mastered over time. Of cours...

Psych nursing can definitely have its moments where it can be considered easy. But, so can any other specialty. I have been working as a mental health RN for nearly 6 months now. Prior to this I had been and ICU/ER RN for the past 4 years. In my ...

No, i don't believe everyone needs to spend time on the the med/surg floors before starting in the ICU. Yes, there are some new grad RN's who start in the ICU who can't handle it, but i blame that on the Directors that are hiring them. These new gr...

I was with Cirrus all of last year as an ICU travel RN. My recruiter was great and treated me well. I was satisfied with the housing they provided for me on each assignment i was on. I've since stopped traveling because of graduate school, but i ...

I started travel nursing after only 15 months working as an ICU nurse. The good thing about the ICU i started in was that it was a relatively big hospital for a medium-sized city. Our unit had 16 ICU beds and 8 Step-down beds. Sometimes we would u...

I'm in the exact same boat as you, with similar credentials, but only 2.5 yrs as an RN. But i'm in the Southwestern United States. Have submitted a few applications to psych facilities thus far... no bites as of yet, but it's only been about 8 days...

They're great if your facility uses them but not all ICU's carry them. However, nothing beats a really good, focused physical assessment alongside accompanying labs... something that every ICU is capable of doing.

My guess is that they'll send everything out by tomorrow and that we won't hear anything til early next week.

Still have not heard anything yet from NMSU, bummer.

Yeah, i'm in the same boat as you. I applied to one other out of state school and have already received an acceptence from them, but they're way out in the east coast and NMSU was my 1st choice because of work. I've yet to hear anything form them t...

Did u end up applying for NMSU's online program? Have u heard anything from them yet?

U may want to also consider traveling 3 hrs south of Albuquerque and applying to New Mexico State's BSN program. I believe your odds of getting in at State are better than at UNM. But, then again, if i had to do it all over again, I probably would...

To all current/prospective nursing students at NMSU, Once you graduate from nursing school and meet other RN's that graduated from various nursing schools across the country, you will come to realize that ALL NURSING SCHOOLS ARE BASICALLY THE SAME. ...

I started traveling in the summer of 2008, and I was only picky about my 1st assignment (didn't want to be too far away from home). But back then, nearly every traveler could be picky because of the numerous contracts that were available throughout ...

Looks like travel assignments are still slim pickens, well with my agency anyway. My 1st contract here in Texas ended the first week of January and I extended til the beginning of March. My recruiter emails me about potential assignments and as soo...

I was required to take this exam for one of the Texas Health Resources (THR) hospitals in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. They make all travelers take it in the THR system. I passed, but thought it was a pretty long exam. For the most part it wasn't ve...