CTtoRN

Enjoy your new career!

Working inpatient with the REALLY sick patients will give you an appreciation for the "normal" psych patient, e.g. depression, anxiety, bipolar. I had a guy partially cut his toe off because he used to hurt animals (losing a toe was his "punishment"), had aggressive/violent patients, meth'ed out patients who needed 5 point restraints and a B'52 cocktail, seen patients react badly to medication (neuroleptic malignant syndrome), extreme thought disorder patients, detox patients, cutters, pedophiles, poop eaters, poop artists (finger paint). The personality disorders...I hate borderline patients. Luckily, when you are a psych np you can decide what population you want to work with (most times) usually outpatient...4 patients an hour, new patients 30 min to 90 minutes eval. Just found out a nursing supervisor switched to psych for the money instead of acute care np in college. Don't do it for the money. This population can be overbearing and burn you out quick if your heart isn't in it. So, just understand that the biggest take away for me having psych experience is 1) eval medication effects...are they working?, 2) observe various psych conditions, 3) learning when I'm being manipulated & when patients are malingering. I worked with a great older psych nurse for awhile. Physical violence: worked with a nurse who was beaten so badly in the head she has a crossed eye now. Just read about a psych np who was stabbed multiple times before she could get out of her car...at her office. He was waiting for her! Yikes!

You need medication orders for patient behavior. Benadryl 50mg, Ativan 2mg, Haldol 10mg or geodon IM injections or perhaps IM Zyprexa would benefit you greatly. The solution is you need psych drugs or withdrawal medications to treat these people and you need protocols.

Just because there is a law about not smoking on the law books concerning prisoners doesn't mean that it doesn't happen. It's called contraband and some prisoners can get whatever they want-for a price. Who smuggles contraband in...guards. Including suboxone if they want.

Xavier university in cincinnati has a masters in forensic nursing but i believe it is on-ground

Hi, congratulations on your success! How were the other "P" classes, Patho and pharm? How did they assess competency? I see that patho is taught by "syndromes" rather than by body systems. Do you think these would be accepted by np programs for transfer? Thanks in advance!

"Looking for this?"

I'm doing it as a new grad nurse. I will be cross-trained in peds, adult, and chemical dependency. Eventually I get to avoid geriatrics-yay! I can't wait!

Having recently taken the NCLEX, I can tell you that my school taught us to know, V-fib, V-tach, asystole, AF and a few others. None of those were asked. What was asked was "what would you do about..." pictures. One of my correct answers was to "go check the lead placement" for an artifact pic. The other one was "which strip concerns you"? It was based on a high heart rate. Hope this helps.

^This. Hospitals should have a number for corporate compliance”. They really want to know about employees using facility resources without permission, you can report it anonymously. This not a call for BON.

Northern Kentucky university: More About the Master of Science in Nursing Program: Northern Kentucky University, Greater Cincinnati Region (look under admission requirements and then scroll down to bottom of page) You take two courses: concepts of professional nursing & nsg research. Program is part-time and online except a mandatory skills day(s). I'm doing this option, except I need stats and 1,000 hrs of nursing experience first (to be considered for admission). The other program that I know offers rn to msn except you take way more bsn level courses is university of South Alabama.

Unprofessional. Who are you to dictate a person's reaction to pain and anesthesia? Everyone reacts differently.

So, I was reading an article about "difficult" NH patients who get admitted to the hospital and the NH refuses to take them back...Bingo #options Nursing homes turn to eviction to drop difficult patients

^^^ This I have a solution, do not tell them your plans to become CRNA. This is why you are not getting the jobs. Tell them you want to gain more exp with sicker patients as a long term goal. Use your employer, because they are sure gonna use you!

^^This.