pros/cons of psych nursing?

[Ilya]

I have two questions to ask as a senior RN student looking for my first job:

1. Comparing to other units (medsurg, etc.), what is that you like/dislike about psych nursing?

2. Also, why do I hear that hospitals love us, males, on psych units? do we have physically restrain patients that often?

Thank you for your help,

Ilya

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

1. Likes: getting to know the patients and seeing some get better, wearing regular-people clothes, feeling you made a difference Dislikes: seeing the same patients over and over again, with no chance of some of them getting better, restraining, intense emotional overload

2. Men are liked on psych units because they have a physical "presence" that women don't have. People are less likely to act out if a strong man is nearby than if a little woman is present. Restraining happens too--it's nice to have a stronger person available in such situations. I've found that psych staff members are often tall and otherwise large in stature. Not always, but often. I think there's a reason for it.

[Jules A, MSN]

My favorite thing about psych compared to other nursing? No poop, or at the worst, very little poop and the majority of them aren't trying to die on me.

[Ilya]

I see your point. Thanks for sharing.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

Agreed, there isn't as much poop on psych as other places, but there is surely poop! Don't assume you will be poopless! As for trying to die....well....not in the same way as on other units, but some DO try to die or have tried, or they wouldn't be in psych.

:omy:

[SweetLemon]

I love the ability to just sit down and talk to my patients, going over plans, goals, hopes and dreams for their future. I love that I get to be the person who is their for them when they are most vulnerable and needing our support (even if they don't think they need us at the time). I LOVE watching an extremely manic, psychotic, depressed (the list goes on) patient get on meds for a week and become so much happier and healthier. Almost like meeting a whole new person.

I am a female working on a psych unit but as far as liking having males, yeah their is the element of having a stronger person availble if we need to a "show of support" ie intervention when someone goes off. I also think their is something to be said about just being a male presenece when someone is just beginning to escalate. Many patients will allow themselves to become a lot scaier when they think they are only up against a small female nurse. I personally also love having the combination. Men and women often have different styles and ways at looking at things, at least this is the case with myself and the male nurses I work with. We seem to work well and complement each other. Its also nice having both when you are needing to do some of the more intimite nursing tasks that some patients would perfer their same sex nurse for.

[Guest279293]

Psych hospitals love qualified people both male and female. I see more female RNs and a non written "desire" for more male aids (which have multiple titles depending on the facility or state) for shows of concern and strength. As far as restraints in a proper hospital/facility all clinical staff should have taken classes both class and hands on and passed paper and physical tests in classes such as MAB (Mastering Assaultive Behavior) PART, PART-R, ProACT, I have taken them all and there are probably others. My own opinion is I you can not safely and accurately participate in a psychiatric code whether you are male or female, short or tall, young or old, then you do not need to be working on the "floor".

Remember psych patients also may have other medical conditions such as CAD, COPD, Diabetes, renal failure, cancer the list goes on so it is important that a psych nurse have a good general nursing back ground. When you review labs you better know what a K+ of 6.7 means or a blood sugar of 42 or 480 indicates etc....Often your psych patient may need to be escorted out to get chemo, dialysis, surgical procedures etc...(depending on what type facility you work in). So a well rounded RN in priceless.

Ann

[luvbug080688]

thanks for this post and this info.

i really want to work psych once i am done with school so it's nice to get info from people who work it.

[Ilya]

Thanks everyone for your assistance. Now I just have to find employment in psych facility - not an easy task.

[Jules A, MSN]

Thanks everyone for your assistance. Now I just have to find employment in psych facility - not an easy task.

What area of the country are you in? Around here not only are psych jobs plentiful they usually pay a bit more than regular floor jobs. Good luck.

[Ilya]

Jules,

I'm in PA. I can always relocate... I am single with family living overseas. Please let me know if you know of any places that have ENTRY level openings in psych.

Thank you,

I.

[Jules A, MSN]

In the DC/Baltimore area most hospitals, clinics, VA and state facilities will hire new grads. Have you looked around where you live?