Psych or LTC less Stressful?

[Purple_Clover]

Which is less stressful? Why?

I've worked in pediatric psych for a little more than a year now and I've been injured twice. I'm thinking of going to LTC so I would have less fight-or-flight stress. Does this sound like a good idea?

I've worked in a lot of LTC places as a CNA, but never as a nurse

[deza, MSN, NP]

I've only done psych. Finding a place where they medicate early and have good agitation protocols helps. And decent staffing of course. I hardly ever lift or turn patients in psych. The most stressful thing to me is getting my medication pass done in the morning and taking care of the one patient that is difficult, aggressive or more medical. Also I find that not knowing which patients are going to be in my group in the morning to be stressful. It has taken me 2 years to be more relaxed. I just tell myself you can't prevent everything and when something happens we'll take care of it as a team.

[hppygr8ful, ASN, RN, EMT-I]

On 3/25/2019 at 8:46 AM, Purple_Clover said:

Which is less stressful? Why?

I've worked in pediatric psych for a little more than a year now and I've been injured twice. I'm thinking of going to LTC so I would have less fight-or-flight stress. Does this sound like a good idea?

I've worked in a lot of LTC places as a CNA, but never as a nurse

I would have to ask why you have been hurt twice in a year? I have been in acute psych with some of the sickest patients there are for close to 20 years and have only been seriously hurt 1 time and it was my fault.

Still I love psych and as deza said I never have to lift or move patients unless we have just medicated them. The trick to avoid getting into altercations with patients is to be calm and collected and never let them smell your fear. If you are anxious or afraid the patients will know it.

I find psych far less stressful that LTC and I have done both.

Hppy

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Although I've never worked in a hospital psych unit, I have worked LTC floors where most of the residents had severe psych issues. The ones who were "merely" demented were one thing, but when you've got a bunch of old people with medical needs along with schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder and other mental illnesses, the stress is unbelievable. You just never know what you're going to find when you walk on the unit at the start of your shift. It's never boring, though!

[rockchickrn, ADN]

I have found psych. To be much less stressful than LTC.

[ConnecticutMassRN]

LTC has a large psych component but without the specialized training, resources and most importantly, staffing. I've done both and found LTC to be 10x more stressful.

[3319684]

I agree that LTC is way more stressful. It's pretty much psych without resources and staff. Good luck.

[penelopelp]

I thought LTC was much more stressful. You don’t have enough staff and you have so many responsibilities.

[rockchickrn, ADN]

LTC way more stressful. Love psych.