Psych... 2nd Semester?

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Whats up everyone! I have really been trying to understand how or why some schools make you take psych so early in the nursing program... I thought it was typically somewhere in the middle or close to last if not last. We'd just finished theory and fundamentals and then to be thrusted into a totally different perspective of nursing I felt was unfair especially to those who are not doing so well right now. I am sure the rationale is to improve our therapeutic communication skills and nursing interventions as it relates to dealing with patients we may interact with in the clinical setting blah blah blah... but what makes us so special that we have to do it so soon? Any thoughts on the matter would be appreciated... thanks!

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.
Whats up everyone! I have really been trying to understand how or why some schools make you take psych so early in the nursing program... I thought it was typically somewhere in the middle or close to last if not last. We'd just finished theory and fundamentals and then to be thrusted into a totally different perspective of nursing I felt was unfair especially to those who are not doing so well right now. I am sure the rationale is to improve our therapeutic communication skills and nursing interventions as it relates to dealing with patients we may interact with in the clinical setting blah blah blah... but what makes us so special that we have to do it so soon? Any thoughts on the matter would be appreciated... thanks!

Psych wasn't too bad. I wish I could remember who I had for it. I did like my instructors. When I was in school I had psych in my second semester for half of the semester and then med/surg 1 for the other half. It wasn't too bad just throws you off because it's different. I didn't really care for my psych clinical thought it was rather boring but the upside of it was being able to observe the patients rather than having to do assessments on them. Most of the time they didn't want you to come near them anyhow. I'm taking it that you have Beydoun for Med/surg. She's very good and was one of my instructors. If you have any problems, she'll help you. She does give a lot of handouts (stacks) but they were extremely useful.

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Specializes in ICCU - cardiac.

Your apprisal of it's place in the cirriculum is correct. Obviously, sick patients are afraid and so are their families and it helps to know how to communicate compassion and empathy to them. Also, that silence is okay when appropriate. I had psych after MS and after that brutal semester it was nice to have a lowkey clinical and no meds to pass! But the tests aren't so easy; many students under estimate them. The attrition rate is almost as equal as MS. I guess the material isn't as exciting as MS so in a way it is boring but it is an important part of nursing. You will find yourself being more comfortable as time goes on. It opened my eyes to a huge sector of the population that is not given the funding or attention it needs.

People can't help if they are born with schizophrenia and without meds, they can't live a normal life. It's a revolving door for these people and very sad.

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When I had my first med-surg rotation, hardly a week went by where there wasn't a patient on the floor with psychiatric issues, either needing a sitter, or moving on to a psych floor or hospital. For certain, you will be seeing a lot of these patients even if you do not specialize in psychiatry!

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

You will see psych wherever you go. It's not just confined to the nice locked unit...it's everywhere. You will be dealing with psych on a daily basis. If a patient ODs on tylenol or some other drug and they require monitoring, they'll either be on a M/S unit or stepdown until they are stable enough to go to a regular psych unit.

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You will see psych wherever you go. It's not just confined to the nice locked unit...it's everywhere. You will be dealing with psych on a daily basis. If a patient ODs on tylenol or some other drug and they require monitoring, they'll either be on a M/S unit or stepdown until they are stable enough to go to a regular psych unit.

Yes - that is what I was trying to say... If we saw it so much in our limited time, I am sure it is extremely prevalent.

I know a lot of students at my school hated psych. I just think it is so important for nurses to understand the pathology so they can help the patient, rather than just judge them for their behavior. I even ran into a clinical instructor who made fun of a patient in front of us. This particular patient was on meds and wasn't even causing any kind of trouble, she just happened to be bipolar! (instructor got fired half-way into clinicals, btw). It's bad enough they get that response from the general public, it's very sad that professionals act that way as well.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I agree. I do feel bad for psych patients. They are extremely misunderstood because a lot of people, particularly professionals, do not know how to care for them. It's a disease and/or disorder and even the general public does not understand that. I can't believe that an instructor made fun of a patient, then again I can, my M/S instructor brought her kid to clinicals. I agree 100% that pathology is important. You are absolutely correct.

If I was working at my contingent job, I would have to say 2 out of 3-4 patients have some type of psych disorder.

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If I was working at my contingent job, I would have to say 2 out of 3-4 patients have some type of psych disorder.

WOW. That is sad.

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I guess its not all that uncommon. I talked to a few people who thought that it was a little backwards but obviously its not. I actually think psych is ok. I could probably stand to use this "break" after med surg 1 (coming in 2 weeks)... It seems pretty lax particularly because I'm on a Geri-Psych unit so I don't get as much action but the principles I guess are the same. For others I know its the exams that are misunderstood and lots of people are taking plenty of hits... especially the ones who felt they could wing it. Our instructor doesn't just hand us the test but I believe that her tests are fair. As far as the attrition rate, I wouldn't have believed that as many people could crash at this point if I weren't witnessing it for myself but I guess its just one of those weeder classes. Only the strong survive...

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I think that i would rather have psych early on so that the last years can be more focused on med surg!

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