Psych Nurse ="not a REAL nurse"?

JessicRN · Apr 5, 2006

I work in an ED which has a separate psych ED all the nurse ar RNs. Although I have a lot of respect for the nurses on that side, I do not understand it when we are called to draw blood or do a finger stick or a dressing. We are also expected to rule out everyone medically before they see them. I am pretty sure we went to the same school and learned the same stuff. Psych nurses only have to do psych nursing and never have to think medical?? While the ED side has to do both and we have no psych experience.

I do understand why they get that title.

njmonsterboi80, BSN · Apr 5, 2006

I'm soon to be a GN and have been strongly considering psych nursing as well. I'm a weak on clinical skills too, but that'll improve with time as I spend more time in the hospital. The issue is, Med-Surg just doesn't do it for me. I have a passion for psych and really couldn't care one way or another about the other floors. I figure I can be a so-so apathetic nurse or a phenominal and passionate psych nurse. I've always had a good amount of emphathy for people with mental health problems. Maybe it's because I can imagine the anxiety I feel in nursing school and multiplying it by ten :).

I say take a position where you know you will succeed, excel, and be happy.

That's my plan.

Marc-NJ

Oh, dear. I am in my second-to-last semester of my BSN program, doing my psych rotation, and I just discovered that I LOVE psych and that I really think I've finally found my niche. Does that mean I won't be taken seriously as a nurse? True, one reason I like it is because I have no manual dexterity (you should see me juggling IV apparatus on my med-surg clinicals!) --- and psych nursing lets me use my mental skills (which I have, thankfully) and not worry about my lack of manual skills as much. What should I do???

who? · Apr 5, 2006

Psych nursing rquires skills just as other areas of nursing does. A basic tenet is that you must know physical, emotional, and brain dynamics to accurately assess a pt. Each nurse in their own area of expertise is the expert. To think anything less is a question of your own assessment skills.

AngelsRN · Apr 5, 2006

I have the upmost respect for mental heath nurses -- I worked in the mental health field in my previous life for 15 years and it is not easy at all. Since becoming a nurse I am in Med/Surg bec I lost the passion to do the mental health piece. Plus the unit I am on, we often get the mental heath patients that need medical treatment so I definately get the exposure. Yes, they dont have the "skills" and we may have to go help them out with that stuff i.e if they have a code, which is rare, but they have skills that are enhanced in other areas --- just like any nurse, we do some things very well, and others not as good as someone else. I have not found that niche yet in starting IV's but I know it is practice and it will get there . . .but some may just be better than me in that regard even years from now. That does not make me any less of a nurse.

Monroe · Apr 5, 2006

From my point of view, i believe a psychiatric nurse is a "real" nurse. Of course. Nurses working in cancer wards nurse differently to nurses working in childrens wards, but they are both still nurses.

I've had comments like this said off hand and it really bugs me. :madface: Not here because at least people explain why they think that, but i've had people say it and not explain.

I guess it also depends on what you think a nurse is :idea: . What the qualities are that a nurse brings to their job. That's important. I think the qualities a nurse has to bring to a ward where they work for example, is also required for a psychiatric nurse to bring to a mentally ill patient. Hope, understanding, comfort...a nd all the other things............................

nursebewell · Apr 5, 2006

Of course psych nurses are real nurses, they just don't deal with all of the ivs and other technical things. Although this is true I think that psych nurses still should be able to recognize medical issues with patients. Assessment is big in all aspects of nursing. Like nurses in other specialty fields, psych nurses sometimes get stuck in their world of psych issues and forget about the medical issues that can also occur with patients as well. But this happens in all fields. I work in the ER and deal with a little of everything, including psych and I think if I had to deal with these patients all the time, I would need a little psychiatric help myself, so I do commend psych nurses for doing what they do.

macuser555 · Apr 5, 2006

A psyche nurse is a "soul nurse"---not too many nurses have that calling. It takes some deep compassion to be one---that is the "skills" that you use. I've had some hold up arrogant noses and say you have to be "mentally off" to work in that field but in my estimation, they have an awful lot of growing up to do and are totally clueless (still wanting to play high school competition). I have worked both and I call the other "needle nurse"---so take your pick---soul nurse or needle nurse???? RNyea

I like that - "soul nurse!" I have been doing psych nursing since last April, and I really enjoy my job. Many of our clients are impoverished and you feel as if you are really doing some good sometimes. Many of the clients just want someone to listen, to care, and to do a few simple things for them. The mentally ill suffer a lot, and you need to be compassionate, but at the same time - you need to set limits - and watch for interactions between patients, it can be demanding mentally.

LHHRN · Apr 6, 2006

Is a dermatologist, obstetrician, neurologist or psychiatrist not a real doctor? When a nurse works outside of the traditional med surg role there are those that do not see him or her as a real nurse. Unfortunately nurses contribute to this mentality with a sort of professional snobbery. As a school nurse I am constantly asked if I am a real nurse and people are surprised that I previously worked in the ICU. The "real nurse" from the adult ICU would most likely be as much out of her comfort zone in the neonatal ICU as other nurses. And the Neonatal nurse would be just as far out of the comfort zone on an adult unit. Does this make them less of a real nurse? Each specialty area requires a strong base of knowledge and unique skills which should be respected.

aprisonrn2 · Apr 6, 2006

Gee, I guess that means I'm not a "real" nurse when I start the IV on a patient that has massive blood loss from a self-inflicted cut, or when I tell the psychiatrist that the mental health patient I'm caring for is exhibiting side effects from the medication he is taking. What about the interactions between the psych meds and many of the antibiotics that are routinely prescribed by medical MD's? Nope, I don't guess I'm a REAL nurse at all, even though RN is after my name!! lol

simbawicz · Apr 6, 2006

I am primarily a med-surg nurse. I have a director who uses that "not a real nurse" line on anyone who wants to go into anything but med-surg. She recently used that to try to dissuade a seasoned med-surg nurse from accepting a position in L & D. ("You'll lose your nursing skills. They are not real nurses down there.") :uhoh3:

Ignorance is found in all social strata and in all positions in all professions.

I do psych nursing as well, per diem, and I have to say that at least on our med-surg floor, I do as much, if not more, psych nursing than when I am in psych. I believe that is because some of my colleagues (re)traumatize those with psychological issues while they are being treated for their medical illness, as well as because...well, people don't leave their psych conditions at the admission desk. And when I am working on the psych unit, I do mini inservices when I am doing central line or picc line dressing changes, because while we all learned how to do these in nursing school (RN), if you don't use it you lose it.

Finally, while I am a med-surg nurse and "do it all" :chuckle, believe me, you don't want me starting an IV on your child.

I agree with what most of us have said: If we passed the NCLEX, we are real nurses.

simbawicz · Apr 6, 2006

I am primarily a med-surg nurse. I have a director who uses that "not a real nurse" line on anyone who wants to go into anything but med-surg. She recently used that to try to dissuade a seasoned med-surg nurse from accepting a position in L & D. ("You'll lose your nursing skills. They are not real nurses down there.") :uhoh3:

Ignorance is found in all social strata and in all positions in all professions.

I do psych nursing as well, per diem, and I have to say that at least on our med-surg floor, I do as much, if not more, psych nursing than when I am in psych. I believe that is because some of my colleagues (re)traumatize those with psychological issues while they are being treated for their medical illness, as well as because...well, people don't leave their psych conditions at the admission desk. And when I am working on the psych unit, I do mini inservices when I am doing central line or picc line dressing changes, because while we all learned how to do these in nursing school (RN), if you don't use it you lose it.

Finally, while I am a med-surg nurse and "do it all" :chuckle, believe me, you don't want me starting an IV on your child.

I agree with what most of us have said: If we passed the NCLEX, we are real nurses.

Cats3cat · Apr 6, 2006

I work both med/surg and psych. We are all true nurses. In med/surg we mostly deal with the anxiety issues of patient and family pertaining to hospitalization. Being a psych nurse is much like being a pediatric nurse. Our patients cannot speak for themselves; we are their advocates thru observation and interaction. Yes some nurses loose their med/surg skills and some are lazy but in my world most are caring and damn good at what they do. Just because you've crossed paths with one do not presume to assume that all are like that. In any situation my eyes will always see a little differently than yours, communication and collaberation are the keys. Most of all open mindedness!