Psych Nurse Recently Diagnosed Bipolar

sbic56, BSN, RN · Oct 10, 2003

Nutty RN

I have known more than a few nurses (most of them in psych)who have been bipolar. From reading your posts, I can see you have a strong interest in your work. Nothing like a good psych nurse! Working outpatient psych with the nice hours and all seems like a great job and one that certainly is possible if you take care of yourself. I really don't see where as your diagnosis would degrade the support you give your clients, because you are so much more than your diagnosis. Good luck!

PsychNurseDee · Oct 14, 2003

Of course you can provide good nursing to psych patients. You have more insight into their needs and feelings than many. I am a psych nurse who has major depression. I went through the same questioning after my first episode. I was unable to work for about 2 mos. Had a "trial and error" episode with meds to get me stabilized. Had the experience of stopping my meds "because I was doing so much better...I must be through it". I went through months of therapy (and boy was I a resistant, asonine patient for that therapist initially). Those were difficult times for me. I wondered about my abilities. How could I tell patients not to "adjust" their own meds when I had. Because now I had first hand experience as to the situations that lead to noncompliance. Keep yourself stable, and you will be an immense asset to your clients. Use your experiences (with appropriate disclosure of course) to help you patients see that they can make it through and flourish.

God Bless you. Take care

Nutty RN · Oct 19, 2003

Thanks for the replies.

Liddle Noodnik · Oct 19, 2003

Originally posted by Nutty RN
Thanks for the replies.

Hi Nutty

I have called myself a "Registered Nut" for years when I introduce myself (appropriately of course). People think I'm kidding.

I got sober in 1985 and had my first hypomanic episode about the same time. I'm bipolar II which means that usually it is a specific med that will trigger those, but once it was the Atkins Diet!

Anyway, in 90 I worked as a Chemical Dependency nurse and the unit slowly evolved to half CD/ half psych. I had done well til it became mostly psych, then issues the patients had started triggering me, like the perpetrators of incest that seemed to start coming ( I was healing from sexual abuse myself), and then the one time two young adult CD/psy patients were fighting and I was in between them and one popped the other in the nose, RIGHT OVER MY HEAD!

So, after a year and a half of that, I "retired" for 3 years. Came back working LTC, then worked my way up, when I was no longer so depressed and insecure, to a medical floor in the hospital.

My problems are mostly in the form of depression, partly due to cutting back on meds like you did (with and without medical advice), and partly due to the fact that with my makeup I can only handle a certain amount of stress.

I've had to take periods of time off from work, but each time I go less far down and for a shorter period of time. Right now I am working 2-12's one week and 3 the next and it feels really good. I still have time to do my self care yet still feel like a productive and self supporting member of society.

I personally think that it is an individual choice; if you can remain stable and take really excellent care of yourself in that capacity, go for it! I truly loved doing psych; I just wasn't cut out for it at the time and probably won't be. But I get plenty of "psych nursing" experience on my regular floor, trust me :)

Take care (literally!) and good luck!

PMHNP10 · Oct 20, 2003

Originally posted by Nutty RN
I think I need some encouragment. I was recently diagnosed with Bipolar II and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I was started on Tegretol, Ativan and Desyrel.

Do you think that maybe I should get into a different field of nursing? I love psych nursing, but can a Bipolar provide support to other mentally ill clients.

I work in an outpatient clinic, so most of my clients are stable. I would hate to give up psych nursing....I love it dearly.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated or if there are other Bipolars in psych nursing, I would love to hear from you.

You have insight to the people you are taking care of. In practice, this is a valuable thing. It certainly takes you from being a sympathetic ear to being an empathetic ear. As long as you maintain your insight, judgement for yourself, you will certainly be able to continue to function as a prudent nurse.

Rapheal · Oct 21, 2003

As long as you are capable and feel comfortable doing psych nursing then nothing should stop you. I have never been dx for depression but know that I have suffered from it during very difficult periods of my life. Psych nursing would not be comfortable for me because I think I would identify to much with the depressed patients and that just hits a little to close to home for me. But if it still feels like a good fit for you then continue doing what you are doing. Good luck in the future.

Nutty RN · Oct 21, 2003

Thanks everyone for your replies.

nancynurse41 · May 19, 2004

How old are you? Who gave you the diagnosis of bi-polar?

ginger1023 · May 19, 2004

being diagnosed as bi-polar is not something you have to be ashamed of ..you just have to listen to yourself and how much stress you can handle...you seem to enjoy your job and what you are doing ...so keep on doing what you doing ...

often you might be able to relate better to your patients ...

I wish you all the best ..stay focused ...and you will do just fine...(also get a second opinion if you were only diagnosed recently )...:chuckle

nancynurse41 · May 19, 2004

I agree 100% with Ginger. The only thing that concerns me is that it sounds like you were just recently diagnosed and that you are dealing with some trauma related issues at the same time????????

renerian, BSN, RN · May 19, 2004

I know alot of psyc nurses that provide excellent care! As long as you are controlled you should be fine. I would like to see what some others thinK? You could have true empathy alot of people would not fully understand as they have not walked the walk and talked the talk. Make sense?

renerian