Psych nursin questions

[wannabepsychnurse]

Hi everyone,

ok this probably sounds like really stupid questions but i have to ask since im not a nurse yet! I have people always telling me if i work i n the psych unit im going to go crazy and i just had to ask, have any psych nurses have any problems mentally? And i figured that nurses would get assaulted by patients at work but how common is it! Psych nursing is something I really want to do so any of you PSYCH NURSES could answer my questions i would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks

[Mister Chris, MSN, NP]

Hi everyone,

ok this probably sounds like really stupid questions but i have to ask since im not a nurse yet! I have people always telling me if i work i n the psych unit im going to go crazy and i just had to ask, (1) have any psych nurses have any problems mentally?

And i figured that nurses would get assaulted by patients at work but (2)how common is it!

Psych nursing is something I really want to do so any of you PSYCH NURSES could answer my questions i would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks

Hello and Welcome.

1.No more than in any other nursing area as far as I know.

2.Not as common as lay persons think. For me twice in ten years in UK and twice in 18yrs in Australia. None of which were severe injuries. A scatch or two and a bruise. There haven been one or two very bad incidents I have experienced but one of them was the nurses fault for allowing themself to be in a critical position with a known psychopathic patient (it could have been avoided).

If you work in the more secure units then some incidents can and do happen. With diligent staff and correct procedures being kept to the occasions of violence are greatly reduced.

Do not let non psychiatric trained nurses tell you too many horror stories - there is probably a lot more incidents of violence against nurses in a 'normal' casualty unit in a busy city general hospital than in a psychiatric hospital!

Go for your training. It is a worth while rewarding profession. :roll

Come and join us.

Mister Chris.

[Mister Chris, MSN, NP]

Just a thought - what is your background wannabepsychnurse?

Why have you chosen psychiatric nursing?

I feel it does take a special sort of person to take on such an exciting/difficult-at-times/rewarding/heartbreaking/funny/responsible calling. (It was a job for the first few weeks, then it became more interesting then it became a "calling".)

"Get a life - be a psych nurse!"

Mister Chris

[wannabepsychnurse]

Thank you sooo much for answering my questions! I really appreciate it! I want to be a psych nurse for a few reasons! 1.) I am very interested in mental illnesses and 2.) I found out that my good friend is a self injurer and that boosted my interest in it even more! 3.) I really think its the right thing for me! So I apperciate your answers they helped a lot!