Are there any psych LPN's?

Specialties Psychiatric

Updated:   Published

I've always been interested in psychology so I'm considering going into nursing to become a psych nurse. I have the opportunity to do a free LPN program. However, can you work in psych as an LPN? How hard would it be to find a job in psych as an LPN? Or should I just skip over the free LPN program and pay to go into an RN program?

Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
In West MI you are not allowed to work on the locked inpatient units as a LPN- there were some grandfathered in from when they used to hire them but they are care providers basically they are not allowed to do anything nursing what so ever. LPN's are hired in Detox and ECT here though.

Kinda curious where you get your info. I know of nothing in the state public health code that specifies that LPNs are not allowed to work in locked units.

I know of an LPN in West Michigan who runs groups, de-escalates situations, and has her finger on the pulse of the unit at all times. I would definitely not classify her as a "tech" or "CNA" or "care provider basically".

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Specializes in Psychiatric- Detox and ECT.

I live in Grand Rapids, MI the second largest metropolitan area in the state. I get my information from facts. I work at the largest psych hospital in GR and they ONLY hire LPN's in ECT and Detox. There is only one other psych hospital in this city and they also do not hire LPN's.

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Specializes in Psychiatric- Detox and ECT.

BTW you do not have to be a LPN to "deescalate" situations. Techs, doctors, housekeepers anyone there with rapport with the Pt can do that. It's not in the Health code, I did not mention that it was, just stating the reality of what occurs here. They are not hired on locked units. The ones still working here were grandfathered in from before they stopped hiring LPN's, and no new LPN's apply to work because they don't put up job apps for it and they would get paid the same as a care provider and not be able to do anything nursing whatsoever.

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

for the love of pete, when will people in grand rapids realize that they are not the end-all and be-all that defines west michigan. :rolleyes: it's a relatively large state -- just because you work at one of the two hospitals in your city does not mean that there are no other locked units in the entire western side of the state.

you said:

[color=#333333]in west mi you are not allowed to work on the locked inpatient units as a lpn- there were some grandfathered in from when they used to hire them but they are care providers basically they are not allowed to do anything nursing what so ever.

by stating that lpns are "not allowed" to work on the locked units, you make it sound like a legality thing, as in the health code. by stating that grandfathered lpns are "care providers basically" and "not allowed to do anything nursing what so ever", you also make it sound like a lpns are legally restricted from doing anything beyond cna-type work.

a more accurate statement would have been, "at the hospital where i work in west michigan....." because the statements that you make are not, in fact, universal to every inpatient mental health unit in west michigan -- they are specific to your hospital's policies. similarly, if you had stated that lpns are no longer hired in, that would have been truthful. but your statements that lpns are "not allowed" and that grandfathered lpns are only working as techs/aides were inaccurate with regard to all of west michigan.

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Specializes in none.

Come to Jersey. Work for the State. All wards are locked. LPNs can go any where from. The ward where Patient are ready for discharge to the Criminally Insane. Lots of fun on that unit never know if you are coming home alive.

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
come to jersey. work for the state. all wards are locked. lpns can go any where from. the ward where patient are ready for discharge to the criminally insane. lots of fun on that unit never know if you are coming home alive.

is that because of the unit, or because of the drive home? ;)

signed, happy to live in the midwest.... :lol2:

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.
Come to Jersey. Work for the State. All wards are locked. LPNs can go any where from. The ward where Patient are ready for discharge to the Criminally Insane. Lots of fun on that unit never know if you are coming home alive.

Way too funny! As I work with a few of those, I can say that if we all go home the way we came in, then it was a good night!

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Specializes in none.
Is that because of the unit, or because of the drive home? ;)

Signed, Happy to live in the Midwest.... :lol2:

Both:( Wishing I lived in South Dakota again! Where Men are Men and the weather is the only thing that is frigid. ( Sorry for that last remark but today was the first day since January that I anointed myself with Irish Holy Water. Slainte!)

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men are men? what does that even mean?

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Specializes in none.
men are men? what does that even mean?

Never heard that expression? It means Men are hearty men with no apology for being strong.

Pre-feminist BS. Fell out of fashion when men had to get in touch with the female that is suppose to be in all of us. Pre- Oprah

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whoa, no I have never heard that lol... very telling.

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
Both:( Wishing I lived in South Dakota again! Where Men are Men and the weather is the only thing that is frigid. ( Sorry for that last remark but today was the first day since January that I anointed myself with Irish Holy Water. Slainte!)

From what I know of the left and right coast, I think I'm best suited to live right where I am.

Slainte!

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