Don't ya just hate it....

Sherda · May 20, 2003

:balloons:

In Western Canada we also have a program just for psych - Registered Psychiatric Nurse so we just do psych - although we do it in many different areas from ER's to community to forensics.

I loved the suggestion of a newbie being manipulated by experts. HA! I have seen very experienced nurses manipulated by the great borderlines of the world. (yes including me

but there is no better place to be than in acute care psych.

Wolfpax · May 20, 2003

If you know what you want do it! You'd be just as new on med-surg so why not! I never worked on med-surg (unless I was pulled there) Started in the ER and then 9 years later went to acute Psych, been there for the last 16 years (I have another comittment hearing coming up). I do not see anything wrong with going into a specialty unit as a new grad, you will learn (quickly), and you can always research a patient's medical problem. As far as manipulators... always loved them, get alot of enjoyment watching them work (better than HBO), you may get tagged once or twice but that you will recognize quickly as well. Go where you will enjoy your job... the burn-out rate is a lot less there. We tend to do what we enjoy well, so you will be more likey to make the effort to know your biz.

RN2007 · May 20, 2003

Can any of you tell me what it is like working in the Psych unit working on 3rd shift? I think that I may be interested in the future working 3rd shift, but have not done it in many years, so I was just wondering how things have changed from the nurses perspective? Also, can a few of you 3rd shift nurses just tell us examples of an average night on the psych unit of a hospital? I know that no 2 nights are the same and that things get pretty hairy at times there. Also, what type of security do you have on the psych unit and do you have both open and locked wards as well?

One more thing? To be a really good Psychiatric nurse, what type of additional training at college is good to have that will help with your patients, and increase your pay? Also, after getting your RN, is the specialized training for Psych nurses a certificate that you can get at a community college or what? What is the name of the certification, etc? Can you also tell us how much extra per hour and/or salary for a RN who has this Psych certification? Is there an extra test you take to be licensed as a Psychiatric Nurse after getting your RN, and does it matter if you are an RN who went throught the ADN program or BSN, re: pay? Are there on-line certificates or diplomas available for RNs to get their education via internet for Psychiatric Nursing and are they viewed the same as going to a regular college? Can LPN's also get this same Psych certification? Thanks sooo much for your help!! :confused:

2ner · May 20, 2003

Thanks for your advice, I'm going to do just that....To further my chances, I'm going to try to extern on a psych unit next semester. Woo~hoo! I'm so ready!

thanks again, everybody! :kiss

41yroldstudent · May 21, 2003

I am also a nursing student who happens to work on a mental health unit as a clerk/orderly. I work with nurse who has only done psych nursing. She wants to travel, but is convinced that she doesn't have her med/surg skills any longer.

So, in that regard, she is handicapped as an RN. She regrets the career path that she chose and admonishes anyone from doing the same.

2ner · May 21, 2003

What I really don't get tho, is that say you start out a year in med-surg just to gain that experience then you spend the next 20 years on a psych unit. then you decide for whatever reason you'd like to go to a different department, well that experience was 20 years ago, how's that gonna help you? so wouldn't you still be as handicapped? I'm just wondering.

41yroldstudent · May 21, 2003

Well, that makes sense. Remember, it's not me that did this. My co-worker did. She has missed out on several great opportunities because she is not equipped to handle the type of work that was available to her. She is the one with regrets. Not me.

Good luck.

2ner · May 21, 2003

Oh I know it wasn't you. I was just saying that I really don't get the necessity of gettin that one year of experience if it ends up being ump-teen years later when you need or want to enter another field. Thanks for the input tho! I appreciate hearing ANYbody's comments. :)

lucianne · May 21, 2003

I'm not suggesting that the experience is beneficial for being able to change to another area after you've been a psych nurse, I think it's beneficial FOR being a psych nurse. It's not that you'll get that one year of experience and never "use" any of it again. You'll get patients in psych who also have medical problems, especially diabetes and asthma. I've had to do wound care and burn care with sterile dressing changes and trach care. I've had patients with eating disorders on IV fluids and once one had an NG tube placed. I can do the things that need to be done, but it is stressful to me and to the other RN's.

luci