How is it like to be a Psych Nurse..

Specialties Psychiatric

Published

Is it fun? Is it a challenging, remarkable experience or whatever it may be..

Cause, I am taking this to my consideration. I am a student nurse, and psychiatric nursing seems really interesting to me.

Well if your a psychiatric nurse or just have worked in a mental institution, I am very interested to know your experience.. thanks.. ;);)

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Specializes in Psych, Skilled Nursing.

Kamusta :)

I work in a state regulated facility and I'm loving everyday of my work.

Each day you learn more about your individuals. When I was in school I also loved psych nursing even in my boards. :) It's a great area to explore and work in.

The Psychiatrist in my facility is very friendly and approachable. Yesterday we had conference and it's good to discuss the progress of the individual with the whole health care team. :)

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Cool one!!, made me feel that I'm gonna love the job. Having to witness the difference or improvements of psych clients each day seems really fun and rewarding..

Salamat! hope you more blessings and great experiences to come!

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Specializes in Psych.

A lot of times it can be like being in the eye of the storm, one minute everything is calm, the next all hell is breaking loose.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I love it and can't imagine doing anything else. It is definitely an exciting roller coaster and since I'm too old to want the all out rush of ED nursing psych nursing fits the bill. The things I see are unimaginable.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
I love it and can't imagine doing anything else. It is definitely an exciting roller coaster and since I'm too old to want the all out rush of ED nursing psych nursing fits the bill. The things I see are unimaginable.

Ditto. I went into it straight after school and I'll admit that it wasn't my first choice. But I also fell in love with it and can't imagine doing anything else...though eventually (maybe...maybe not) I'll go get some med-surg experience just to make myself well-rounded.

Psych nursing is never dull because there's so much you'll see that's never even covered in the textbook in school--the book would be too large if it did cover it all! Because therapeutic ineractions is one of your primary interventions for the patients (the other is medications, of course), you'll really get to interact with each of them.

And last...in most (not all!) psychiatric facilities, you're not endlessly chasing after call lights because most (again, not all) patients are self-care as far as ADLs go :) Though I find there's usually enough medical issues in the patients to keep you on your toes.

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I am in a psych rotation right now in my BSN program and I'm enjoying every minute! The quality time you get with the patients and the positive effect you can have is encouraging and the sense of humor in the units seems really accepting and kind.

I'd like to work with eating disorders or with substance abuse (I think) if I was to get into psych nursing after graduation.

My questions are --

- What is the pay like in comparison to a staff nurse in MedSurg or ED?

- What are the pay and benefit differences between state facilities and private?

- Are there jobs out there in psych right now?

- Once you're a psych nurse, how easy/hard is it to change specialties back into acute care settings? Do you lose some of your skills?

- What are staffing ratios like? I heard a geri/alzheimers floor can be 25:1 plus 2 CNA's. Is that true? For alzheimers, ADL care duties can be extensive. That ratio seems a bit insane. ???

Thanks for the input! I'm really enjoying my time in psych. :)

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
My questions are --

- What is the pay like in comparison to a staff nurse in MedSurg or ED?

- What are the pay and benefit differences between state facilities and private?

- Are there jobs out there in psych right now?

- Once you're a psych nurse, how easy/hard is it to change specialties back into acute care settings? Do you lose some of your skills?

- What are staffing ratios like? I heard a geri/alzheimers floor can be 25:1 plus 2 CNA's. Is that true? For alzheimers, ADL care duties can be extensive. That ratio seems a bit insane. ???

In my area hospitals pay the same, private facilities usually pay a bit more. We just hired 5 new nurses on my unit. It might be harder to get hired in acute care if you haven't ever had previous experience although in a good market like a few years ago anyone with their RN could get a speciality position. No way would I work 25:1 my unit is 9:1 and thankfully there are very few ADLs other than encouraging someone to do them.

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Specializes in Adolescent Psych, PICU.

I'm a psych nurse and plan to stay in psych, I really enjoy it. I loved my psych clinical in school as well, it was a great experience.

I work a year in ICU after I became an RN and have now been in psych for 1.5 years. I really love getting to know my patients.

I work with children/teens and we have up to 27 patients with 2 RNs and 3-4 mental health techs which is good (sometimes 2 techs at night, but usually 3).

Pay for nurses in my hospital is the same....I made no more money in ICU or ER, in fact when I went to psych I got a raise.

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Thanks for both of your input. I'm excited to see what happens after graduation...where I end up...what I'll be doing! This is such a great profession.

:nurse:

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Wow sure is exciting..

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I love it and can't imagine doing anything else. It is definitely an exciting roller coaster and since I'm too old to want the all out rush of ED nursing psych nursing fits the bill. The things I see are unimaginable.

Wow, seems really fun.Thanks..

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