psych nursing rotation

[janleb]

This fall i start off with my psych nursing rotation. I wanted to get a head start and wanted some ideas on what to focus on. any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also could someone give me an idea of what clinicals are going to be like in this area of nursing. Janice

[ERDIVA2B]

I just finished my psych rotation! It was 6 weeks of sheer madness but I did well. I suggest getting a head start onyour readings. Do they sell the course outline in the bookstore? Get that & start reading. Start learning your psychotropic drugs, anxiolytics, anti-depressants-trycyclics, mao's, ssris' the side effects and major adverse reactions for certain drugs, Like hypertensive crisis, and neuroleptic malignant syndrome, EPS-extrapyramidal side efx, akathisia, akinesia, tardive dykinesia, dystonia, learn about antiparkinson drugs, Cogentin, artane.

They drug will follow you the whole time! Start diviying up the disorders, mood d/o, anxiety d/o, personality d/o, schizophrenia, delirium, dementias, substance abuse! It was actually fun1 It worked out well for me since I just a job a Psych hosp. last month. I'm in a LPN_RN transition tract of 1 year! only 9 more onths togo! Then I hope to enter an ER externship! Good luck to ya!