Questions from an aspiring Psych nurse

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Hello everyone!

I am a senior in high school, graduating in three months, and then heading off to college in the Fall of this year. I am going to college to earn my RN-ADN degree. I intend to go to a four year college at the same community college I will be attending to obtain my RN-BSN. I have read numerous posts and threads here about whether it is worth it or not to obtain your BSN in nursing (as well as researching the internet) and I have come to to the conclusion that it is what I am going to do. I was excited to have that much figured out, haha, however, I am still confused about how to become a psychiatric nurse. I have a slew of questions, and if anyone could help me out I would be SO grateful...as I know many people on here speak from experience! :loveya:

(And as a side note...I know some of my questions probably don't specifically belong in this board per se, so feel free to correct me on that as well :o).

  • While in nursing school obtaining my ADN, do I need to take additional classes geared toward psychological studies?
  • Does one need an additional certification to become a psychiatric nurse (if so, how would I go about that? I've heard of APNA - do they have a process of some sort)?
  • I may be wrong, but contradicting my question above, if one does not need an additional certification, does it benefit academically/professionally/salary wise?
  • Would it be [very] beneficial to obtain a BS in psychology? (I adore psychology, so the extra schooling wouldn't bother me, it would be the money, hence why I ask would it benefit)
  • And this last one, I'll be brutally honest...as I mentioned before, yes, I do love psychology (thus why I believe I would want to nurse in the specialty of psychiatric), however, I haven't the slightest clue as to the duties that differ from what I have been reading "bedside nurses" in the ER.

Forgive me for my naiveté in the subject - I know nothing in the field, but I have a passion to change that. I appreciate any help. If I was confusing I am certainly willing to clarify as well. Thank you.

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Hello aspiring psych nurse! I will try to answer some of your questions. I have been a psych nurse since I graduated nursing school over 2 yrs ago. I have my BSN. There is no "extra" certification needed to become a psych nurse. After graduation, I just applied as a new nurse to various psych facilities and got hired!

After a few years experience (working as a psych nurse) you are then qualified to take your certification. Where I work, you are eligible to move up on the clinical ladder if you obtain your certification (meaning a pay raise). Most psych nurses I work with do not have the certification though.

In nursing school, you should get a psych nursing class with clinicals. I chose to take extra psych classes (as my electives) during school. Personally, I wouldn't go for the extra psych degree (longer in school and more school debt!!)

Honestly, nursing school focuses on a lot of the "medical" nursing stuff and not so much on psych. I always new I wanted to do psych nursing, so I just sucked it up and learned my cardiac rhythms, trach care, central lines, etc...All things I do nothing with now in my career.

As for what psych nurses do...where I work, I do a basic physical assessment (and I mean basic) and a psychosocial assessment (suicide risk, hallucinations, orientation, thought process, etc). I lead therapy and education groups. I spend a lot of time just sitting and listening to patients. I do sessions with patients and their families. And of course I pass meds (mainly pills or injections - rarely IV's) That's it in a nutshell...There are good days where everyone is behaving and cooperating. Then there are the bad days where I feel like the security guards don't leave the floor the entire shift! Overall though, I wouldn't change what I do for any other area of nursing.

Best of Luck!!

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Thank you very much!

Wow! That's awesome! I'm even more excited than I was before now!! :D I am glad for the fact that getting a BS in psych wouldn't really be of too much benefit; although I adore psychology, I do not have the funds for that much schooling, err, at least do not feel like taking out that many loans!

I don't mean to be a bother, you answered all of my questions perfectly though, it inclines me to ask more! If you wouldn't mind? :o

I saw you typed that you actually get to spend time talking with your patients and holding therapy and education groups. Concerning talking with your patients, is it like a pseudo (for lack of a better word) psychologist session? I find that wonderful psych nurses (and I am naive, so maybe its most nurses) can spend time with their patients and get to know them. Is that like that anywhere being a psych nurse or just in certain settings (is it more fast paced, less time to spend with patients etc)?

And for the education and therapy groups - do you need extra certification to hold them (teach them)? And again, are the education and therapy groups common among psychiatric nurse's duties everywhere or just under certain conditions/settings?

Thank you heaps! Your input is grreeatly appreciated! :thankya:

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I'm actually in the same boat; I finished high school this past May and am looking into getting my RN-ASN from a local community school. However my only issue I'm running into is, the nursing program takes about two years to get into.

Nevertheless, I am thinking about being a specialized nurse with pshy. I am currently work with the MR population.

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While in nursing school obtaining my ADN, do I need to take additional classes geared toward psychological studies?

  • Does one need an additional certification to become a psychiatric nurse (if so, how would I go about that? I've heard of APNA - do they have a process of some sort)?
  • I may be wrong, but contradicting my question above, if one does not need an additional certification, does it benefit academically/professionally/salary wise?
  • Would it be [very] beneficial to obtain a BS in psychology? (I adore psychology, so the extra schooling wouldn't bother me, it would be the money, hence why I ask would it benefit)
  • And this last one, I'll be brutally honest...as I mentioned before, yes, I do love psychology (thus why I believe I would want to nurse in the specialty of psychiatric), however, I haven't the slightest clue as to the duties that differ from what I have been reading "bedside nurses" in the ER.

quote]

1. The BSN program I was in had a Mental Health course, there were no additional electives for psych.

2. Yes the APNA offers certification after 2000 hours of experience. I work at a State Mental Hospital in Texas and it pays a little bit more ($100-150 more a month) but not that much. I don't know of any nurses that are certified (there may be, but I don't know). We leave the counseling to the Drs. We listen and assist with resources, referrals, etc.

3. I work nights so my relationship with the patients is pretty much limited to crisis or insomniacs. The nurses at my hospital do NOT teach classes (other than med education), we have Rehab staff that attend to that (basically PNA's).

4. I have used more medical nursing than I thought, some psychosis are brought on by medical conditions such as hypernatremia, hypo and hyperglycemia, some UTI's in the elderly, etc. and some psych patients are unable to verbalize so you need to be very good at medical assessments. Know how to do a head-to-toe without much help from your patient.

5. We pass a lot of meds, PO and IM (no IV's on my ward)

6. Be compassionate - most of this population get enough prejudice and abuse from the outside world.

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Thank you!! I really appreciate your response!

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