Should I do my preceptorship in psych?

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Specializes in Oncology/StemCell Transplant; Psychiatry.

Hey everyone,

I'm in a BSN program, and in our last semester we get to pick a specialty in which we work under an RN and gain experience. We are supposed to pick a place where we could see ourselves working after graduation.

I am very interested in psych. In fact, I have already been given tentative acceptance into a PMHNP program (pending graduation and passing the NCLEX, of course). I would like to work in psych after graduation to gain experience in mental health before I start my NP clinicals. However, I know many of my instructors have stressed the importance of working Med-Surg for at least a year first. Some have even told me that I could lose my med-surg skills during my psych preceptorship, so if my preceptorship doesn't result in a job, I could have difficulty starting somewhere besides psych.

I'm sorry if I'm rambling or if my post is confusing, but basically what I'm asking is: do y'all think it is a good idea to do my final preceptorship in psych?

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

If psych is where you want to be, then do it.

Many nurses don't do a year in med-surg first...it definitely can't hurt, but it is no way essential to a successful psych nursing career. You learn the new grad basics--prioritization, time management, documentation, etc.--in any specialty. You'll be focusing on building a different skill set, a psych one. There are other ways you can keep up your m/s knowledge, and technical m/s skills can be relearned.

Where the m/s experience would help is in applying for jobs outside of psych, but also keep in mind that many facilities now want recent nursing experience, as in within the last 3 years. So a year of m/s now would help you in switching specialities in your first couple of years, but will not be of much help 10 or even 5 years down the road.

Best of luck whatever you decide!

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

I started in psych right of nursing school. I had some experience as a CNA and LPN prior, but I can tell you that at the end of a BSN program, you have very little med surg skills regardless.

If psych is your passion then go for it! I have no regrets. I also think that many nurses feel the same about specializing. You will hone some skills while some get a bit rusty. One thing is that there are coworkers to collaborate with if needed and you will see many pts with comorbidties, especially as pts live longer with mental illness.

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Specializes in Oncology/StemCell Transplant; Psychiatry.

Thanks for replying. I will also be working as an LPN during this preceptorship, so I think I will be able to keep up with some of the practical skill that are used in med-surg. All I want to do is psych, I'm just afraid to take that initial "leap" with the job market being the way it is. Do y'all know if employers take an applicants preceptorship into account when hiring for a new grad position?

Of course, in an ideal world, my psych preceptorship would end in a job offer.

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

I think it's important to tell them what you want and why. I always felt drawn to psych. I started on a gero-psych unit as a CNA back in the early 90's. I tried other units but always wanted psych. I chose a 2 week stint in psych for my clinicals and there were only 2 spots. I thought for sure it would be difficult but it wasn't because most wanted ob or surgery.

Let them see and hear your passion for psych and I really believe it will make a difference. That is what I did when I recently pursued a new employer and switched from ltc psych to acute psych. I think it would be a plus for an employer to know what your precepted in. Good luck and please keep us posted!

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Specializes in Oncology/StemCell Transplant; Psychiatry.
I think it's important to tell them what you want and why. I always felt drawn to psych. I started on a gero-psych unit as a CNA back in the early 90's. I tried other units but always wanted psych. I chose a 2 week stint in psych for my clinicals and there were only 2 spots. I thought for sure it would be difficult but it wasn't because most wanted ob or surgery. Let them see and hear your passion for psych and I really believe it will make a difference. That is what I did when I recently pursued a new employer and switched from ltc psych to acute psych. I think it would be a plus for an employer to know what your precepted in. Good luck and please keep us posted!

I sure will. Thanks for your help!

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You are obviously not from England....... x so I cant be of much help, but I wish you luck........ x

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Not a single one of our professors have "suggested" a year of MedSurg. Which is FINE with me, as I quickly determined I have zero interest in working MedSurg in a hospital. However. my Mental Health/Psych professor is strongly suggesting I work Psych. Hmmm. LOL

Physical or mental...one way or another...future "wound" nurse.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Not a single one of our professors have "suggested" a year of MedSurg. Which is FINE with me, as I quickly determined I have zero interest in working MedSurg in a hospital. However. my Mental Health/Psych professor is strongly suggesting I work Psych. Hmmm. LOL

Physical or mental...one way or another...future "wound" nurse.

Come over to the dark side...we have cookies :)

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Come over to the dark side...we have cookies :)

Who could resist cookies?! ;)

Yeah, we just had orientation for our MedSurg clinical today...they can keep their trach care, ostomy care, PICC line dressing changes...send me back to my substance abuse groups!

Unless someone has a cool wound. I love the hell out of a cool wound!

Physical or mental...one way or another...future "wound" nurse.

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Specializes in Outpatient Psychiatry.

What are these "med-surg skills" that so many harp on?

If you're interested in psych then get into psych. Sure, you could always get a psych patient that needs a colostomy bag, straight cath, tracheotomy work, etc. However, there are instructions, Google, and a host of other sources if you can't figure it out. No sweat.

Personally, I have no desire to even know much less do all that stuff. I don't mean to sound abrasive, but it's a sore spot for me.

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