Should I do a psych rotation?

[LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN]

I am a fisrt year student, and my goal is to do ER or pediatrics and I currently work in an ER as a tech. My school is giving us the option for next term to go to the state psych hosptial or do a med-surg rotation for clinicals.

My inital feeling is I don't want to go because I dont want to be a psych nurse, but because I want to work ED I feel that mabey I should go because at least 1/3 of our pts in the ED are for psych.

I think that the psych rotaion would only be for three weeks and then three weeks for med.

I am concerned about if I will get to practice enogh clincial skills during the psych rotation, as my last clinical experience the most that we got to do other than ADLS was passing PO meds and I guess that I am worried that psych might be similar to LTC in terms of the amount of skills that I would be learing.

[THAT Nurse., MSN, RN, APRN]

We had to do it. At first, I did not want to go. However, having been there, and not been sure at first...

My advice is go. If your psych instructor is worth anything you will learn a lot. I kind of lucked out, one of the shrinks at the facility either took a liking to me, or just tolerated pests, because she let me ask some dumb questions, and very actively showed me things.

[~island girl~]

i think that you can never go wrong when trying new things in nursing. i personally am a fan of psych nursing and loved my rotation. i may have learned the most in that rotation. although you may not get as much hands-on acute skills practice, you learn how to communicate with the most difficult of patients. you'll view psych patients differently and it'll help you to understand and identify a variety of diseases. A lot of times, you'll have patients who are affected by more than one type of disease and not to sound cynical, but it's a fun challenge to try to help identify what that patient may be suffering from and may help with treatment. good luck and hope this helps

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

If it really interests you, take it. You'll have tons of opportunities to do med-surg rotations in NS, but you many not get another chance to do a 2nd psych rotation (you'll probably get one in psych nursing class).

[JRD2002]

There is never anyway I could be a psych nurse but I think you should do at least one rotation. When I was in school we did not have a choice. That class was the one that focused on how you talked to your patients and it is where therapeutic communication was discussed. This is such a useful tool not only for psych patients. Even though you do not see yourself being a psych nurse you will still see people with psych problems, especially in the ER.

[iamablonde, BSN, RN]

I too remember being FORCED to do a psych rotation in clinicals and I was not interested either, but the information I learned on that rotation has been very valuable to me in all my 13 years as working as an RN in EVERY job. You will come across MANY patients, on ALL wards who have psych issues. Or their family members, or care givers, or children, and sometimes just your co workers or DOCS! ha ha I think you should GO! You will be suprised how many psych patients you will have in your nursing career even if NEVER setting foot on a psych ward! Wouldn't you rather have SOME experience and not be Afraid of it, than NO experience at ALL. You will run into it no matter where you work. Have an open mind. Have FUN!

[Dinsey]

Wherever you end up nursing, you will have to be able to handle psych issues - both in patients and their families.

Do it. You can always catch up on clinical skills. Experience with psych patients is priceless.

[RN1982]

I don't think it matters either way, you'll have to do a psych rotation.

[plowboy911]

You need it. You will see psych on any floor, especially ER. Is the rotation in place of med/surg, or in place of a 2nd/3rd rotation?

[S.N. Visit, BSN, RN]

My psych rotation was the most exciting one for me. It also helped me on the NCLEX. I recalled things much easier having experienced situations similar to what I was being asked on the NCLEX ........ A psych rotation most likely will not be a waste of your time, you'll use those clinical skills in every aspect of nursing.

[Reno1978, BSN, RN]

The most valuable thing I learned during my psych rotation was relationship building with the patients. That skill is invaluable and extends into all areas of nursing and even as a ICU nurse, I've encountered my fair share of patients with mental health histories.

[Neveranurseagain, RN]

I never did a psych rotation is nursing school as it was not required (many yrs ago!). We had a locked psych unit at the hospital I worked and occ. I was called to float there, but got out of it by saying I didn't have any "dress" pants but would jeans be ok? But when I became a paramedic student we were required to do a few week rotation in psych. and I was dreading it. But once there, it was fun and I learned alot and even did an extra rotation there! You will learn skills on dealing with your most difficult pts. So go with an open mind and absorb what you can! They taught me that the hardest pts. to deal with and get along with have psych issues--something I still keep in mind when dealing with difficult people.