Starting Psych and OB, any advice?

justjenny · Jan 25, 2005

I am starting my 2nd semester w/ OB and Psych. I have no idea what to expect so I would appreciate any info anyone can give. I am curious
as to how much workload there is and what responsibilities I will have as a student. Please help me!

I depends on your school, instructor and clinical facility.

I have not had OB yet - but I did have Psych. While in the locked unit

we felt like we were not accomplishing much with our patients.

We are not qualified to do "therapy" - only to be "therapeutic"

have fun!

Jenny

ADN Grad Dec 2005

justjenny · Jan 25, 2005

I am starting my 2nd semester w/ OB and Psych. I have no idea what to expect so I would appreciate any info anyone can give. I am curious
as to how much workload there is and what responsibilities I will have as a student. Please help me!

I depends on your school, instructor and clinical facility.

I have not had OB yet - but I did have Psych. While in the locked unit

we felt like we were not accomplishing much with our patients.

We are not qualified to do "therapy" - only to be "therapeutic"

have fun!

Jenny

ADN Grad Dec 2005

saskrn · Jan 25, 2005

I am starting my 2nd semester w/ OB and Psych. I have no idea what to expect so I would appreciate any info anyone can give. I am curious
as to how much workload there is and what responsibilities I will have as a student. Please help me!

I remember both of those rotations, but it was years ago. For what it's worth, in psych all I did was try to use open ended questions when talking with my patients. I felt like an idiot because we were not able to do much, and the staff thought we were a joke, I think.

As for OB, we weren't allowed to really do much there either. We could observe, set up for deliveries, assist (sometimes), help with pushing, etc.

The two rotations were quite quiet compared to med, surg, ortho, etc. But don't misunderstand, you still have to know the info.

saskrn · Jan 25, 2005

I am starting my 2nd semester w/ OB and Psych. I have no idea what to expect so I would appreciate any info anyone can give. I am curious
as to how much workload there is and what responsibilities I will have as a student. Please help me!

I remember both of those rotations, but it was years ago. For what it's worth, in psych all I did was try to use open ended questions when talking with my patients. I felt like an idiot because we were not able to do much, and the staff thought we were a joke, I think.

As for OB, we weren't allowed to really do much there either. We could observe, set up for deliveries, assist (sometimes), help with pushing, etc.

The two rotations were quite quiet compared to med, surg, ortho, etc. But don't misunderstand, you still have to know the info.

begalli · Jan 27, 2005

I had a really great experiece in my psych clinicals lead by instructors who had incredible credentials and who were devoted to their work. The RN's and psych techs were equally respectable and respectful of the student's desire and need to learn.

I think that a couple of things that's really important during your psych clinical is to NOT be judgemental and remember to NOT try and solve your patient's problems for them by making suggestions to them about what they should do or how they should feel.

The open ended questions you will learn, amazingly enough, can lead to the patient finding their own resolution to problems or at least get them thinking about solutions, or just get them thinking. This type of communication is an excellent tool for anyone to learn and will come in handy throughout your nursing and personal life (worked wonders on my teenagers during their angst years!).

You can make a difference as a student, even though it might not feel like it, by simply facilitating your patient to talk.

I loved psych, especially the acute psych. I met some very interesting people with profoundly sad medical conditions that were completely disruptive of their lives.

crb613, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2005

I am starting my 2nd semester w/ OB and Psych. I have no idea what to expect so I would appreciate any info anyone can give. I am curious
as to how much workload there is and what responsibilities I will have as a student. Please help me!

I just started my psych clinicals & I love it. We have a great instructor & he makes it sooo interesting I would say learn your meds/side effects/interventions. We also have to know all disorders & symptoms. It would also be helpful to know how to talk to diff. types of clients, some open ended questions work well & some closed ended or they will go on & on & get completely off task. Like I said I have just started but I hope this helps. :)

twinbee25 · Jan 29, 2005

I just started my psych clinicals & I love it. We have a great instructor & he makes it sooo interesting I would say learn your meds/side effects/interventions. We also have to know all disorders & symptoms. It would also be helpful to know how to talk to diff. types of clients, some open ended questions work well & some closed ended or they will go on & on & get completely off task. Like I said I have just started but I hope this helps. :)

We have our psych clinicals this coming week. I must admit I am nervous...but from the previous post, guess I will get out my text and go over open-ended questions info again so it will be fresh in my mind. We also have to do a process recording of our psych rotation. ...ugh! LOL :uhoh3:

twinbee25

smiles13 · Feb 5, 2005

I loved my OB and Psych experiences. Psych was more observation and theraputic interactions, as for OB we did basic exams on mothers and babies, gave pain medications, and watched procedures (my first male circ. just about made me faint, but it was great experience).

Just a note to add... don't feel bad if you don't like an area. I had classmates that HATED OB and others who really didn't care for psych. The nice thing about these areas are that they're specialties, and once you are done... you do not have to go into them again... although, remembering what you learn in these areas is important because you will run into these areas, ESPECIALLY psych in med/surg.

Relax and enjoy it!

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 5, 2005

I found psych and OB the most enjoyable of all my clinical experiences. Just relax, learn and enjoy.