The Psychiatric Nursing Profession...a thread to begin learning about it

Specialties Psychiatric

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I wish to give credit were credit is due....Thanks, danu3, for locating this website, which will be very helpful to members who have questions as to what the psychiatric nursing profession is all about.

American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA)

If other members are aware of additional websites that "promote psychiatric nursing as a profession", please post them here for our members who are still learning or may have an interest.

Specializes in wound care, foot care, seniors health.
I am due to take early retirement in october following 30yrs in mental health nursing in Ireland and UK my last 10years have "doubled" to 20 for pension purposes. I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every day of it starting as a care assistant in 1977 to now as Head of service.There are choices within psychiatry, Adult care, rehabilitation, forensic work, older poeple. My passion has always been for people with Dementia who present a variety of different challenges. It does however take understanding, tolerance, supportive colleagues to enhance the patients experience of services. I have no hesitation in recommending mental health as a career

I have worked as an RPN now for 32 years, in all of the above areas, including substance abuse/dual diagnosis, and I also find that my favorite years have been spent working geriatric psychiatry. I am fortunate in that I work on a unit that specializes in geriatric mood disorders rather than dementia, but we do get a mix. We also have the infirmary for the whole of the 325 bed hospital so we can have a mix of suicide attempts, cardiac cases and paliative care all at the same time. Some express concern that they lose their physical nursing skills, but I think that with the opportunities for continuing education that are available, we don't have to lose these skills. We just need to take responsibility for keeping them current. I just went back in 2003 to get my degree and was pleasantly surprised that I still had the ability to learn! It was great having the chance to converse regularly with other like-minded nurses!

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I'm a nurse from the philippines with 10 years of med-surg experience,OR ect..after a few months of training at the National Center of Mental Health and 1 year of work at an of institute with children with mental and physical disability,I decided to concentrate on working with special children.

A psychologist advised that I train/study special education for chidren with autism, MR, down syndrom, etc..not on a hospital setting because we will be training children to be independent(basics of daily living)and not taking care of them.

Any info on this?

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Specializes in DD, HHC, Med Surg, PCU, Resource.

The APNA link from the OP is broken. Does anyone have an alternative link?

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Link is now repaired:

American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA)

Thank you for bringing it to our attention.

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Specializes in Psychiatric.

I am a newbie to this thread. I am so glad I found it. I hope someone can answer a question for me. I am pursuing an ASN or ADN but want to specialize in Psychiatric Nursing. In order to specialize in a certain field am I required to pursue the BS or BSN to be able to specialize in this field or can I do this with an ASN or ADN? Please feel free to explain in detail.

You may send me a private message here at allnurses.

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I just did my clinical rotation in Med/Surg and hated it. My professor is of the opinion that is you want psych nursing go directly into it. What is everybody's thoughts?

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Can a psychiatric nurse venture into legal and forensic after some experience?

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Where is the best place to work for your very first psych nursing job? Private, state, major teaching hospital? Do most first jobs have an extensive orientation? Also, who pays the best and has the best benefits? do nurses take on extra hours as per diem in additional to their regular jobs that offer benefits? Thanks,

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This may be a little off subject, but as someone who was a psych pt many times myself due to anorexia, depression, and ptsd in my adolescence, I think I can offer a lot of insight into psychiatric nursing and the subject as a whole. If anyone has any questions they would like to ask someone who has been a patient, I'd love to share my experience, I'm new to the site so I don't know how to do personal messaging, or whatever, but feel free to either post on here or PM me.

i very much admire those who go into psychiatric nursing. You're wonderful people!

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Mariposa88:

Thank you for your insight. I will keep your experiences in mind as I further inquire about the psychiatric nursing field! I love people and love to get into their world so I think this type of nursing will enable me to do just that!

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I'm a nurse from the philippines with 10 years of med-surg experience,OR ect..after a few months of training at the National Center of Mental Health and 1 year of work at an of institute with children with mental and physical disability,I decided to concentrate on working with special children.

A psychologist advised that I train/study special education for chidren with autism, MR, down syndrom, etc..not on a hospital setting because we will be training children to be independent(basics of daily living)and not taking care of them.

Any info on this?

hi nancy! Im a registered nurse here in the philippines and im looking forward to work as a psychiatric nurse, but I dont know what hospital or facility accept nurse trainee or volunteer. I hope you can help me please do reply thankzzzzz!

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