To accept or not accept offer?

[songbird_RN]

Hello Everybody! I recently graduated, passed NCLEX, and am now on the job hunt. I had my first interview with a psychiatric hospital and received a job offer on the spot. It is a night PRN position, no benefits or insurance. The nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:16 and I would be charge nurse (the only nurse unless we have over 16 patients) with 1 psych tech. Orientation would be 4 days along with 4 shifts of training. What concerns me is the high patient ratio and what seems like a rather short orientation/training. Is this the norm for psych? I also don't feel comfortable with the idea of being charge nurse so soon, especially as a new graduate with no other experience besides clinicals. Any feedback would be much appreciated!

[songbird_RN]

Are there other psych units at that hospital that will have RNs you could consult with? What I can share just anecdotally is the three patients who passed away on units where I worked all died on night shift. We also had 2 babies born overnight.

Oh my, three?? What are the chances of that happening! Your nights were anything but a bore. I definitely wouldn't know what I would do if that were to happen to me, with possibly only 1 RN on other floors as well. I could see myself working in L&D though if psych doesn't work out Thanks for the feedback!

[songbird_RN]

Are there other psych units at that hospital that will have RNs you could consult with? What I can share just anecdotally is the three patients who passed away on units where I worked all died on night shift. We also had 2 babies born overnight.

Labor & Delivery * idk why it turned into a emoticon

[songbird_RN]

Thank you everyone for your input and insight! My gut tells me it wouldn't be a good fit for me now or ever. After much thought, I have decided to decline the offer.

[Jules A, MSN]

Oh my, three?? What are the chances of that happening! Your nights were anything but a bore. I definitely wouldn't know what I would do if that were to happen to me, with possibly only 1 RN on other floors as well. I could see myself working in L&D though if psych doesn't work out Thanks for the feedback!

Thank goodness I wasn't working when the deaths or births occurred but it sure made for a rough couple of weeks for everyone. I did almost have a baby born on me once though. I couldn't get that chick off my unit fast enough.

[elkpark]

Oh my, three?? What are the chances of that happening! Your nights were anything but a bore. I definitely wouldn't know what I would do if that were to happen to me, with possibly only 1 RN on other floors as well. I could see myself working in L&D though if psych doesn't work out Thanks for the feedback!

I would say the chances are pretty good. It's also been my experience that most of the codes that have occurred on the psych units I've worked on have happened on night shift. The issue with night shift on psych units is that, in my experience, they are either extremely boring, with nothing at all happening, or all heck breaking loose all night. There doesn't seem to be a lot of middle ground.

[nursemeg444]

Sadly, this is very typical. I worked in psych and our orientation and ratios were the same - no precept or our anything. Thankfully, my coworkers were all very helpful.

[Kandice, RN]

Excellent decision! Your safety, the mental health tech's safety and patient's safety has the highest priority. Psychiatric nursing can have it's challenges on a well staffed unit with experienced nurses and mental heath techs. Once you have a little more experience under you belt and a good understanding of the pathophysiology of disease processes related to mental heath disorders and the mechanisms of psychotropic medications then some consideration maybe given based on your comfort level. In the meantime, I am employed on a mental health intensive care unit with a nurse: patient ratio of 1:5 and 1:5 for mental health techs on night shift. I hope you find a better fit soon.