What exactly do psych nurses do?

[studentdeb]

I'm sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, but as I am looking through the many different specialties that are available in nursing, I am interested in psych nursing but really do not know what goes on with the patients. I'd appreciate if someone could tell me more about this field.

Thanks in advance

[nursedarla]

I Work In A Small 12-bed Unit With An Rn, Psych Tech, And Social Worker Assistant. As The Only Lpn I Do A Little Of Everything. I Pass Out The Medications, Take Orders As Needed, Spend 1:1 Time Talking With Patients, Do Assessments, Do Groups - Mostly On Medications, Compliance, Pain, Different Diagnoses, And Coping Skills. We Spend A Lot Of Time With Patients So We Have Few Restraints, But I Also Help With Those. Usually I'm The One Doing The Quick Stick. The Rns Do Pretty Much The Same Thing Except They Have To Take A Bigger Part In The Multidisciplinary Planning Sessions That Go On Daily And Don't Have To Pass Meds. I Would Guess Duties Differ From Facility To Facility Depending On Size And The Type Of Patients Admitted. And Despite What A Lot Of People Say, You Do Need Good Clinical Skills Because Many Patients Have Exacerbations Of Their Mental Health Conditions Due To Contributing Physical Health Problems. You Never Know If You Like It Til You Try. :)