What is Psych rotation like?

[lilyteen]

Can anyone share what can be expected in the mental health rotation? We are starting our psych rotation in 2 weeks - yes, we have to go to nursing school during the summer at our college! I just thought I'd ask what the clinical entailed as far as patient care and/or meds. I know it is a different atmosphere than med/surg, which is what we just finished up. Any info would be appreciated.

[EarthChild1130]

Obviously I loved mine, since I now specialize in psych...but I only went to nursing school to do psych nursing. lol

My clinical was great...we went to a state mental hospital that houses about 300 patients...we were there 8 hours a day twice a week, and for that 8 hours we were either with our patient, hanging out in the dayroom, or charting...We went out and walked the grounds with our patients, hung out at the store on the grounds of the facility, etc...

My best pieces of advice would be to always stay calm even when you're not, never go anywhere alone with a patient, don't wear any shoes that you can't run in, and don't wear anything around your neck. I'm not trying to make anyone scared, but these are just 'FYI' things that you do on a psych unit.

IMO, psych is where you will really LEARN how to communicate with people...you will learn how to read body language, how to talk to people who may not be able to communicate clearly back with you, and how to react to patients in crisis...med/surg and psych will go hand in hand...even if you end up not loving psych, you will always have patients in each area who will experience some sort of mental strain, and psych will help you better help them.