Hi! I am in the final stretch of nursing school (Sacramento region of California, though will eventually be in the LA area), and trying to decide where to start my career. My goal is to work with underserved/vulnerable populations (especially loving my time working with the unhoused), specifically with a psych, and possibly forensics, emphasis. This is why I went to nursing school, and my passion for it has only grown. I am just not sure where the best place to begin is. I am considering a new grad position in an ER, in order to get some traditional medical experience. I have enjoyed my rotations in the ER, but, in all honesty, I would only be doing this after being told I am basically worthless and unmarketable as a nurse if I don't have at least a year of bedside to work on my "skills". It drives me insane how psych, community health, all non-traditional nursing areas, etc are looked down upon and undervalued. I do have a lot of support and encouragement from my mental health professor to jump in to psych, but I would love to hear more from people who have been in similar dilemmas as mine. Where did your journey start? Would you change anything about your path thus far? I am grateful for any thoughts, feelings and advice! Thank you!
B52, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN 218 Posts Specializes in Psych, Substance Abuse. Has 12 years experience. May 18 Hello! Nursing is a second career for me. I previously worked as a newspaper journalist. When the newspaper industry crashed I went to LPN school and got a job in a drug rehab facility. When I became an RN I worked on the psych floor at two hospitals and then I moved down to the psych ER. When I earned an MSN I started working as a mental health intensive case manager for a VA hospital. I always knew I wanted psych, and nothing else, so I have no regrets.
BuzzyAllyBee 4 Posts May 19 B52 said: Hello! Nursing is a second career for me. I previously worked as a newspaper journalist. When the newspaper industry crashed I went to LPN school and got a job in a drug rehab facility. When I became an RN I worked on the psych floor at two hospitals and then I moved down to the psych ER. When I earned an MSN I started working as a mental health intensive case manager for a VA hospital. I always knew I wanted psych, and nothing else, so I have no regrets. Hello! Thank you for sharing your experience! Your path is one I could see myself on. Nursing is also my second career, which I think has some benefits. I have had one person say they are a better psych nurse due to having extensive med/surg experience, as they were able to better assess and identify medical issues in psych patients. Do you feel at a disadvantage or that you have struggled without that experience?
B52, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN 218 Posts Specializes in Psych, Substance Abuse. Has 12 years experience. May 19 I do not feel at a disadvantage. On the psych floor I've had patients with feeding tubes, gunshot wounds, cathethers, etc. I consider myself a lifeling learner. I'm psych certified and I read journals on psych and med/surg issues.
Arr-tistRN 1 Article; 21 Posts May 20 What you are hearing is the stigma of mental health not being valued. It is a myth that you need "medical experience" as a nurse. They will hired anyone for med sug these days anyway. If you want to do psych then do it. I did 3 years acute psych as a new grad, started teaching CPR for the facility, did gero psych for a year, then VA psych for 3, then outpatient addictions, precetped nursing students for a year, now I'm a workplace violence prevention program manager and a facility nurse educator for the VA. Your experience is what you make it and you can use it to find your niche.
