Why did you choose psych nursing?

[Keely-FutureRN]

I have been reading many of the old threads here lately. It seems like with all the combative pts, non-compliance with therapy/meds, stresses of dealing with eccentric behavior, trying to diffuse tense situations, etc. that psych. would be a very negative working environment and very emotionally draining. I am very interested in becoming a psych. nurse and I just want to hear a little bit about why you chose it and what you like about it. Thanks in advance. :)

Keely

[kathmerkin]

I have always thought about going into psche nursing. I scored the HIGHEST on my boards on the psych section, and in nursing school, when we rotated at the mental hospital, I was strongly encouraged to go into psyche. My parents are both Pychiactric social workers and in their own private practice, so I grew up with it, and i wanted to do something different that's why I didn't. I have been in Pediatrics and Post partum, and school nursing, and home health, etc., etc.. I am on a very demanding and draining floor now, and am sort of getting "burn-out" and thinking of going into psych as we do have a psych floor on our hospital. Do you think they would want a 49 year old who has always worked OTHER areas?? I think I would be good at psyche as people always tell me I'm a natural at counseling people, after all i was a counselor more than a nurse it seemed when i did school nursing for 6 years (2 years in a huge high school)!! What advice do you all have?? I am scared to make such a change, and then I really don't know if they'd want someone who isn't going into it right from school as a specialty. Any advice would be great! Thanks.. kathie :)

[sayitgirl]

I have always thought about going into psche nursing. I scored the HIGHEST on my boards on the psych section, and in nursing school, when we rotated at the mental hospital, I was strongly encouraged to go into psyche. My parents are both Pychiactric social workers and in their own private practice, so I grew up with it, and i wanted to do something different that's why I didn't. I have been in Pediatrics and Post partum, and school nursing, and home health, etc., etc.. I am on a very demanding and draining floor now, and am sort of getting "burn-out" and thinking of going into psych as we do have a psych floor on our hospital. Do you think they would want a 49 year old who has always worked OTHER areas?? I think I would be good at psyche as people always tell me I'm a natural at counseling people, after all i was a counselor more than a nurse it seemed when i did school nursing for 6 years (2 years in a huge high school)!! What advice do you all have?? I am scared to make such a change, and then I really don't know if they'd want someone who isn't going into it right from school as a specialty. Any advice would be great! Thanks.. kathie :)

I don't know why there is such a misconception about psych nursing. People seem to think that nurses are doing counseling in this type of nursing. The place where I work at nurses do nursing. Communication techniques are used as just that; to communicate with clients. Most med-surg hospitals in my area with psych units, use nurses to do the job of addiction counselors, cna's and nursing, to save money. But at the mental hospital that I work at there is a interdiscplinary team that has the staff that does each role. The nurse is just that a nurse treating the medical portion of their illness. Believe me that is more than enough to do. Being older is a plus, you bring wisdom and knowledge with you.

[lucianne]

I have always thought about going into psche nursing. I scored the HIGHEST on my boards on the psych section, and in nursing school, when we rotated at the mental hospital, I was strongly encouraged to go into psyche. My parents are both Pychiactric social workers and in their own private practice, so I grew up with it, and i wanted to do something different that's why I didn't. I have been in Pediatrics and Post partum, and school nursing, and home health, etc., etc.. I am on a very demanding and draining floor now, and am sort of getting "burn-out" and thinking of going into psych as we do have a psych floor on our hospital. Do you think they would want a 49 year old who has always worked OTHER areas?? I think I would be good at psyche as people always tell me I'm a natural at counseling people, after all i was a counselor more than a nurse it seemed when i did school nursing for 6 years (2 years in a huge high school)!! What advice do you all have?? I am scared to make such a change, and then I really don't know if they'd want someone who isn't going into it right from school as a specialty. Any advice would be great! Thanks.. kathie :)

I'm sure most any psych unit would be more than happy to have someone with lots of experience other than psych and being older really isn't a problem. Depending on the way the unit is run, you may function mostly as a nurse (i.e. passing meds, physical assessments, etc.) or you may be more involved in the milieu. Where I've worked, nurses ran the milieu and provided therapeutic activities and therapeutic communication as well as educating families about medications and mental illness.