Will starting in psych put me at a disadvantage in the future?

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I'm in an accelerated BSN program, due to graduate in December. I'm very interested in psych nursing and have an MS in addictions counseling. Whenever I tell classmates/teachers/other RNs about my interest in pscyh, I get a very negative reaction. The reaction that concerns me the most is when folks tell me I should not get a job in psych right off the bat b/c I will lose my "basic nursing skills" and look less desireable to recruiters if I choose to change specialties down the road (I'm also interested in the ED). Any reaction to this? I've been told that getting my feet wet on a med/surg floor is the smartest idea as it will prepare me for whatever eventual direction I want to take my career, but this simply doesn't interest me. Advice needed! Will starting at psych put me at a disadvantage with future, more medicine-based nursing jobs? Thank you :)

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Each hospital is very different. The psych unit where I work.... all patients are medically cleared and the educator does nothing to help the nurses keep their skills up to date. Most have no idea how to start an IV, draw blood, suction a patient, hang an IV drip, etc. Nurses coming out of my psych unit don't get jobs on medical floors because they are more behind than a new grad in a lot of ways. I asked a nurse yesterday at work and he hasn't used a stethoscope in 22 years! Other psych units might be different. Others might have educators that do a great job at keeping the nurses up to date. Others might have patients that are not medically cleared so you get more of that type stuff.

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Specializes in critical care, Med-Surg.

You need to look into this yourself and not take my word for it, but from my research Psych NP are the highest paid. Just sayin'.

With your background and interest, it might be a great match. Do what you love!

If psych is your love, DO IT! Don't burn daylight if your passion is psych.

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Oh I agree. A RN I work with just became a psych NP and she's working 20 hours a week doing outpatient med management only making $150k a year. No joke. Saw the contract.

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Specializes in critical care, Med-Surg.
Oh I agree. A RN I work with just became a psych NP and she's working 20 hours a week doing outpatient med management only making $150k a year. No joke. Saw the contract.

I only know one, and she worked her butt off. But she was well compensated. It's a highly specialized field. That's why you don't need to worry about med-surg!

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It totally depends on the type of psych nursing.

I work in geriatrics and get plenty of med-surg action.

I would recommend this as a possible compromise.

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What about a medical floor with lots of medical patients in withdrawal/suicide hold/altered mental status etc? I'm a float CNA doing quite a lot of 1on1 on a floor like that now. Do what you love. Or find what you love in what you do.

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My psych clinical instructor had a background in a trauma ICU. she said all her patients were in withdrawal or suicidal. she said she did psych nursing every single day in the TICU. If depression is your thing, you could work with patients with chronic illnesses (such as oncology).

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If you want to specialize in PSYCH you really dont need the traditional skills...psych nurses have their own skills.

I would sh*t bricks if you put me on a pysch unit and I am incredibly skilled with IVs etc. But put me in a room with a schizo or a sudicide pt and I am bound to make things worse for them..lol If Psych is what interests you then go for it!

You can always take refresher courses if you change your mind.

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

I'm in psych currently and landed it when I passed my boards. Wouldn't want to be anyplace else, but I do hate that some of my skills I was just beginning to pick up in school have fallen by the wayside.

I also know that if I were to switch to med surg, I would learn whatever I needed to make it!

My de-escalation skills are pretty good and my 6th sense, even when I'm out, is tops. I can talk the talk with any if my pts and can say that everyday is different and if I go the NP route, I will stay in psych. Love it and have no regrets at all. Good luck!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Wound Care.

Some larger hospitals may have a more medical-psych units (psych patients with other medical problems). Also, as Hygiene Queen posted, there are some hospitals with a gerontological medicine floor (I work in one). There are a handful of "psych" patients that make it, including schizophrenia, mostly delirium and dementia.

On the other hand, if you're interested in the ED, I'd see if you could run with that, too. There is also "correctional" nursing, which deals with prisoners.

When you're close to graduating, especially after you've been through many clinicals, I'd start applying for whatever jobs you are interested in. The job market is kinda tough for new grads, but you may have a much easier time getting a psych nursing job. But, you can always search for the med-psych units.

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Specializes in medical.

Med-Surg and Psych are completely different skill sets. Not that either one is better than the other. If you decide to go into psych then you won't need med-surg skills. Med-surg is more a task orientated job and psych is not so much. Personally I think med-surg is the toughest job in nursing. I am glad I spent my time there but I wouldn't want to go back because there are a lot better nursing jobs out there. Whatever you do, good luck!

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