I graduated as an LPN in May 2012, and bridged to my ADN December 2014. I'm currently working on my BSN.
The reason I went to nursing was to be a psychiatric nurse. I have always been very passionate about mental health. Like many people that say that, my origins in this interest came from not always being so mentally healthy myself. I have a history of depression and was voluntarily hospitalized in March 2007 for suicidal ideation and April 2007 was involuntarily hospitalized after a suicide attempt. I was 20 at the time.
Fast forward 8 years later and I'm in a much better place. I haven't used medication or therapy for several years, though I am very open to the fact that they may be necessary in the future. One can never predict. My depression is under control, I live a healthy lifestyle and I'm able to manage both work and school fulltime.
Since getting my LPN I have worked at a doctor's office for a family physician. We get our fair share of mental health crises and it's really helped remind me of the reason why I went to school. The only reason why I'm not working directly in mental health now is that there are no places closeby to where we live now, but this summer my husband and I will be moving so he can pursue his Master's in Clinical Psychology (yeah, we're both into it. =) )
So, I'm very excited to go somewhere that has an inpatient behavioral health unit, but the only issue is....it's the same place where I had my voluntary hospitalization.
With the information I have today, I don't *believe* that I will have any problem going back there to work. I follow up that statement with this: I've had a lot of mental health inpatient clinicals and, while the first day I did this during LPN school did bother me and "take me back there" for a little while, that was a number of years ago and I've since had numerous days in different inpatient psych units. I specifically asked for extra days in this area during my ADN clinicals. And again, I've taken the initiative on a lot of mental health crises with patients in our clinic. My physician knows me passion for psych and is wonderful about letting me make decisions about treatment plans, hospitalization recommendations, etc. So again, it may be odd to go back there, but I do believe that I will be able to handle it and be resilient to any stress it adds.
That being said...I just wasn't sure if it somehow frowned upon for Psychiatric nurses to work anywhere where they have been hospitalized. I wouldn't even think twice about this with any other specialty (i.e. ICU, Oncology, ER, etc) but people treat mental health differently, so I thought I'd be worthwhile to verify that I'm not setting myself up for a huge disappointment.
I understand that it's illegal for them to ask me about my health history, but say that I got there and it ever came out somehow that I was there before (i.e. where I work now when you look up a patient's name you get the sames of 6-8 other people with similar names that have also been seen, or maybe a long-time employee could recognize me...who knows), would that be the nail in my coffin? There are so few inpatient behavioral health places around me without having a 2 hour one-way commute (which i did all through school and am really resistant to do it for another 3+ years while hubby is in school), which is why I feel like I have "all my eggs in once basket" here.
Sorry this is a book, but I value any insight that can be offered.
to what extent they bring it on themselves This is so typical of a nurse to kick another nurse, shame on you. It was actually a person who was 'playing the victim" that brought on my nightmare.
Nurses need to start sticking up for other nurses instead of blaming the victim.
Once told, personal information about yourself cannot be taken back. Once that information is out there it can be distorted and used against you. People sometimes complain here about gossip, but often bring problems on themselves by being too free with personal information. Maybe it is just my way, but I think most people's private business should be kept private at work.
The staff you are working with should treat you as if they never worked with you as a patient.
Personally, I would find working on the same psych unit where I've been hospitalized to be very awkward. It was bad enough that my admitting nurse was someone I'd worked with in the past.
Wow, that would bother me, too. At this point in life it takes a lot for me to feel uncomfortable, but having a co-worker admit me into a behavioral health unit would definitely not be in my comfort zone. Though, then again, maybe at that point I would be "so bad off" that I wouldn't care...hard to say. Either way, I'm sorry you had to experience that. I've lurked on this forum off and on for a long time, and I really appreciate your openness in speaking about your experiences, Viva. =)
Thank you again to everyone that's still providing their feedback. I finally was able to submit the application, resume, cover letter and 100-question personality/lets-see-how-lazy-and-antisocial-you-are test, so I'll let everyone know how things go!
personality test, wow, they just keep adding more and more things required for nurses every year,
hell why not submit your mammogram along with everything else .
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Lots of healthcare employers have been using some sort of standardized personality/work style screening test for applicants for many years now, and it is a growing trend. If you haven't run into this yet while jobhunting, it probably won't be long before you do. If you have a problem with that (too), you'd likely be happier working in something other than healthcare.
It seems they want more and more , bsn to start, but what do you get in return.
Respected ?
I have never been asked to take that type of test only once. Pretty much everyone,
does not answer honestly, so what is the point.
Thank you for telling me what jobs I am suited for, you sound like a mgr, or a real apple shiner.
I have reason to be discusted with the "health care system" thats it for now pollyanna. good day, try to pass your future predictions off on someone else.
I think it's a bad idea and I wouldn't do it. If there were nurses who still worked there who remembered me from when I'd been a patient, I'd feel super awkward. Though they'd be bound by HIPAA and couldn't say anything to other co-workers like "oh we had her as a patient 10 years ago", just knowing that they knew would make me uncomfortable.
I DID work with an NP who'd once treated me many years ago though. I had my struggles with severe depression, anorexia, bulimia and self-harm in college. I did a brief hospitalization stint and wouldn't ever consider working there as an RN. Going back into the building where that unit is housed is uncomfortable enough. (As it turned out, the hospital that housed this unit went out of business shortly after I was there and the building was eventually purchased by the hospital I went on to work at for the first 5 years of my career. The psychiatric units remain under private operation/they are leased from this hospital. Any time I had to go to this facility for trainings, I was uncomfortable.) Anyway, one day we had a new part-time NP starting. She recognized me immediately, approached me and asked if I'd been a former student of hers. I didn't recognize her at the time and said no. The next day, I heard someone say her last name and immediately remembered where I knew her from. She had filled in for my primary NP who when she went on maternity leave at the adolescent clinic where I was treated as an outpatient. The last time we had seen each other before then was when she had sent me to the ER to be put on a hold d/t suicidal ideation.
Fast forward several months. We hadn't ever talked about it and then the town that I grew up in was mentioned. When I said I was from there she said "I know." She then admitted (to me alone, not to everyone) that she had remembered as soon as I had told her I wasn't a former student of hers where she knew me from. Learning that day that for many months, I'd been working with someone who knew all the skeletons in my closet was extremely awkward and I had to call several friends on my way home from work that day to calm me down. I can't imagine choosing to put myself in that situation.
I think it's a bad idea and I wouldn't do it. If there were nurses who still worked there who remembered me from when I'd been a patient, I'd feel super awkward. Though they'd be bound by HIPAA and couldn't say anything to other co-workers like "oh we had her as a patient 10 years ago", just knowing that they knew would make me uncomfortable.
I DID work with an NP who'd once treated me many years ago though. I had my struggles with severe depression, anorexia, bulimia and self-harm in college. I did a brief hospitalization stint and wouldn't ever consider working there as an RN. Going back into the building where that unit is housed is uncomfortable enough. (As it turned out, the hospital that housed this unit went out of business shortly after I was there and the building was eventually purchased by the hospital I went on to work at for the first 5 years of my career. The psychiatric units remain under private operation/they are leased from this hospital. Any time I had to go to this facility for trainings, I was uncomfortable.) Anyway, one day we had a new part-time NP starting. She recognized me immediately, approached me and asked if I'd been a former student of hers. I didn't recognize her at the time and said no. The next day, I heard someone say her last name and immediately remembered where I knew her from. She had filled in for my primary NP who when she went on maternity leave at the adolescent clinic where I was treated as an outpatient. The last time we had seen each other before then was when she had sent me to the ER to be put on a hold d/t suicidal ideation.
Fast forward several months. We hadn't ever talked about it and then the town that I grew up in was mentioned. When I said I was from there she said "I know." She then admitted (to me alone, not to everyone) that she had remembered as soon as I had told her I wasn't a former student of hers where she knew me from. Learning that day that for many months, I'd been working with someone who knew all the skeletons in my closet was extremely awkward and I had to call several friends on my way home from work that day to calm me down. I can't imagine choosing to put myself in that situation.
Although I agree it is best to avoid working on a unit where you were a patient but as a NP who works with adolescents on inpatient mental health units I can wholeheartedly say I would be thrilled if I saw one of my former kids successfully working as a nurse. Although I agree it isn't ideal please don't feel embarrassed by the NP knowing you and definitely pat yourself on the back for making it through the rough times.
Hey all, it's been a few months now and I thought I'd give everyone an update, in case anyone was interested. =)
Back in May I applied to the aforementioned inpatient psychiatric unit in the town where we knew we'd be moving. Within a week I had an AMAZING interview with the director of HR, but the interview with 2 of the 3 nursing managers I'd be working with was just...awkward. It seemed like one of them really wanted to be somewhere else or, at bare minimum, was supremely uninterested from the get-go. The whole process was pretty slow since I was applying in May with the understanding that I couldn't work until, at earliest, August 3rd, but I really had to go out of my way, calling multiple times to hear anything. Once I called and left a message and got a call the next day from the third nurse manager and she expressed interest in hearing from me, but the interview/in-person discussion was literally less than 5 minutes. A few weeks later, I called HR once and was semi-surprised that she remembered me since it had been about 6-7 weeks since I'd had my interview with her (several weeks in between each interview), and she said she'd find out about the job status and get some constructive criticism. When 4 business days went by without hearing back, and not being able to reach her by phone, I finally emailed her and she called stating that they weren't going to offer me a position, but they didn't have any constructive criticism. I'll admit, I did have a moment of wondering....did they look up my record? Their application asked for my maiden name....
I attempted to reach the first nursing manager directly to get SOME kind of constructive criticism (or at least recommendations on what kind of experience would be most attractive to them), but after a few attempts and only receiving voicemail, I gave up and decided it was time to just see what else I could find.
I applied at several different places and was pretty discouraged by how long it was taking to hear back from them (by now it was mid July and I was pretty anxious that I was moving without a job. I don't quit a job without having the next one lined up, but I was also almost completely done training my replacement at my old job, so....things were set in stone there), but then got a call from the director of a Medical unit that sounded really interested (2 phone calls and an email within a couple hours). I interviewed with 3 nurse directors (medical, surgical, and an over-arching manager above them) and it was, again, AMAZING. They all came across as positive people and like they were rooting for me to succeed. The interview was on a Thursday and they said it'd take up to 2 weeks to hear from HR, but I got a call late Friday evening (6:30pm) and let it go to voicemail since I didn't recognize the caller, but when I checked it later it was their HR director giving me a job offer for the Post-Surgical floor! She left a long message talking about base compensation, call-in pay, holiday pay....I seriously could have cried, both from relief that I had a job and that my pay rate is going up significantly (old job was in an office). Given that I'm the bread winner and my husband's program doesn't allow him to work much, it's an amazing feeling to know that we are going to not only survive, but to thrive. =)
We have since moved, I've done all of my pre-employment background checks, physical, drug screenings, TB test, etc and just got notification today that I've got the official "okay" to start orientation next Monday. I understand that I'm not working in my preferred specialty, but there are psychiatric issues on every floor. It sounds like my new floor takes all kinds of different surgical patients (ortho, oncology, GI, GU, etc) and I'm excited to use my skills and gain so many more.
Anyway, for those that have made it through the novel....thank you all that gave me your support. This all didn't turn out how I was initially hoping/expecting, but I'm really glad to get the hospital experience in what, so far, has seemed like a really positive atmosphere and get into a new place where I'll be learning by the bucket-load on a daily basis. It's reminded me that the road to my goal (PMHNP) has many different routes and that I'm ultimately just along for the ride. =)
kuippo
99 Posts
to what extent they bring it on themselves This is so typical of a nurse to kick another nurse, shame on you. It was actually a person who was 'playing the victim" that brought on my nightmare.
Nurses need to start sticking up for other nurses instead of blaming the victim.