Would like to shadow a pscyh nurse: advice on how to do this?

purplemania, BSN, RN · Dec 10, 2004

I don't live in those areas, but I can offer suggestions. Call the hospital(s) and try to talk to a nurse manager, charge nurse, nurse educator or nurse recruiter in HR. They may be concerned about your safety and the client's privacy, so there could be some blocks, but it is worth a try. Sounds like a good idea to me. If you cannot actually visit you might ask for a nurse to call you so you can ask questions, or meet him/her or have him/her serve as your mentor while you get your education. I have a feeling if someone on the inside gets to know you, and know you are serious, they will be more responsive. Another approach is to talk to the psych nurse instructor at the nursing school and get advice. Good luck!

Bjo · Dec 11, 2004

Hi,
Since I'm seriously entertaining the idea of becoming a psych nurse, I'd like to shadow a pscyh nurse to see if this is for me. How does one go about doing this? Simply calling up a hospital and asking "can I shadow one of your nurses?" doesn't work. Advice for how to do this for hospitals in Hartford or New Haven, CT?
Thanks!

Are you already a nurse, or are you going to possibly be starting school? I think that would make a difference. Maybe you could ask them if you could have a tour of the facility first, or something, just to get your foot in the door that way.

EMTtoRN · Dec 16, 2004

Hi,
Since I'm seriously entertaining the idea of becoming a psych nurse, I'd like to shadow a pscyh nurse to see if this is for me. How does one go about doing this? Simply calling up a hospital and asking "can I shadow one of your nurses?" doesn't work. Advice for how to do this for hospitals in Hartford or New Haven, CT?
Thanks!

Hi I just wanted to let you know that St Mary's has just such a program!! It is in Waterbury but its an idea!

http://www.stmaryshospital.com/ of course the sections you want are down right now, maybe they are working on them. go to working at st mary's, nursing, then student nurse and shadow program.

payday · Dec 16, 2004

this is an excellent idea in any field. It eliminates wasting time and money.

Nessd429 · Feb 12, 2005

I agree that shadowing would eliminate wasting time and money, which is why im so concerned because i cant seem to find a place that would let me shadow a psych nurse. I was also trying to coordinate a psych shadowing position (in nyc) but every place turned me down when i told them what i was looking for. I have a few more places to call then I don't know what else to do. So I've been wanting to ask. . I'm really interested in psych nursing (especially developmental disabilities) but not really any other areas of nursing besides psych. Someone on this site made the point that I should find out if nursing in general is right for me. If I can't volunteer in psych, someone had suggested a psych nursing home which i really dont want to do. Sometimes I wonder if even my reluctance to do that could mean that nursing may not be what I want. Anyone else have any suggestions about a good place to try just to see if nursing in general is right for me? Thanks!

Vanessa :uhoh3:

CharlieRN · Feb 15, 2005

If you are not a nurse yet then that is the real question. Do you want to be a nurse? Nurses, even psych nurses are generalists. We are expected to be willing and able to do, or be trained to do, anything in the nursing spectrum. If the psych patient needs an enema, or a bed bath, a psych nurse may be expected to preform those treatments.

There are other careers in psych. Maybe you should look into social work. If your interest is very focused on working with the developmentally disabled, perhaps you should contact an organization that advocates for them and see what they say.