So I work at a state psych facility. Im a young, male RN and im charge on a unit with only men (generally lower functioning, older men).
I've worked med/surg, LTC, now psych. I love it. Good work flow, not too stressful, pretty chill job. So tonight, I have an agency LPN who's passing meds with me. We get to talking and she said she works at a local hospital in med/surg. Well I said "ew, no thanks, too stressful for me. Always understaffed with too much to do." She replied "well, I love it. Ive always loved being a real nurse. Im not a psych nurse."
Now, the OLD me would have popped off and said something smart (ex army). I just let it roll off my back. What would YOU have said?
I'm sorry you did not get a good sense of what psych nurses do at your clinicals, and even more sorry that the pts did not get the nursing care they need and deserve.
Yes, I spend most of my shift talking to pts. My remaining time is spent attending interdisciplinary team meetings, leading groups. and documenting. If we're short on techs like we are now, I also go with pts to meals and activities. I'd rather get paid to sit in an AA meeting than run around doing trach care, g-tube feedings, suctioning, would care, trouble shooting malfunctioning equipment, etc. When I say laid-back, I am speaking relative to my experience in med/surg.
And im also confused when you said she won. There was no contest, what are you talking about? If you were there, you'd have understood it wasn't insulting. Literal translation doesn't come across right here. She wasn't even offended at what I said, so you're missing the point if you think its a typical ******* contest of specialties.
My point is that what she told me about being a "real nurse" wasn't meant to come out offensively on her part (which is why I let it roll). My point was to ask people here what they would have said in return, mainly just out of curiosity. Like I said, im bored. There was no winners or losers, and she sure as heck didn't "shut me up". I actually chose the higher route and gave her the benefit of the doubt, thank you very much.
I thought when you wrote, you were bored, that this was a fun thread. I tried to show her point of view, made light and laughed out loud. I had no idea you would take this so seriously. Sorry if my intentions were not clear, nothing insulting to you intended. Peace!
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
I would have responded with, "Yeah, I always dreamed of becoming a real nurse, but I just have to settle with psych nursing. Sometimes the medical director gets me confused with the patients." She probably would have laughed at herself, laughed with you and then apologized for the way it sounded.
What you do is ask her politely to look up the psych definition of "projection" (this goes for some of the posters to this thread as well). Now you see; we all project onto others. Sounds like she doesn't believe she's a real nurse.
As for defending your position to some of the posters to this thread; why bother. I see much projection here as well.
What you do is ask her politely to look up the psych definition of "projection" (this goes for some of the posters to this thread as well). Now you see; we all project onto others. Sounds like she doesn't believe she's a real nurse.
As for defending your position to some of the posters to this thread; why bother. I see much projection here as well.
You've been in psyc too long. Sometimes a goat is just a goat.
The older you get the less you care about "where" you work. I just want my money honey. And, if I can get it somewhere with less stress, and sort of enjoy my job, I'll feel I have the upperhand over each and every nurse that would have some "real nurse" issue to stomp around with.
Should I get the chance to get a job where I can feel just like the OP, I'd be smilin knowing I can sleep well at night, and have the energy to have a normal life.
The older you get the less you care about "where" you work. I just want my money honey. And, if I can get it somewhere with less stress, and sort of enjoy my job, I'll feel I have the upperhand over each and every nurse that would have some "real nurse" issue to stomp around with.
Should I get the chance to get a job where I can feel just like the OP, I'd be smilin knowing I can sleep well at night, and have the energy to have a normal life.
Oh trust me. Im only 26 and I already feel like that, lol.
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mystory, BSN, RN
177 Posts
To sj73201:
I'm sorry you did not get a good sense of what psych nurses do at your clinicals, and even more sorry that the pts did not get the nursing care they need and deserve.
Yes, I spend most of my shift talking to pts. My remaining time is spent attending interdisciplinary team meetings, leading groups. and documenting. If we're short on techs like we are now, I also go with pts to meals and activities. I'd rather get paid to sit in an AA meeting than run around doing trach care, g-tube feedings, suctioning, would care, trouble shooting malfunctioning equipment, etc. When I say laid-back, I am speaking relative to my experience in med/surg.