5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Psych Nurse

We've come to an end of Mental Health Awareness Month. Here's a reminder that we don't need a dedicated month to remind us about mental health awareness!

1. Diagnoses: Knowing which diagnoses you like taking care of verse the diagnoses you know you struggle taking care of.
2. Collaboration: Knowing the other members of your treatment team will make your time as a psych nurse smooth as butter.
3. Staffing/floating: Knowing the grid and nurse/patient ratio of your unit.
4. Fill your cup: You can't pour from an empty cup
5. Stigma

[RoaringKetchup]

As someone who works as a psych tech, thank you so much for caring about the patient esp with the meds …I wish more were like you

[htarceno]

thank you for this video. One thing I would add is that for many of us, nursing school did not prepare us for the reality of how much time and energy would be taken up dealing with the families of patients. Many family members want to feel involved with the treatment and it usually involves complaining to the nurse about whatever they don't like about what the doctor ordered. And they don't understand we cannot change Doctor's orders. All we can do is pass on the msg. Also, many family members have the same or similar diagnoses.

[reddbendd]

I have firsthand experience with many of the problems people in psych wards are going through. I also have first hand experience in being in the psych ward, let’s just say I know what it’s like to walk a mile a day in their shoes

[lilyogbonna]

Very correct.
The stigma is one reason I didn't do a post basic mental health Nursing which I still regret till today. Weldon Nurse.

[happyhappycatus]

AMAZING presentation. Very good points. And thanks for sharing the top 5 at the start

[aconcretemoth]

appreciate your self-criticism. im sure you’ll continue to improve over a long career

[silam]

Thank you for your video that I enjoy every second of it. I am in my senior year of nursing my dream is to be a Psych nurse. What additional advice do you have for me? Thanks

[MelisJoy]

Your videos are absolute gold. I'm blown away by all this info & how well you speak. No "uhhh" "sooo" and you just spill it out.

It's kinda crazy how you give all this info & seems you still have ppl that will ask the questions you cover 🤔

Life events racently made me consider going back to RN school..but I lovvee pych & I'm 10 classes away from my BS.
I thought you had to be an NP to be psych nurse..

I do hv 1 question..is there any outpatient options? or strictly inpt?
Thanks so much for this insight

[Enmawanozoro]

Thank you so much for this info. I truly do appreciate your wisdom, energy and straightforwardness. 😌🙏

[xboxfullauto]

This is a phenomenal video, holy crap. Super insightful and well made.

I'm a new-ish grad transitioning to psyche (hopefully). I have interviews in Chicago, RUSH/NW/Ascension. Any tips for the interview? Where do you work? Also, "forgetting skills" is the dumbest thing I hear from so many nurses. It takes not even a day or two to "relearn" or learn a skill. It's the most frustrating/ridiculous sentiment out there IMO lmao.

[emme]

I hadn’t thought of the first point before but that’s definitely a good one! Propabably an unpopular opinion but I think I actually prefer working with the manic and psychotic patients (although they do tend to burn me out more quickly).

[maryrudisill]

Do you work inpatient psych? I work in a behavioral health unit in the emergency room after almost 10 years of working in the NICU. I truly love psych but honestly 80 percent of our patients in the ER are meth. I wish I had known that 🤣 we get mostly drugs and not much psych…I feel like it’s much more difficult to do an accurate assessment on a psych patient than a medical patient. Totally agree with the stigma portion of your video. Great advice 🙌🏼

[insertmyidentityhere]

And that is exactly why I am hesitant to go into this. Pushing evil Pharmaceuticals on people. Ugh