4 answers
Onyx
Student
Beaverton, Oregon
3
Questions
Asked
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How did you go about becoming a psychiatric nurse?
I'm a student at Job Corps and would love to better know about this field. If you have any other info on this field please let me know.
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4 answers
Rowan Thomas
Emergency Room/ Trauma Nurse
7
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Rowan’s Answer
Hello!
Acquire experience prior to becoming a nurse to determine if psychiatric nursing truly is for you! EMS experience, crisis hotline or mobile crisis, and becoming a behavioral health tech/psychiatric tech - can be great ways to gain experience and ensure you enjoy your work. That is the most important part!
After nursing school, look for positions for new grads in psychiatric institutions or psychiatric hospital units: voluntary or involuntary units, crisis units, CDPC, psychiatric emergency departments, etc. Here, you’ll receive guidance and experience as a new grad in a psych environment.
I hope you follow your passion! Good luck!
Acquire experience prior to becoming a nurse to determine if psychiatric nursing truly is for you! EMS experience, crisis hotline or mobile crisis, and becoming a behavioral health tech/psychiatric tech - can be great ways to gain experience and ensure you enjoy your work. That is the most important part!
After nursing school, look for positions for new grads in psychiatric institutions or psychiatric hospital units: voluntary or involuntary units, crisis units, CDPC, psychiatric emergency departments, etc. Here, you’ll receive guidance and experience as a new grad in a psych environment.
I hope you follow your passion! Good luck!
Martin Schoen
APRN
267
Answers
Ocala, Florida
Updated
Martin’s Answer
Dear Onyx,
Psychiatric nursing is a unique and fascinating field, much like a hidden gem in the world of healthcare. It's not for everyone, but for those who feel a calling towards it, it can be an incredibly rewarding journey. This field is in high demand, with a pressing need for compassionate and dedicated individuals like you.
Unlike other healthcare sectors, psychiatric nursing focuses on healing the mind, which can often be more complex and challenging than physical ailments. You might not be able to completely 'fix' these issues, but you can certainly make a significant difference by managing them through medication and counseling.
Remember, you're not alone in this journey. It's a team effort, with you, the patient, and your colleagues working together towards a common goal. It's an area where healing is a marathon, not a sprint, so patience is your greatest ally.
Your communication skills will be your strongest tool, and your ability to listen will be your guiding light. If you find joy in this field, it can be immensely satisfying and less frustrating than many others.
Progress may be slow and there may be occasional setbacks, but every small victory can have a life-altering impact on someone's life. So, go ahead and embrace the challenges, because the rewards are truly priceless.
Psychiatric nursing is a unique and fascinating field, much like a hidden gem in the world of healthcare. It's not for everyone, but for those who feel a calling towards it, it can be an incredibly rewarding journey. This field is in high demand, with a pressing need for compassionate and dedicated individuals like you.
Unlike other healthcare sectors, psychiatric nursing focuses on healing the mind, which can often be more complex and challenging than physical ailments. You might not be able to completely 'fix' these issues, but you can certainly make a significant difference by managing them through medication and counseling.
Remember, you're not alone in this journey. It's a team effort, with you, the patient, and your colleagues working together towards a common goal. It's an area where healing is a marathon, not a sprint, so patience is your greatest ally.
Your communication skills will be your strongest tool, and your ability to listen will be your guiding light. If you find joy in this field, it can be immensely satisfying and less frustrating than many others.
Progress may be slow and there may be occasional setbacks, but every small victory can have a life-altering impact on someone's life. So, go ahead and embrace the challenges, because the rewards are truly priceless.
This was super helpful, thank you!
Onyx
Coleen Goodwyn
Registered Nurse
2
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Coleen’s Answer
It's the field I'm passionate about so I started out in geriatrics and dementia care and I kept applying over and over to my local psych hospital until they hired me.
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
Onyx
Lee Shippey
Registered Nurse
2
Answers
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Updated
Lee’s Answer
My advice is from my own work experience as a psych nurse. Get exposure to helping others in mental health crisis before working in this field. Opportunities such as volunteering with a crisis hotline, EMT work, or vulnerable youth outreach will widen your recognition of nursing assessment and better prepare compassionate communication to support patients with mental illness. Consider working with autistic youth or being a support worker at a behavioral health facility or adult foster care program or work with dementia patients. These jobs will build your resume, gain references, and help you decide if this is the career path for you. It can be very rewarding but also challenging on a personal level.
Thank you, this is really helpful.
Onyx