I work nights as a psych nurse and I absolutely love it. I enjoy being able to educate patients on self-care, medications, and resources. And I do detox as well. I know there’s a huge need for less stigma in regards to mental health, so I try my best not to judge, just to care. It’s what all patients need. And seeing patients improve is so incredible!!!
Psychiatric nurses can initiate lifelong changes that impact their patients’ lives, making it a very rewarding career.
But it can be very draining when you get the same patients returning for the same thing year after year. Patients that have grown up in the psychiatric patient system/world. It becomes their home away from home. Something new needs to be done.
Knowing I can be the difference in someone's life. I worked child and adolescent psych at the beginning of my nursing career and I'd love to go back to it. I've also have had struggles with mental health, and sharing that with kids who are currently struggling, you can see how much it means to them.
Many people don't agree with that level of transparency with patients, but it really reaches kids. They see someone who is a nurse that's there to help them who's made it through, and I've been told it's inspired several kids to do their best to make it through too.
Free Coffee.
Seeing people get well and be happy knowing that you were part of the recovery process.
Unpredictable and never boring. Every day is different and exciting!! Need to be alert, responsive, attentive, physically fit. Get to use therapeutic communication skills
Seeing a pt come out of their crisis when the medication begins to work.
you can pass out medication and conversational 'peace' talks about self therapy cognitive therapy getting them back to reality and nurse technicians can do that if they have polar mindset experiences to handle talking to icu patients
