New grad torn between two job offers: A) Subacute facility where I feel like I can learn since they deal with trachs, vents, and wound care. B) Psych hospital: I’d get hospital experience but limited nursing skills and can be dangerous at times
Subacute....you will learn more...gain valuable skills
Would choose the psych position if that is what you want to do long term
I would go for the subacute facility so that you can gain experience with the chronically I’ll patients with trachs, vents etc. You can always see if the psych hospital takes prn and you can do 2-12 hr shifts which is required for PRN. Hope this helps and get experience there as well. This will give you also the opportunity to see what you like more or what suits you best. Hope this helps.
Do Subacute. Psych is great but will put you on a different trajectory.
I would go with the sub acute facility.
You will get much more nursing experience unless you want to do
psych nursing.
I would choose the SubAcute for the first experience, the foundation will do you well in any new job you start.
If your goal is ER then you should do sub acute care, or apply to an er position
It takes a special burse to work in psych, if you have any desire to get into psych, go for it. A subacute facility would definitely help with the psych hospital. It’s a lot of nursing for both, just a different kind of nursing.
First, you DO need nursing skills in a psych unit! Just not technical skills for trachs, vents, IVs, etc. Just because a person is a psych pt does not mean he/she doesn't have medical issues. Many psych pts don't take good care of themselves, in part, as result of their mental illness. So they can have many medical problems you need to recognize and treat. Ie: diabetes, HTN, skin issues, wounds, Parkinsons, dementia,
hearing loss, etc. While there can be aggressive people on a psych unit, in reality they are everywhere. You just know who they are and can intervene more efficiently on a psych unit. Your decision will be based on your desire to learn technical skills vs yourself and medical knowledge.
In the end, you dec
I have been a nurse for over 40 years. The most valuable thing you can have, starting your career, is experience. Experience will open many doors for your future. I started my career on medical/surgical units. After a year under my belt I was able to move to the ICU. Had I not had the basic skills down, I would have not been able to advance. I loved ICU but after several years, I transitioned to the ED. The best move ever! I was a workaholic for several years so I also got to work as a critical care flight nurse, I managed an ambulance service and became a paramedic. I ran and taught the EMS program for a college, I worked as a nursing supervisor at a prison. , I took traveler positions after my last child went to college and, pretty much, could go any where and work any unit. Now that I’m 70 years old, I am working for an insurance company in the prior authorization Dept. You just can’t beat starting with a good foundation. It can lead you to a full career. If psych nursing is your passion, and you think that is going to be your life long career path, I’d suggest the psych job. Experience is the best. Best of luck
Go with the sub acute and increase your knowledgebase and skills. Psy will make you lose your diagnostic knowledge and interventions.
I had a similar choice many many years ago . After 5years in psych unit in a hospital I felt like I wasn’t using my nursing skills and wasn’t growing in the knowledge I needed. I transferred to a medical floor. It was a real adjustment. For me it would have been better to start there first and then move to the psych unit. I ended up working in the emergency room where I used skills from both area and love it. New grads need all the experience they can get. I wish you well in the path you chose.
Subacute unit
Get nursing skills first. If you want to then go into psych later.
If you are looking to gain more hands on skills subacute is definitely the area for that.
Sub acute, unless you’re passionate about being a psych nurse during your career. Sub acute will cover your bases and (for me personally) let you cut your teeth in a slower paced environment. Not to say that sub acute is slow paced, but most patients are stable enough to take time, watch the disease process, practice skills, get comfortable with head to toe assessments, ect.
Go for substance facility, use your skills for a bit. I am a psych nurse and its rewarding in s different way. My hospital is set up in low, medium and max security units based on how unstable, dangerous and assaultive patients can be. As a new nurse you will probably fill a max security unit as most people get burnt out fast in that environment. My hospital rarely runs a max unit with more than one RN. As the RN you are responsible for all situations. There is always two licenses but its usually one RN and one LPN. The LPN just does meds and can help patients with daily ADLS.
I would choose psych
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If those are your two options, I’d choose sub-acute floor as stepping stone to ER, rather than psych. You’ll want to practice all your new skills, and psych is a good bit different (emotional/psych care), rather than physical care you’ll do in sub-acute facility.
