Mental Health

It has been quite a while since my last post and that is primarily because of my new job as a psych nurse.  I now work at a hospital for kids and adolescents with behavioral (and other psych) diagnoses.  I do still have my per diem (pool) nursing position at the med-surg facility.

Mental health in general holds a strong negative stigma - whether you are a doctor, nurse, and especially a patient.  What most do not realize is that almost everyone you encounter has some form of mental health problem.  Myself, for example, suffer from depression and anxiety.

This hospital can be frustrating because most of the patients are extremely misbehaved and their actions can be appalling.  We have to put them in physical holds, prevent them from harming each other, prevent them from self-mutilation, etc.  Please remember, however, that mental health diagnoses stem not only from our genetics but also from experiences. A lot of these kids have histories of abuse; sexual, physical, and emotional from a family member or someone they trusted. Also, a majority of them also have had poor guidance throughout their lives - typically their parents are absent or suffer from substance abuse and treat them poorly.  Please keep this in mind the next time you judge someone for having any form of psych or behavioral problem.

As I continue working I will write about my experiences in mental health to provide my readers with a more clear image of this misunderstood world.

Go with your gut!

I officially have had my license for over a year and in October will have been practicing for a year.  This inexperience *always* makes me second-guess myself.

Follow your gut instinct!

Recently I had a patient who was AAOx3 but bedbound.  No supplemental oxygen, no respiratory issues. I had been her nurse one evening and the next morning she just did not look right.  My gut told me something was wrong but my minimal experience prevents me from ever being 100% positive of anything.  I went with my gut and, long story short, she was sent to the hospital and diagnosed with aspiration.  She died. There was nothing I could have done to prevent it, as it was only the start of my shift and I was doing rounds when I noticed it.  I'm glad I did follow my instinct otherwise she would have suffered longer and passed away sooner.

stress

When I attended nursing school full-time and worked part-time as a waitress I was positive my crazy schedule was the most stressful my young adult years could ever be. Now I work full-time hours as a Registered Nurse and my stress level is through the roof.  Lives are in my hands.  Making a mistake could result in hurting someone or losing my license. There are way too many tasks to be done in an 8.5hour shift and I sit down for literally only my 30 minute meal break (*if I even get one*).  A majority of nurses experience these things and really need to find a way to overcome the immense stress from the field.

Start with a nonpharmacological stress intervention!  The amount of stress from my career was seriously affecting the relationship with my significant other and neither of us realized it until I almost lost him.  This sounds totally obvious, but join a damn gym!

I am in no way a physically active person, aside from work, and becoming a member at the gym was the best thing I could do for myself.  We all know the obvious benefits of exercise - better health, weight loss, being more alert and awake, etc.  My stress has greatly diminished because now I have a release and can get it off my mind.  Give it at least a one month trial and see how much a difference it will make. :)

Another great website !

Nursing Link

This is incredible for basically everything nursing-related.  Articles, NCLEX study center, career advice, news, networking, deals & discounts, an "ask a nurse" section, etc.  They also send out occasional emails (optional) with incredible articles and fun tidbits such as "nurse's tattoos."

Try it!

NCLEX tips

1.  Do not stop studying, no matter how comfortable you feel with the content.
2.  Do yourself a favor and don't schedule your test in the morning.  You will most likely be incredibly stressed out and get a small amount of sleep.  You need to be alert and ready to take on the NCLEX challenge!
3.  If your nursing program provides an NCLEX study course, take advantage of it!  It not only will reinforce what you have learned but you will feel more comfortable and confident when the day comes.
4.  Listen to your nursing instructors - **the amount of questions you get on the test does not dictate whether or not you pass!**  In case you are not aware, you can get anywhere from 70 to 265 questions.  I had friends who passed and only got 70 questions. I had friends who passed that had 100+ questions.  I passed and had all 265 questions.
5.  Most likely, you will feel like you failed.  You didn't.  Don't worry. :)
6.  Listen to the advice given to you by your instructors...they've been through it before!

This will be one of the most difficult days in your nursing career.  Good luck to all of you and please ask if you have any questions :)

Avoid the 3pm-11pm shift !

Being young with zero healthcare experience it was almost impossible to get a job after passing boards.  In a thriving economy it is common for student nurses to secure jobs months before graduation.  With our current economical situation, it took myself and fellow new-to-nursing colleagues at least two months to obtain a job after graduation.  We were even told in school to expect the shifts we don't want in our least-desired position.

Excited to receive my first job offer, I took a 3-11 shift at my current employer.  The pay was outstanding and I was tired of waitressing only make ends meet.  This seemed perfect - great pay, opportunities to grow and learn, and I really enjoyed the population I would be working with.

WRONG.  My life was over.

Everyone I know, and mostly everyone in the US, works first shift.  My six months working second shift did give me experience and income that I needed however my social and family life dwindled to a point that I started on an antidepressant.  I live with my boyfriend and was only spending a total of twelve hours per week with him (at the most).  I saw my family and friends once every two weeks if I was lucky. Anyone my age should not be missing out on such memorable family and social experiences.  And for those of you who have younger kids, please avoid!  You don't want to be absent during their youth and when they need you the most.

Of course there are always negatives and positives to each story.  If you are a parent of older children who don't live at home, take this position.  If you already have a minimal social life and/or already seldom spend time with your family, take this position.  If you're to a point where you're so strapped for cash and you need the pay differential, take this shift.

I spent six months working 3-11 and would never go back.  My happiness and relationships are far more important than the extra $2/hour pay differential.  I escaped by changing to a per diem position at the same company and that decision has dramatically changed my life for the better.

Rude & inappropriate

There is a geriatric man on my unit who is alert and oriented.  After telling my CNAs to "suck his ___" and that his nurse is "probably jerking off," he is by far the rudest patient I have ever come across.

Behavior like this is completely abominable to me and I just do not understand what would compel someone to treat strangers this way.  If you ever find that your relative is acting this way toward their health-care providers (the ones who do the grossest and toughest of jobs) please correct this behavior. It is repulsive, and whether we want to or not it will in some way affect their care.  It sounds harsh, but it is the truth for every healthcare professional.  Never in my life, even at this very moment, would I ever consider treating a patient with less than my absolute best.  However, when you are being disrespected it is difficult to not be filled with anger that makes you feel negative toward that person.  I know it is a flaw that myself and other nurses need to improve on, but the patients also need to develop tact and politeness so we can the passionate patient advocates that fueled our fire to be nurses.