Originally Posted by
Scott R. Brown
Hi dwid,
I did not intend my comments to be taken in a negative respect. My clinical experience is very similar to the one one you have outlined, with the exception that mine took place in a Correctional setting. To be honest with you I have somewhat of a knack for Psych nursing so I did not find it stressing in the least. Most of my stress was caused by fixing the problems caused by inept or immature staff.
I didn't really take your comments negatively, I just wanted to add my perspective to the mix. I've actually given thought to going to work in the Correctional system myself once I finish school. The pay is very good for NPs, and I think you probably see a broader spectrum of diagnoses than you do almost anywhere else. In the private sector, most psychiatric professionals compartmentalize and just treat a particular level of acuity, type of patient, etc..., but in Corrections you have acutely ill people and also people suffering from a mental illness that is subacute and requires treatment.
Originally Posted by
Scott R. Brown
I agree with you about about the Psychiatrist, it isn't their job to spend a great deal of time with the patients. That is left to the many others in the therpeutic team. I must also admit that many or maybe even most of the Psychiatrists I have worked with were as nutty as the patients, mostly neurosis though rather than psychosis, but some psychotic controled with meds, LOL!!
LOL, I think it helps to be a little nutty in this field. And it takes a particular type of person to be suited to the environment. As far as the shrink with more severe mental illness, I think that's what gets some people into psychiatric work in the first place, just trying to figure themselves out
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