Since I currently attend graduate school full time, I work per diem NOC shift, which is from 11:30 PM – 08:00 AM. I do this because it gives me an opportunity to “feel out” the unit and get a sense of what might be required depending on the type of patients we have and the acuity level of the hospital. Lastly, the previous shift also provides us with a report on any incoming or pending admissions as well as any discharges that are expected to occur the following morning. They could also be based in non-healthcare settings such as prisons. The more complicated answer is that there are huge range of roles within that broad description. Hi, i am a 4 years psychiatric nurse in a Government owned Psyciatric Hospital in Bataan. It means the need for specialist mental health nurses – who can support people both through acute periods of ill health and through lifelong difficulties – is clear and growing. It was at this moment that I decided to pursue a career in psychiatry in hopes of better understanding not only mental illness but also the psychological, emotional, and spiritual ailments that patients experience on a daily basis. Some mental health nurses work in the community. Dr. Jonathan V. Llamas is a board-certified nurse leader, psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner, motivational speaker, and freelance writer from Los Angeles, CA. and then take a post-registration course in mental health nursing. He currently serves as the Chapter President for West Coast University and also functions as a contributing writer for Minority Nurse Magazine (Springer Publishing Company) and NP Student Magazine. Typically in psychiatry, most mental health hospitals utilize an 8-hour shift system, which is evenly divided to AM, PM, and NOC shifts. Regardless of the demands of the day, I normally try to eat some food and utilize my break time as a way for me to recharge and revitalize before coming back on the unit. Referred to as community psychiatric nurses, these individuals could be based in a GP practice, clinic, or form part of a child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS). As a nursing student, I was exposed to a wide gamut of psychiatric illnesses such as depression, anxiety, mood disorders, and schizophrenia, but I never truly understood the subtle complexities that psychiatric-mental health nurses endure behind the scenes. In this video Eniola takes us to her college for a day in her life as a student nurse. He sees patients with a range of mental illnesses and monitors their conditions, talks through medications, and generally discusses wellbeing. In psychiatry, our reports are more heavily focused on “patient presentation,” which details the patient’s mood, affect, their medication compliance, comorbidities, and their behavior. It is possible to take a nursing degree which is focused on mental health nursing. Depending on the patient’s presentation, I do my best to lend an empathetic ear while offering support and guidance in addition to offering PRN medications to help them in their current psychotic and behavioral state. More senior roles tend to be at bands 6, 7 and 8. 12:15 AM – 04:00 AM: After checking up and introducing myself to my patients, the rest of my day ultimately depends on what needs immediate attention (pending admissions, patients requesting for PRN medications, medical or psychiatric emergencies, etc.). Your Experience with Coronavirus (COVID-19) Matters, Reducing Health Disparities in Underserved Communities, © 2020 Springer Publishing Company | Privacy Policy. If there are no pending admissions, however, I usually take this time to chart on my patients, which involves filling out nursing flowsheets, writing or updating care plans, auditing charts, and reassessing behavioral statuses. And to put it plainly, working as a psychiatric-mental health nurse can be both extremely challenging yet rewarding. In addition to this, the nurses and floor staff is required to round on their patients every 15 minutes to ensure that patients remain safe, secure, and free from any harm. While breakfast is being served, I make an effort to make my rounds around the unit to ensure that the 15-minute rounds are being completed while checking on the patients who refuse to eat or are actively psychotic, hearing voices, or feeling anxious and choose to stay in their rooms. Providing this information is crucial because it not only makes us more mindful of any potential issues we may encounter during our shift but also hypervigilant in ensuring our unit remains safe and secure. There are many reasons why you should consider a career as a mental health nurse. Referred to as community psychiatric nurses, these individuals could be based in a GP practice, clinic, or form part of a child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS). Latest posts by Jonathan V. Llamas, DNP, RN-BC, PMHNP-BC, PHN, Sign up now to get your free digital subscription to, Jonathan V. Llamas, DNP, RN-BC, PMHNP-BC, PHN, How to Protect your Mental Health Amidst the Coronavirus Pandemic, 6 Successful Interview Tips That Every New Grad Nurse Practitioner Needs to Know, The Art of De-escalation in Managing Aggressive Patients and Emotional Reactivity. By doing this, it gives me an opportunity to not only meet my patients, but also form a rapport with them while discussing any concerns they may have. At the simplest level, mental health nurses care for those experiencing mental illness. If for example there is an incoming admission to be expected, I usually take this time to read more about the patient, why they are coming to the hospital, and organize their chart and paperwork for them to sign. Although performing an admission can be a tedious process, inpatient psychiatric admissions are unique in that it depends on the patient, when they arrive, and how cooperative they are. It That includes understanding the stigma they may be facing as a result. In the afternoon, he’ll be visiting patients in their own homes. The CHOC Children’s Mental Health Inpatient Center is an inpatient psychiatric center exclusively dedicated to the treatment of children ages 3-17 with mental illness who are in immediate risk of hurting themselves or others. She tells CNN's Boris Sanchez the mental health toll is as real as coronavirus. So too is the ability to stay calm under pressure. Because of the stigma associated with working in psychiatry, I am frequently asked what my typical day looks like working with this vulnerable population. Alternatively, you can qualify – and even work – as a registered general nurse first and then take a post-registration course in mental health nursing. As attitudes slowly change towards Mental Health, there has never been a better … He received his BSN degree from West Coast University North Hollywood in 2013 and recently completed his DNP degree from Loma Linda University in 2019. Depending on the staffing situation, my role may vary as the charge nurse, staff nurse, preceptor, or a breaker. Being a mental health nurse is no nine-to-five job. They could also be based in non-healthcare settings such as prisons. Mental health nurses also care for people with dementia, and for those with drug and alcohol dependency. After graduation, I worked briefly in the ER and ICU settings, which taught me invaluable lessons such as time management and prioritization, but it never fully gave me the satisfaction I was yearning for. If patients are uncooperative, admissions can be difficult and timely so efficiency is truly predicated on how organized the nurse is.