Can I Become a Psych Nurse Without Nursing?
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Question:
I want to be a psychiatric nurse. The sight of blood really makes me dizzy and weak. Can I become a psychiatric nurse without going through all the other parts of nursing school?
Answer:
Hi Kayleigh,
Thank you for your question – it’s an interesting one. Psychiatric nursing is a challenging field and has potential for growth because of the increasing interest in and ability to treat mental health. Unfortunately, it hasn’t always been so.
To become a psychiatric nurse, you usually must be a registered nurse (RN) who has taken courses in psychiatry, but in many places, employers prefer that you have a bachelor’s in nursing (BSN), again with special training in psychiatry. This means you can’t train to be a psychiatric nurse without going through a whole nursing program, clinical practice and all.
Believe it or not, many nurses weren’t comfortable with blood and body fluids when they began studying nursing. Much of the time, it’s a matter of getting used to the situation. If nursing interests you, perhaps you can look into finding ways to manage your reactions, such as stress reduction, meditation, and so on. By doing so, this would not only help you in nursing, but in life in general, should you ever come across situations that may otherwise make you uncomfortable.
If you don’t want to pursue nursing but are still interested in working in the mental health field, there are other options to you, depending on how long you want to go to school and what you want to end up doing.
Here are a few options for you:
Social work – social workers help people with mental illnesses navigate their way through the health care system and also help them re-establish themselves in the community.
Teaching – teachers are in demand in many places, particularly where children and teens need extra help.
Occupational therapists – Occupational therapists (OTs) help people by teaching them how to live with what skills and abilities they have, to cope with daily life, make decisions, and so on.
Recreational therapists – RTs work with patients through non-traditional methods, such as art, music, acting, and community outings. Their work helps patients who may be stressed or unable to cope by giving them the opportunity to see outside themselves and express themselves in ways they may never feel comfortable doing alone.
Art therapists – Art therapists approach helping people with mental health issues in a different way. By using art, the patients are encouraged to express themselves in various media. The finished product can tell the art therapist things that perhaps the patient cannot, giving insight into what may be going on in the patient’s world.
Whichever path you take, good luck. People who live with psychiatric illnesses need good people who will help them manage their disease.
Tags: art therapists, bachelor's in nursing, BSN, mental health field, mental illnesses, nursing school, occupational therapits, psychiatric nurse, psychiatric nursing, recreational therapists, registered nurse, RN, social work, social workers, teachers, teaching
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