A Day in the Life of a Psych Nurse-Night Shift 

God Bless all nurses! I was suicidal and nurses found me unconscious. A nurse saved my life. The next time I was hospitalized the same nurse was on the way out and stopped at my room to make sure I was ok. She didn't have to do that!

I had been to admitted into a pysch unit and non of the nurses were nice I hated it and it didn't help at all.i wish I had a nurse or rn like you

New subscriber here! I'm 15 years old and I've been thinking of becoming a psych nurse, lots of my friends struggle with mental illness and I feel the urge to care for them which is how I discovered this nursing path. One of the reasons I'm hesitant to commit to the psych route was because I heard that lots of psych nurses are always burned out (which is reasonable, tough job) and rude, but if they're anything like you I know I'll love it.

My first day of being a psych RN tomorrow, although orientation for 1 month first, and then hit the floor. I’ve wanted this since nursing school and I can’t believe I’m actually doing it 🥰

Omg finally a psych nurse lol. THANK YOU! I'm pre reqs but i have been interested in psych nursing!!!!

had a nurse who worked night shifts at the eating disorder treatment center i went to, the nurses who genuinely care are so amazing

Ms. Lyn has a lovely disposition. One can tell she is comforting as well as an excellent nurse to her patients. I plan to become a mental health nurse at the age of 45. I just subscribed. Thank you for sharing.

University of Kansas psych nurse here saying hello! The.night shift is the best!

New subscriber, here. I work at a mental health facility in Washington state. Glad to see a nurse vlogging about mental health nursing.

I enjoyed your video,my mom was a psych RN years ago and she too worked the night shift.there is a lot to do even if patients sleep,I wish you all the best in your career my mom worked about 34 years mostly psych and med surg.Hope all is going great for you.😊❤

Thank you for sharing your day. I started ---let's say over 20 years ago. I love being a psych nurse. I worked all 3 shifts at that time--now there are 12 hr. shifts. You did a wonderful job on the video! I hope you continue to share your passion. Psych Nurses Rock!

You seem so very nice. Why are the night nurses always the nicest? I have been to psych wards 9 times in the last 4 years and so often the night nurses are the nicest. Thank you so much for being nice!!! Just being nice helps us so much!!! It reduces our anxiety, gives us someone to actually tell something too when we are having problems, and makes us feel like we mater and are not as much a drain on society (I feel that way a lot). Wish our hospitals did passes of any kind. Heck we were never allowed to even leave the ward, ever, not even accompanied. I liked your happy dance!!!!

Just got a job as a mental health worker on night shift at a pysch hospital!

New subscriber here! Loved the video! I’m a fresh psych nurse. I graduated with my BSN in sept 2018 and started as a psych nurse in dec 2018. I’m about a month in and I love my job. I truly found my passion! Thank you for sharing your day with us ❤️

New subbie. I've been a nurse for 24 years. I used to say I would never do psych nursing. It scared me when I was in school. Now my views have changed especially since I have a granddaughter with a lot of psych diagnoses. Thanks for giving us a look into one of your nights.

I struggle with severe mental health issues and the last time I was hospitalized was fall 2019. I had an amazing group of nurses and I remember so many of them helped me calm down so many times. I have a severe fear of men due to ptsd so any time a male staff and to interact me they were very careful and slow and talked to me a lot about what they were doing to ease me. I also was asked if I was ok constantly if I was in the common or group areas and was allowed to step away if need be. Bless u for ur patience. I can’t say I ever had any psych staff treat me rudely but I’m a very quiet shy person and a people pleaser. My mom also is a CNA so I do whatever I can to cooperate with medical staff because it’s such a hard staff. But thank you so much for what u do:)

Thank you for posting this video! Psych is the field of choice for me, previous social worker here. I'll be entering nursing school in August.

Love the amount of information we received on the responsibilities! Very well spoken compared to all the other nursing videos I've looked up thank you! New sub

I just got my first job in the field and I'm starting as a Psych Tech. This video is perfect to get an idea of what my next step might be. I'll have my BS in Psychology this summer and I want to keep rolling with my education. Great video!

I am inspired I've wanted to be a psychiatric nurse, this is amazing. I'm looking forward to becoming one in the next 4 years.

“I haven’t done anything but have a snack” hahaha I love these videos so much thank you for taking the time to film them ❤️❤️

Two hours left happy dance was my favorite part 😂! Worked night shift for ten years so I totally understand. Great video and well done. New subbie 🤗🤗

Glad that I found your channel. I have been thinking about becoming a Psych-Nurse;and I’m happy to follow your journey.

Love her already. Reminds me of my mom😂😂 “8.... patients medicines........ has to be pulled” HER FACE CRACKED ME UP💀

You’re so so inspiring! You make me want to do psych as I’m graduating nursing school this semester. Thank you for being kind and wonderful, we need more mental health nurses and it’s so sweet to see your care & compassion ❤️

it seems like such an interesting job. when i’m older i want to work in a psych ward one day. i love seeing people get better. god bless you for working this hard!

We need more people like you in this world you are so kind and understanding 🙂🙂

THANK YOU FOR THIS! Psych has a special place in my heart as well as burns ❤

Thank you so much! I have been in med surg for five years and one of them have been leadership. Switching to behavioral health soon and just started PMHNP school, so this helps tremendously

I’m taking my pre Reqs as a LPN but my future goal is to be an RN in a psychiatric unit. If you have any advice I’d sure appreciate it. Congratulations on being a successful empathetic health care provider! Thanks again for any and all advice you could please offer me

I’m in my senior year of nursing school at 20 years old and your videos are absolutely amazing. I have a passion for psych and I’m already looking for psych nursing jobs. Thank you so much for what you do❤️

New psych nurse here. Just transferred from Med Surg and I love it so far. Where I work is acute care so they don’t leave. We use epic and use vocera. You have lots to do!

Thank you so much for showing this . I am going to school for Mental Health Technician and ive worked with client with behavioral and developmental disabilities and I’ve administered medication before and This is my passion to become a psych nurse so thank you so much for showing this ! Gives me an ideas of what to expect !!! xoxo !!

You seem like a very kind person to be working at a psych ward. I know some nurses aren’t so nice but I’ve met some nice nurses when I was in a psych ward myself.

Hi, am new here. I Just got a job in a mental health hospital as a Health Care Assistant starting this coming March. People say a lot scaring stuff about people working in a psych hospital. as I watch your video, I was really assured that I was going to love it there. wish me luck.

I loved seeing your point of view! I start nursing school and January and I hope to be a Psyche nurse one day!

Keep the videos coming love this great demonstration on how a day in life s a nurse goes where have you been my whole life 😩❤️

Loved your video. I am starting Nursing school in the Fall and I picked Psych. I'm excited and anxious and nervous. I am a medical Assistant and I worked A outpatient Mental health clinic and I loved it. Healthcare is my life. Keep up the Good work

Anyone that's worked in mental health and done the Night Wake, plus a AM and PM shift knows how quick your home life, relationships and your own mental health can deteriorate if you dont have a good team...

I’m a new subject here! God bless you! I see you and feel like your a nurse! You just have the nursing vibes lol

hey, I know it's been a while since this video came out. It popped up in my reccommendations, and I'm glad it did! I'm in 7th grade, although my therapist is trying to get the schools to let me go up a few grades to acommodate for my academic needs. A while ago, I was at my lowest point in a topsy-turvy depression that had been going on for... 2 and a half years. At the time, i remember thinking to myself, "It's at this point where people with courage would admit themselves to a mental hospital to be treated." but I didn't have the courage to tell my poor mom how awful I really felt. I told her a little bit of it, and that was enough. Now I'm seeing a really great therapist and I've heard a lot of stories about kids being admitted to psych wards and having to deal with the crabby, sour nurses. I've decided i want to be a nurse at a psych ward for children, and i want to write stories on the side (since I love writing). I'm surrounded by children with horrible families (druggies, alcoholics, abusers, neglecters, etc) so it's certainly needed in my community. But before jumping to a job I know nothing about, I've been doing some research. This video really helped! Thanks!

Your alarm rings at 9:37?? That’s such an unusual time. I love it 😂

I love watching videos like this because it is my goal to be a mental health nurse! I Start my preceptorship this fall on the mental health floor!

I'm a MH nurse in the UK. its so interesting to see how different it is in the US.

I'm so happy I found you, thank you 😊 💓

Just say this video. I was in a Psych facility for roughly a week for depression and anxiety. I had a couple decent nurses but you seem to truly love what you do. God Bless You and I hope you are able to make more videos.

thank you so much!! this has been my dream job since i was 14!

I am planning to go to psych and your video is really helpful. You actually make this looks a lot easier than other people I saw. Can u share a little bit more about your daily responsibilities? For example, I am a correctional RN, the CHT (tech) would print out a list of scheduled visits (for inmates to be seen by RN for any medical reasons), Detox treatments list, neuro-assessment list, BP and BS check list, as well as all the walk-ins visit. That's not include any emergencies man down that may happen at any time. You see, we have 2 RNs and sometimes we only have 1 RN that are responsible for all and every inmate on their shift (few hundred people under our care). We are pretty much running our rear off to get everything done in time.

I'm binge watching all your videos ...sis u giving me all the gems .lol thank you so muxh I appreciate you

This was a great video!! I’ve been trying to decide where I wanted to go and this really opened my eyes!! I feel I would really enjoy psych nursing . Thank you and keep the awesome videos coming!!

Ur skin is glowing

Hey,Miss lyn, i am glad to come across this channel .Mental Health Nursing has always been the specific "subject" that i have had keen interest on. Thankyou❤

And when someone calls in sick and your on duty..just finishing a 7.30am-11pm..your in for the Night wake, top that with meds and mars charts...its a killer...writing the evaluation and shift plan...plus 1/2 logs...thank god for Circadian lol ...working in mental health your shifts are long, your own mental alertness has to be spot on, because your always writing up Evaluations, logs, meds, and thats without incident reports. The only thing that keeps you going is food, and a fan drafting cold air lol

Nurses rock. God bless you ❤

I would love to go into psych nursing since my brother has oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and learning disabilities so I feel like I could help give insight to families going through things similar to what I have

Godbless you Ms Lyn i was also a psychiatric nurse in my country the Philippines before i came here in the USA i wish i could be a registered nurse here can't wait to work again as psych nurse doing the same thing that you do i am proud to our profession keep up the good work i really admire what youre doing:)

Girl I love your videos , u make it look so easy!!!!!! Keep it upp❤️

I used to work as a MHT at a geriatric psych facility and I miss it so much! Currently a PCT in the Ortho/Neuro unit so we get a few psych but I’m thinking about picking up a p/t at the ward. I think that’s my calling!

I am about to start my first job as an RN in a psych Urgent Care. I am really nervous But it's been my passion Since long time ago. I really hope I can handle it.

You had 19 patients!?😱 we have 5 on days and 7 on nights....

I'm a mental health worker for 10 years in Canada. Currently living in the UK.

I work night shift as a Residential Associate for my local mental health facility and am currently studying for psych nursing. PS, my alarm is the laugh from the thriller music video 😂 does the trick

New Subscriber! I am so happy I found your channel! ♥️ It!

I loved this. I'm a nursing student and I ws thinking of being a psych nurse and this video was great. It was both hilarious and educational. Thanks so much. Favorite part was the happy dance. However, next time can we go over what kinds of patients you see and if nurses can provide talk therapy?

I had not so great experiences in the hospital... But nobody is perfect. I had one nurse that literally scared me. She'd say things like if you want attention why don't you clean the tables.. They had alcohol wipes out, and so I thought I'll wait till later and offer to do it. I like seeking approval and I just wanted her to like me.. Maybe someone would TALK to me. i was sure she didn't like me tho nobody there REALLY cared UK? but one girl was nice, she helped me brush my hair after couple days but even she said something hurtful not untill my 3rd stay year later.. She said now remember the numbers on the floor are the distance you walk not how high you'll fall.. I was so embarresed :( One of my delusions was the distance you walked marked on the ground was how high you were going to fall if you jumped out the window, they also had this door with an alarm when you stepped in the box, so I thought they made it a challenge but they made suicide possible bc people don't know how to help people like me so they let us kill ourselves out of pitty but have to keep it legal. But when she said that I felt it was targeted at me bc I had all kinds of things to say when I first got there I thought a million things I was going to be locked away forever, I did something bad I !I dnt say it but I thought I hurt someone .. I wasn't even diagnosed yet or if I was I was in denial bc I didn't know what that meant...i had all the stigma in my head like oh you hear voices and they tell you to do bad things , you think people are following you ect I didn't think that was me. Well she looked at me unfriendly like and snatched the wipes from me... I can still see her face.... I think it was b/c I get suicidal thoughts, delutions and it was for my safety but yeah she made me feel like a piece of poo while i was there and I hid, bc for one I cant pay my bills at home let alone up to 5,000 dollar hosptial stay. I cried all the time. I was scared and I was miserable trapped in a place where I was just being held and gave meds who knows if they work bc it takes a week to see improvements and I didn't sleep... They wouldn't increase my sleep meds untill like day 4 of no sleep I would pace and lay undercover... I remember feeling gritty agitated on the edge of every emotion I thought this is it I'm going to die or I'm going to kill myself if this agony doesn't end. That was my secound hospital stay, first severe episode of phycosis ... It's a lot easier now . but i wish someone educated me on mental health. My family didn't really believe in it, you are responsible for everything wrong in your life , suck it up and it is an excuse type thing. I NEVER thought this would happen to me , I never knew it happens. My mom still believes I was wrongfully diagnosed but oh well.. After I was diagnosed I told my gma and she said your grandpa has that.. Just wow. Spread awareness bc something bad could have happened to me or someone else .

Fabulous insights into life in a mental facility.

New subbie here!! I enjoyed how you went into details about your duties

You have beautiful eyes

God Bless 🙏🏾💜, have an Blessed one everyone 🙏🏾💜, may God protect over you all Amen 🙏🏾💜

I am a qma student and I am currently in college taking a psychology course and its all online....I have yet to take the teas test to get accepted into nursing school but this is what I want to do .I am 28 and I admire your journey...thank you for this...where do I start if I don't have any experience 🤔. I started as a cna now I'm moving up in my career gratefully

Thank you for the video! subbed Miss Lyn 😁

I went to a psych ward a year ago, I wish I had a nurse like you🥺

I am also a night shift RN in psych. I do Access. I’m struggling with my health. Last year after working nights, I would come home and sleep then I would wake up the next evening. Stay up a couple of hours and then sleep again till the next day. This year I’m finding that I feel terrible most of the time after working night shift, I think I’m going to have to make my life a Night Shift life. I would appreciate your thoughts. Socially emotionally and healthwise my brain and body are geared for dayshift. However, I think it’s harder on my body now trying to flip back into dayshift after working nights.❤

New subbie here!!! I can’t wait to be a psych nurse honestly! 😍

I love that scrub top

Absolutely loved this video ..... lemme binge on more

Wow 19 patients seems a lot

God bless you.

New subscriber, enjoyed your in-the-life vid and am sharing with my network. Glad you had peanuts for a protein crunch ~:-)

I'm in a psych ward it really helps but wish I didn't have to leave

could you make a video explaining what all you have to do to become a psychiatric nurse/ psychiatrist? thats my dream job

I had holidays in hospitals but also had passses. I had Xmas passes and another hospital I has Xmas in the hospital. I had thanksgiving at the hospital but we were able to have dinner with family

Great video new subbie I’m really interested in psych NP, thanks for sharing!!!

Im 35 and in college doing an art degree with plans to be an art therapist but the more ive been at this (going into 3rd year) the more I see its Mental health nursing i want to do so saving up to do a second degree when i finish this one as im nearly done might aswell just finish it before i start another.

I have been looking for a psych nurse youtube video! :) I am in a Psych nursing course now. I haven't started clinical yet. As a nursing student, do you have any advice? It could be any advice at all. I am excited. Would like to make a great impression. and maximize my learning.

I am just watching this now but I found it so interesting. Is this an acute unit or long term? I work on an acute unit and it would be awful if one nurse had 19 patients and only two techs. We typically have 3 nurses each with 7 patients and anywhere from 3 to 6 techs depending on one to one needs. This really shocked me.

Thank you so much for the video. Was curious to know what psych nurses do. I will be a RN for 1 year in July and still trying to figure out what specialty i want to go into. This was helpful. Thanks.

I'm not in this feild but I enjoyed your video.

Did you say 19 patients

I'm confused...as an RN I was always trained that you never pre-pour meds for another shift. And that as an RN I never give meds that were prepared by someone else. I'm also a psych nurse and will not practice that way. Bad practice that leads to errors.

God is a woman!! I love that song!!!

Thank your or the video.... applying to ABSN programs right now and i am highly interested into becoming a PMHNP, so watching this video was extremely educative!

New subbie! I want to be a psych nurse and eventually a psych NP!

Thanks for this video !!!! I’m testing out nights as a tech this week . I wanna see the difference between nights and days . Nurse jobs would be more difficult without techs!! Lol

Do you do a lot less medical stuff too or is it just my floor I work on (detox)? I don't even see infusions "too" often anymore. If I do this 10 more years I think I need to get re-do my degree if I wanna work in ED or ICU again.

Hello Mrs. Lyn, I was wondering if you knew how big the pay gap is between a new grad psych nurse and one like yourself. My mom is a psych nurse and gets about $45 base, but doesn’t know what a new grade would be looking at.

I should have included that question in my previous message....I was watching a video where the RU-vidr was the med nurse at the psych ward, and she said she had just given a medication to a patient who was having nightmares....Did she call the MD/DO on call, you think?...I messaged her but she has not responded as of yet....Also and pardon my ignorance but what are the differences between a Psych Nurse and a PMHNP? Thank you!

Why is 10:23 making me laugh sm lol I’m in the cafeteria at lunch rn watching this

Thanks ms Lyn

I have an appointment tomorrow with a Mental Health Nurse Practioner as a new patient I'm terrified but I need help