I am an RN who would rather focus on psychosocial needs of people. I currently
work in a nursing home and am frustrated because most RNs focus on physical
symptoms until a behavioral problem arises and then the subject turns toward
possibly trying a medication. When I try to say hey lets look behind the
behavior and see if we can find out why this resident feels a need to act out.
I don
t get much feedback. I also have interviewed prospective employers to see
what degrees they preferred. In the mental health field, the preference was
mainly toward an MSW however they felt having an RN degree was a real plus.
Of course this was the case in a very small sample and could be coincidental.
I personally have decided to go the MSW route. It was not an easy decision as
I plan to use my nursing skills as an allied health professional. I wish you
the best!
