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To provide quality nursing and compassionate care to those who suffer from mental illness.
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- Is psychiatric nursing challenging?
Yes. It is a unique career that has many challenges and rewards.
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- What is your benefit package?
The State of Texas offers a rich benefit package. Please go to the Careers page to review your options.
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- If I go into psychiatric nursing, will I lose my current nursing skills?
No, psychiatric nursing is a challenging nursing field that will require utilization of all your nursing skills through out the course of the patient's treatment. Many times patients are admitted with physical issues resulting in symptoms that appear to be psychiatric in nature; examples would include delirium from over medication, confusion from high blood glucose, cerebral hypoxia, altered mental status post CVA or MI, or elevated ammonia levels in patients with compromised Hepatic function. Additionally, many patients with Major Depression, Schizophrenia, and Bipolar Disorder have exacerbation of their psychiatric symptoms when they become physically ill. Often physical side effects present themselves from the psychiatric medications. Assessment skills are critical in the field of psychiatric nursing and your established nursing skills will not be lost, they will be embellished.
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- Will I get hurt working around psychiatric patients?
Unfortunately there remains a stigma around persons with mental illness, their families, and the psychiatric hospitals that treat their illness. In psychiatric nursing emphasis on safety is priority-one. Safety for both patients and staff. Therefore, representatives from nursing administration and the staff nurses are active members on the hospital's Health, Safety, and Infection Control Committee. We are proud to report that the incidents of staff injury are no more than any other hospital setting.
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- What are you nursing staff-to-patient ratios?
It is our priority to provide nursing staff needed to ensure patients' safety and medical needs and their psychosocial needs. In order to achieve this, nursing leadership ensures a 1:4 ratio of nursing staff to patients on the AM and PM shifts and a 1:8 ratio on the Night shift.
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- What nursing approach do you use?
We utilize team nursing. This encompasses Registered Nurses, Licensed Vocational Nurses, and Psychiatric Nursing Assistants who all work together to support patient nursing needs. The Nursing Management Team meets weekly to project the staffing needs of the hospital and specific patient care units.
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- Do you utilize PRN nurses, contract nurses, or overtime?
Additional PRN and optional overtime nursing staff are scheduled to meet projected staffing needs. We find that this works well and allows our nurses who desire to work overtime the opportunity to do so.
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- I'm at a stage in my life where I desire to nurse but I'm tired of the "rat race". Can you use me?
We will consider any qualified applicants. Because our mission and focus is larger than basic nursing skills and care, we seek those who are fully committed and interested in compassion and caring use of their nursing skills and experience. If you are no longer interested in competitive corporate environment nursing, it does not mean we are not interested in you. We offer career ladder opportunities for those who are striving in their careers. But if that is not of interest to you, we also offer a stable, challenging nursing environment where you can utilize your experience in a quieter and perhaps more meaningful way. Please contact us.
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- I got into nursing to make a difference. Can I do that at your hospital?
You bet! Making a difference is what our focus is. Caring for those who suffer with mental illness need compassionate partners in regaining their health. Recovered, reconciled, and rejuvenated lives is how we measure our success and what we strive for. Consider making a difference in nursing with us.
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Be A Psych Nurse - Be A Bridge Back To Health
 Terrell State Hospital Nursing Services
1200 E. Brin
Terrell, TX 75160
Phone: 972-551-8234
Email: pat.denson@dshs.state.tx.us
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