Feature -- by Mark Sproxton

Sitting among five mental health patients, the therapist, dressed in casual clothing, is hard to spot. She sits comfortably in her chair, eyes focussed on the gentleman to her immediate left who is speaking. And like the patients, she takes her turn speaking on the topic at hand, relationship problems, helping to guide the discussion in a way that will help each person get more insight into their personal difficulties.

"My job is to see people who have been referred from family physicians or psychiatrists for the problems of depression, anxiety or relationship(s)," explains Donna Hughes, a registered psychiatric nurse therapist who works at the Colonel Belcher Hospital. "I see them and assess them. I do psychotherapy, individual therapy and group therapy." Working in a community mental health setting, Hughes works something close to a "standard" work week, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. She does, however, have the flexibility to change her schedule as required.

So what's the difference between a registered psychiatric nurse and a registered nurse? Quite a bit. "We are specially trained in knowing the diseases of the mind and intervening in terms of treatments," Hughes said. "We're experts in assessment." Registered nurses, on the other hand, deal more with physical ailments rather than mental ailments, although there are RNs who work in mental health as well. In addition, schooling for psychiatric nursing is two years, while it takes two to four years to become a registered nurse.

Finding the difference between the two types of nursing was something Hughes did early in her career planning process. "I thought I wanted to be a nurse," she said. "I realized as I was turning 18 and was accepted into nursing programs I wasn't inspired about treating physical illness. I was much more interested in the diagnosis and psychology of people. I decided to do psychiatric nursing instead." (Regisered psychiatric nurses are licensed provincially as they practice only in Western Canada).

That decision has not only lead to a rewarding career but allowed her the opportunity to take additional and advanced training in areas such as cognitive therapy. Her experience and additional training also sees her training others on certain assessment techniques used in mental health. As much as she enjoys that aspect of the job, it's the work with patients that returns the biggest rewards. "The best part is seeing people change and having the tools to help people change," she said. "It's not just being there and supporting them." She also likes the flexibility the training allows, meaning psychiatric nurses can work in hospitals, mental health clinics and institutions, schools or as consultants in private practice.

There are drawbacks to the work, however. "You have to be self-motivated. You have to able to take the oar in hand and row your own boat. Psychiatric nurses just aren't work oriented people." Instead, they are people who like to see results and change, she added. And many different types of skills are required. "(You) have to be genuine with people, full of regard and respect for everybody," Hughes said. "You have to be able to manage your own mental health, have common sense and good judgement."

Her typical work day would see her spend around 50 per cent of her time doing face-to-face work, about 25 per cent on training and consultation and the rest of her time completing paid educational courses or doing paperwork. For approximately every 50 minutes of therapy, Hughes spends at least 10 minutes making notes about the patient she just treated or assessed.

There is only one post-secondary program for psychiatric nursing in Alberta but Hughes said the employment rate for graduates is 100 per cent. Psychiatric nurses are paid on the same scale as registered nurses meaning those just entering the workforce will earn about $22 per hour to start. Her advice to anyone considering this career: "Talk to somebody in the profession and look at the scope that this education will open up for you. The scope of practice offered a psychiatric nurse is huge."