FNP or PMHNP?

harmonizer · Apr 14, 2012

If I decide to get my Master's in NP...I am having difficulty deciding between Family NP and Psych/Mental Health NP. Are there more jobs available for FNPs...it seems like I never find postings seeking Psych NPs? Also, is there a salary difference?

Yes, there are "a lot" jobs for FNP for sure but there are more FNPs grads as well (at least in my program). Take what you like to do for a living. Any fields that are too in demand, people will rush into it and saturate the market later. You can do both. You can do FNP and then do DNP in psych later. I am graduating soon and thinking about going back for DNP in family. As people said here, many psych patients also have medical problems and vice versa.

Pay for new grads are not fantastic as I think. I see my classmate in PMHNP program got offer in $70,000- low $80,000. I have not found a full-time offer yet. And they hired FNP to do the job of PMHNP..

myelin · Apr 14, 2012

I'm curious Harmonizer, in what state/area are those PMHNPs being offered 70-80k?

zenman · Apr 14, 2012

I'm curious Harmonizer, in what state/area are those PMHNPs being offered 70-80k?

Must be some Southern state.I don't know why people aren't seeing the PMHNP jobs cause there are lots of them. Recruiters continue to pester me with job offers. And I started out with 6 figures right out of school.

myelin · Apr 15, 2012

thanks, zenman. I was guessing the South as well. I plan on practicing on the pacific coast, most likely the Portland or Seattle area. I'm hoping to start out at a higher salary, especially considering the massive loans I'll have to repay. 6 figures out of school sounds very promising.

harmonizer · Apr 15, 2012

Yes. Southern State. Wow! Zenman. Which state offered you that much salary as a new grad? What setting do you work in initially? Thanks for the figure. I will keep this in mind when negotiating offer in the future. The point is that most of my classmates do not want to move or they don't know how to get hooked with a recruiters for out-of-state jobs (coz we are graduating soon but not licensed yet). Did you get offer after you were licensed or when you're in school and graduating?

Maybe job market is a little worse now. Many people are now FPMHNP. And we are only Adult PMHNP because our program is still in transition. This eliminates lots of jobs that require seeing very young kids.

Another point is that it takes a while to do credentialing if wanting to work for inpatient practice or an organized setting. I may be tempted to accept local offer with lower wage rather than waiting for much better offer elsewhere.

zenman · Apr 16, 2012

I'm in the Land of Enchantment!" I started locums, first at a detention center then community mental health clinic. I'm now in a hospital. I started applying after i graduated.

mpolen6497 · Oct 8, 2012

Zenman! I'd love to talk to you further about where you work and what you do. I'll be starting a PMHNP program in the fall. I am excited to get moving on the track that's my passion after years of med surg nursing. I don't know how to email you other than by responding to your posts! I guess I don't have mail privileges on this site yet. If you can respond to this, please do! I'd love to ask you a few things. Thanks!

zenman · Oct 8, 2012

I just started a new job with the military. In orientation now. Ask away.

mpolen6497 · Oct 11, 2012

This is for Zenman.....

OK so I know my passion is in pscyh and I'm in the processes of getting my application and letters of recommendations and all of that

for a program for PFMHNP..........however....I'm a little nervous because I looked up NP jobs in Illinois and where there are about

100 postings for NPs....there were TWO for psych NPs. Should I be worried or just trust my gut and go forward with

my passion....which is psych?

zenman · Oct 11, 2012

I'd follow your passion and even leave Illinois if need be. But I see a lot more psych jobs there on Indeed jobs.

mpolen6497 · Oct 12, 2012

Thanks so much!