HELP! PMHNP vs. LCSW

Nursing Students NP Students

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I am currently working on prerequisite classes for an accelerated BSN. My initial goal was to eventually work toward FNP or PMHNP and get a skill set that would make me employable outside of the military (not much you can do with a political science degree and I DO NOT want to be a lawyer). I am doing well in all my classes so far (A s and B s), didn't do great on the TEAS but well enough to be competitive. Now I have just found out that my school is going to start a Masters of Social Work program next fall and that also sounds very tempting. I guess what I am asking is what do you see as the pros and cons of me going the BSN - PMHNP route vs. MSW / LCSW. I understand there probably wont be much insight into the MSW on this site but any info about PMHNP would be helpful. I know at the end of the day its up to me but thanks for your input.

Specializes in Med-tele, Neuro.

Myelin, I tried to email you in response to what you told me about getting my ANP first and then going into PMHNP but here's my issue. I have been in nursing for fifteen years now and deep down inside I have always known that psych is the place for me. I can do the ANP but I really want to focus on psych. Do you think I HAVE to get my ANP or is going to my PMHNP OK? I would love so much to work with kids, teens and adults in outpatient settings. Diagnosing, med managment, therapy, group therapy. I would also love to teach psych to undergard students or nursing students. I have three kids and I'm not getting any younger. Just not sure I want to go to school for a long time. If I become an ANP and THEN do the PMHNP how long after ANP would it take me to get into psych?

Specializes in Correctional Nursing; MSN student.
Myelin, I tried to email you in response to what you told me about getting my ANP first and then going into PMHNP but here's my issue. I have been in nursing for fifteen years now and deep down inside I have always known that psych is the place for me. I can do the ANP but I really want to focus on psych. Do you think I HAVE to get my ANP or is going to my PMHNP OK? I would love so much to work with kids, teens and adults in outpatient settings. Diagnosing, med managment, therapy, group therapy. I would also love to teach psych to undergard students or nursing students. I have three kids and I'm not getting any younger. Just not sure I want to go to school for a long time. If I become an ANP and THEN do the PMHNP how long after ANP would it take me to get into psych?

I'm "older" and time is important. Go for PMHNP then if you want to add on get the ANP. Go where your heart is first, the rest will work out. Besides, you may want further ed. in counseling. Best of luck to you. I'm on a similar path.

Specializes in Med-tele, Neuro.

I haven't applied to a PFMHNP program yet but I'm in the process. I'm not going into this expecting to get rich. I am married with three kids. My husband works full time and I went down to three days a week after my third child. Since I'm home several days during the week.....watching kiddie shows and doing laundry etc......I figured now would be a good time to get going on my masters. If I was a single mothertrying to make as much money as I could, I would definitly do FNP and I'd want to work in the ER. However, thank God I am able to base my decision on what I want to do, not on what I HAVE to do ya know?

PMHNP - no question. The market for LCSWs is terrible and the pay is very low. PMHNPs can do very well and have a strong market, especially if you're open to relocating. However, while money and job opportunities matter, the most important factor is what you want to be doing. Do you enjoy nursing? Are you interested in being a healthcare provider, and having to learn patho, pharm, etc.? Do you want to prescribe? I left the field of clinical psychology to become a PMHNP and while I'm only a student in the RN portion of my direct entry MSN, I have no regrets.

I know this is an old thread but actually social work salaries have increased significantly within recent years... I live in CT and the LCSWs at the hospital make between 60,000-70,000 dollars a year, almost on par with the RNs!

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