How Much RN Experience Prior to Psych NP?

cocoa_puff · Mar 29, 2017

This is my guess, based on what I've read here and my research, but my friend wants to hear from Psych NPs (he doesn't believe me :rolleyes: ).

1) How much RN experience would you recommend prior to becoming a Psych NP?

3-5 years at the minimum.

2) Is psych nursing experience essential?

Absolutely. I would think working on an inpatient psych unit would be most beneficial, or a long-term psych facility. Having experience with pediatric/adolescent psych in addition to adult would also be helpful. I couldn't imagine going to NP school for a specialty that I've never worked in.

My friend thinks he can start a psych NP program without any psych experience, he currently works as an RN in short-term rehab part-time and in urgent care on weekends. He doesn't want to work in psych as an RN, doesn't think it's "relevant" to being a provider. He has almost a year of nursing experience.

SCSTxRN · Mar 30, 2017

1. Enough to be confident in your physical assessment skills, because psychiatric patients don't always give good histories. You also need a good, broad understanding of meds because ours are dangerous and don't play well with others. You need enough nursing experience to help differentiate when psych is manifesting as physical, and when your psych symptoms are symptoms of a physical illness. How long that takes varies by nurse and clinical setting.

2. Um, yes. Because if you do not LOVE psych, this job will make you crazy. Pun intended.

I'm a much better pmhnp because I was a psych nurse first. Made pmhnp school easier as well.

cocoa_puff · Mar 31, 2017

Thank you so much! Great advice. So I suppose it is unique to the individual how much psych nursing experience they need prior to PMHNP school. I will share your insight with my friend :)