Psychiatric Nurse NP without R.N. experience

resilientnurse · Apr 2, 2014

I know I am not answering your question specifically, but you should try to get some nursing experience even if it is not in Psych. Nursing builds character, independence and confidence. Hope I don't sound like a military Sargent, but I am not exaggerating. You simply don't know what you don't know. I always find myself referring to previous RN/patient encounters as an APN. Plus, when I was initially looking for work as a new grad potential employers would remark..."Wow, you have a lot of experience." They were referring to my nursing experience which made them less apprehensive about hiring a new grad.

However, even in the worst of circumstances, if you are unable to get any RN experience, there is a Psych NP job waiting for you. The need is so great.

allnurses Guide · Apr 3, 2014

I'm an FNP, not a Psych NP, who was in the same boat. I was unable to get a part time or per diem RN job while in NP school, so I just went straight through and right into a NP job. I did just fine. Nursing experience is valuable, but not essential. many of my classmates were in the same position and had no trouble finding NP jobs at graduation. The psych NPs were among the first to get jobs.

Don't spend time worrying about it. Focus on school, soak up everything you can in your clinicals, and you will be fine.

htellegen · Apr 3, 2014

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input!

twinkerrs · Apr 3, 2014

I would keep looking but not stress. I had psych nursing experience going into school to be a PMHNP and it was useful in many ways for when I started clinicals because I didn't have to learn the communication techniques etc. but if you don't find one I am sure you will do fine. There are times I wish I didn't have experience because it is easy to blur the lines between roles in clinicals.

Psychcns · Apr 3, 2014

I had many years psych experience before working as a provider. But it was a different time. RN experience especially psych RN experience is valuable but so are other kindes of experience. I agree to soak up all you can with your program, maybe you could shadow a Psych NP. Some people see the RN and NP role as very different, some see the NP builiding on the RN. I am more in the latter because that is how it was for me. I suggest that for your first job find a place that will provide you with mentoring and a reduced work load for the first few months. For example, 1-2 hours of sit down supervision per week, no more than one patient per hour if outpatient for the first 3-6 months. and people you can ask questions of throughout the day...Then look up what you can. The first year you should think of more like a residency and I would find a place that would not expect you to do call the first year..Maybe give a two year committment with the first year focusing on your learning needs....and giving you the support you will need... At least this is what I think....

htellegen · Apr 3, 2014

PsychCNS,

I agree; I am currently trying to find a psych NP residency program to apply to after graduation. Unfortunately, they are very scarce at the moment. Hopefully, by the time I graduate a more hospitals/clinics will be offering them.

A question for all my psych NP's out there: Do you find more job options in the outpatient or inpatient setting? I would be happy with either; however, I feel that outpatient might be an easier transition for the less-experienced nurse. Correct me if I am wrong!

Thanks for all of you guys' input! It has been tremendously helpful.

Psychcns · Apr 4, 2014

- It appears there are more jobs in outpatient. Outpatient is probably an easier transition for the less-experienced nurse but inpatient would be very valuable because you see people sick enough to be hospitalized, you see people improve from admission to discharge and you see the effects of meds.. I think there are more politics inpatient. I think opportunity for mentoring and having time to look things up and consult is most important..

PG2018 · Apr 4, 2014

I kind of feel the same way. I have exactly 12 months of nursing experience working with patients, and in that time I never really conversed with any of the patients because I always had something else to do so I have zero experience in relation to nursing-empathy, therapeutic use of self, etc. Most of the time I'd walk in, see that they're still alive, provide their meds, and leave saying "holler if you need something" as I frantically had to go tend to seven or more other patients and do all the unit's night time admin work on top of it. However, I entered nursing with the sole intent of going into a psych provider role. I have no personal experience with mental health in a previous life. I just found it interesting when I read about it. I happen to live in an area where you won't find a psychiatric provider within a two hour driving radius so the wife and I are moving soon to another region of the state where I'll have more clinical opportunities in my last year of the PMHNP program, and I might find some work somehow related to psych.

I've learned a few things so far but also know that my perspectives will continue to evolve.

1. I really want to stay away from the inpatient environment and have seen that most jobs are fortunately in an outpatient setting.

2. Psychotropics scare me. They're fascinating from an academic perspective (I love Stahl's books), but the more I read about them the more I think "OMG, how can I prescribe that to somebody!" Going into this, I thought meds were the solution, and now I think therapy is the best answer in most instances. I feel grossly unqualified for talk therapy and know that NPs aren't hired for that anyway, but I want to be a NP so I'll be sticking to the medical side of the equation. My conundrum although I want to offer the greatest help where possible. I genuinely want to be a psych provider.

3. In my previous life I worked in state government, I talked with people a lot and interviewed people a lot and did quite a bit of supervising and managing. I learned a lot about myself and others in doing that. I learned that although I don't know how I know, I often know when someone is lying to me. In what psych clinical experience I've had, I've seen patients who needed and wanted help, those who needed it but didn't want it, and those who were making it up for some kind of hidden gain on their part. The preceptors have even felt they were malingering but treated them anyway, which I'm taught we have to do, while I sat, watched the patient, and thought to myself "You are lying and full of crap! I'd want to run you out of my office." I'm really torn about what to do in these instances.

The above are things that I think psych experience would help me out with, lol. I interviewed for a position last week and have a tentative job offer, but it's inpatient and after seeing the place I can't help but think my team and I would be over worked and under supported. I have another interview for a position soon entitled intake assessment and the credentials required were either a RN or MSW and after talking with the manager, via phone, it sounds most right for me with a relocation and final year of school coming up.