Am I making a poor decision?

[BlackBettyRN,OCN]

So, I have been accepted into a PMHNP program and am registered to start in August. I am a new graduate RN, but I do have geripsych experience as an LPN. Honestly, the facility that I worked in made very little distinction between the role of the LPNs and the RNs working as staff nurses. So, had I stayed there as an RN, my role would have been essentially the same, but with a higher pay rate and just a few increased responsibilities.

Anyways, after I graduated from my RN program, I accepted a job offer from the university hospital where my NP program is because I can basically get my degree for free if I work there. However, I was not able to get a job on the psych unit. I am working oncology currently.

I know it would be ideal to work psych while I am completing my NP program. I do plan on eventually trying to transfer or perhaps pick up a PRN job at an outside facility. But I have this fear in the back of my mind that I will not be successful in regaining employment in psych.

I am a very self-directed learner, and I am very passionate about psychiatry. My advisor for grad school knows this about me, and she doesn't think it'll be an issue for me.

What do y'all think? Will my LPN experience be enough to help me while working on my masters? Do y'all think it'll hurt me to not have actual RN experience in psych?

[Lev, MSN, RN, NP]

I think you will be fine. You will encounter psych patients in oncology and you will also have the opportunity to help people during a challenging time in their lives. Your psych program should prepare you with enough clinical experience to succeed. Your Geri-psych experience is a plus. If your adviser isn't concerned you should be either.

[BlackBettyRN,OCN]

[quote=Lev

Thank you for your input. I always hear everyone say that you need to have RN experience in your chosen field before you start grad school, but I never hear anything about LPN experience. I need to stop worrying, but I guess I'm just afraid of the unknown.

[Jules A, MSN]

When I worked as a LPN I was able to do everything a RN could do except initiate a seclusion/restraint so I would also guess that you have a decent foundation especially if you are willing to be a self directed learner. Geripsych is a niche in this specialty with a huge need if you are at all interested in pursuing that route.

[BlackBettyRN,OCN]

When I worked as a LPN I was able to do everything a RN could do except initiate a seclusion/restraint so I would also guess that you have a decent foundation especially if you are willing to be a self directed learner. Geripsych is a niche in this specialty with a huge need if you are at all interested in pursuing that route.

Thanks for responding. I know what your general opinion is regarding new grad RNs jumping straight into NP school. I was hoping you would respond to my post so I could get your input regarding my LPN experience.

Y'all's comments are definitely decreasing my anxiety. Thanks!

[Jules A, MSN]

Thanks for responding. I know what your general opinion is regarding new grad RNs jumping straight into NP school. I was hoping you would respond to my post so I could get your input regarding my LPN experience.

Y'all's comments are definitely decreasing my anxiety. Thanks!

That you are even aware and insightful enough to question it is a huge positive imo. I disagree with the response that if your school adviser approves you are ok because I don't think university employees are a reasonable gauge for much more than pushing students to remain enrolled and paying tuition.

My opinion about having some experience comes from my feelings that our education is inferior to MDs and NPs which is even more concerning when we don't have any hands on experience. Although I really do believe it is necessary to have some nursing experience and ideally inpatient psych experience for psych NPs there are exceptions to every rule and heck its not even a rule just my personal preference based on the pitiful diagnostics/medication regimens I have seen from NPs with no experience. :)

[BlackBettyRN,OCN]

That you are even aware and insightful enough to question it is a huge positive imo. I disagree with the response that if your school adviser approves you are ok because I don't think university employees are a reasonable gauge for much more than pushing students to remain enrolled and paying tuition.

My opinion about having some experience comes from my feelings that our education is inferior to MDs and NPs which is even more concerning when we don't have any hands on experience. Although I really do believe it is necessary to have some nursing experience and ideally inpatient psych experience for psych NPs there are exceptions to every rule and heck its not even a rule just my personal preference based on the pitiful diagnostics/medication regimens I have seen from NPs with no experience. :)

Thanks. It also seems to me that psychiatry is seen by many as a field that anyone off the street can pursue and be successful in. Many people with certifications as FNPs want to know if they can work psych without any further education. In addition, people who have been rejected from other NP programs decide to "just do psych", like it's some kind of default option, even when they don't know what the work entails.

[Jules A, MSN]

Thanks. It also seems to me that psychiatry is seen by many as a field that anyone off the street can pursue and be successful in. Many people with certifications as FNPs want to know if they can work psych without any further education. In addition, people who have been rejected from other NP programs decide to "just do psych", like it's some kind of default option, even when they don't know what the work entails.

Lol one of the administrators I have worked with for years says this is the reason so many psychiatrist suck also.

[vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN]

I agree with Jules in the fact that you have experience in psych. Just work on ways to work your prior experience into the conversation when you interview. In my locale, it's rare to find RNs, let alone APNs, who know about psych issues... Like meds, typical care, etcetera.

In my area, again, just my locale, private psych facilities pay less than state psych facilities therefore the pay is lower. For me, as an Lvn it was comparable to snf pay.

I realized, while working in psych that when an opening for an RN became available, there were few takers and my facility ended up hiring whatever warm body they could find.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I think it would be a good idea to try to get a prn psych job or transfer to psych when you can. The more experience you can get, the better, and you don't get as much on other units than psych units. You might even get a psychiatrist to take you under his or her wing to show you things a nurse wouldn't usually see. I did.

Many schools don't provide clinical experiences for their advanced practice students, You're expected to find a site yourself, to fulfill the required hours.

[BlackBettyRN,OCN]

I think it would be a good idea to try to get a prn psych job or transfer to psych when you can. The more experience you can get, the better, and you don't get as much on other units than psych units. You might even get a psychiatrist to take you under his or her wing to show you things a nurse wouldn't usually see. I did.

Many schools don't provide clinical experiences for their advanced practice students, You're expected to find a site yourself, to fulfill the required hours.

Yes, I'm actively working on trying to get a PRN job at a psychiatric facility. Most of the want previous RN experience in psych, which is holding me back.

I do have a psychiatrist and a PMHNP who are willing to precept me once my practicum rotations come around. So that's a plus.

I've also been looking into parttime or weekend RN jobs in inpatient psych. I currently have a parttime job that I'm working in addition to my oncology job, and I'd be willing to quit it for a psych job.