Any psychiatric nurse practitioners? I need advice. Please help!

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I'm a relatively new RN (BSN) working in med surg.

I have about 6 month experience now.

My ultimate career goal is to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner and I have some decisions to make.

my question is, is it more beneficial to stay in med surg before I take np program?

or is it more beneficial to work as psychiatric nurse since I want to be a psych np.

I was offered a job as a psych nurse and I want to take it. Thought I should ask here since I barely know anything about this path! :)

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I totally feel the benefits of working on an inpatient acute psychiatric unit is non-negotiable although the money grubbing schools seem to disagree, lol. If you get a job in psych you will see so many different diagnosis, have a team to brain storm with and administer/monitor all the medications which I totally believe will make you a better prescriber and diagnostician. The horrific med regimens I have seen from psychNPs without any previous experience would curl your hair.

Good luck.

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Specializes in psychiatric nursing.

Definitely take the psych rn job! Just as the other poster said, you will gain valuable experience with this population. I do not think someone should be a PHMNP without psych working experience.

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Specializes in psychiatric.

Completely agree with above posters. I am in a PMHNP program and I have worked ICU, rehab, etc and psych, The acute care is valuable to me but the psych is definitely more useful.

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