Are dual NP certifications appropriate?

[TexTart]

I have a background in residential psych and I'd like to go for an MSN. I intend to continue in addictions (or maybe eating disorders) and I can see the benefit of being both FNP and PMHNP for these areas. Would it actually be worth it to have both?

[Anonymous1257]

I've heard of people dual certifying and it paying off greatly for them. Maybe you could contact some hiring entities and get direct info? I'm a little curious about this as well.

[TexTart]

Not a bad tactic, I had not actually considered that because I'm not even in school yet If anybody out there is doing this, we'd love to hear from you!

[Jules A, MSN]

I did it. I'm a psychNP but since so many of our patients also have somatic diseases and sometimes have a rapport and trust with their mental health provider not found with their PCP I felt it would be beneficial for me to have the ability to make simple somatic meds changes as needed. In the DC area psychNPs make considerably more money than FNPs and many of them are now getting their psychNP cause "anyone can do psych, right?" so I also figured it would be beneficial to have dual certification in order to remain competitive as everyone and their mother starts jumping on the NP bandwagon.

[anh06005, MSN, APRN, NP]

One of my friends is considering going for her NP and she enjoys psych. I have been telling her to consider to dual certify with mental health and FNP because you can be much more flexible and possibly credible.

Also it will likely safe you time, money, and the headache versus just getting one certification and later going back for the other. Example: there was an adult NP in my FNP class during our women's health/pediatrics semester. She had to get about twice the amount of peds hours that we did. Why? I'm not sure. I wound up doing extra hours during our "immersion" semester but not everybody did.

If you think you'd want both I say just go for it and get it done.