Day in the life of a PMHNP

[travkitty]

I'm currently in the USI ACNP program, but I'm hearing from people who just graduated with FNP & ACNP who are having trouble finding jobs. I've always had an interest in psychiatry, & would likely be a psychiatrist if I had gone to medical school. I'm just wondering what a day in the life of a PMHNP might be like. I hear they are in mega demand in many parts of the US (esp Florida, where I wish to relocate down the line).

[zenman]

Well, my morning starts off with a 0730 meeting of on-call people and those who will be doing walk-ins, therapists and me, the prescriber. I do a morning walk-in clinic every morning so I'm always present at this meeting since I may be seeing Soldiers who may come in after an ED visit the evening/night before. I may occasionally see dependents also. I may also see hospital returns if they can't get in to see their regular provider. In the afternoons I see my regular patients. Friday afternoon we have a hour for Grand Rounds. Wednesday morning all the prescribers meet at 0730. Sometimes I have to go to the med/surg unit in the am to do a psych consult on a patient who has been admitted. This afternoon I had to return a call to a Soldier doing war games in California to answer his concerns about his diagnosis and whether he could stay in the military or have to get out. I consulted with a therapist and several other people including a Soldier's Chain of Command about their condition. As I was about to leave I received a call from a Chaplain who had one of my Soldiers in his office who was sobbing and suicidal. I got the Soldier to agree to a voluntary admission, called the ED physician and told him the soldier was being escorted to the ED, and called the on-call psychologist before he got off post so he could turn around and head back to the ED. Tuesday afternoons I teach medical Qigong to patients in a pain program. And I keep my eyes open for potential shooters. I'll start again in the morning.

[NurseGentleman]

Zenman do you work for the VA or the Military?

[zenman]

U.S. Army

[nursetim, NP]

Zenman, you solely prescribe, correct? You don't do CBT, correct? Is that the main role for PMHNP? Prescriber?

[zenman]

I don't do CBT because I don't like it. Plenty of others here who do. I do 30 minutes visits…med management and therapy…except for 1 hr initial evals.