Hello All,
I am very interested in pursuing a PMHNP and am currently looking to enroll in programs. I enjoy working with psych patients and I see how bad the need is for more mental health professionals, especially in my area. However, my current experience as an RN has only been in ER and ICU, with no "specific" psych RN experience. I obviously work with psych patients every day in both of these specialties, and volunteer to work in the "psych pod" whenever possible when I work ER. I am wondering how important it is for me to work as a specifically psych RN before NP school?
I have been looking at opportunities at different psych facilities in my area, but flexible jobs are few right now and they pay literally 15 dollars less an hour than what I make now in critical care where I can completely dictate my own schedule. I'm not in it for the money, but at the same time I gotta pay my mortgage and that's a huge pay drop! I also want to keep my job flexibility during school/clinicals. Do you think my experience plus the experience I will gain from NP school will be sufficient to make me an effective practitioner? I would appreciate thoughts :)