FNP with only psych nursing experience

allnurses Guide · Aug 14, 2015

Can you be a FNP with only psych nursing experience? I haven't worked on a medical floor. My plan was to do FNP and then get a post masters in psych. Has anyone done this path before?

You can technically be an FNP with any kind (or no) nursing experience; programs are (should be) designed to provide both the didactic and clinical experience necessary to take an applicant from any experience and make them a competent entry level provider.

That being said, some programs require specific experience, some don't. In my personal and professional experience the individual matters more than the experience.

Why post-master in psych and not go directly through a PMHNP program?

nursingfornurses · Aug 14, 2015

Thank you so much for your response! There is an FNP program in my city. And then a post masters program in psych only an hour or two away from me. For the PMHNP, it is about five hours away from where I live. It'll be easier for my family (and cheaper for me) if I do a FNP program in my city.

PG2018 · Aug 15, 2015

I imagine several dozen people have followed the exact same path. Most nurses have no experience doing what FNPs do anyway. Oddly enough, very little of nursing addresses bread and butter primary care types of complaints and I'm not talking about the DM or HTN staples. You'll learn what you need to know in school and do quite well.

If I could somehow forgo the crotch element of FNP I'd probably enroll in post-master's FNP training.

nursingfornurses · Aug 20, 2015

Thanks so much for your advice everyone! :)