FNP vs psych NP

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Hey everyone I'm a psych RN with 7 years experience in psych. I love what I do but I feel it's time for me to go back to school and go for my NP. I initially thought to go for psych NP (makes sense with my background right?) But then I thought an FNP would be more versatile. Any advice from any FNP or psych NP? How do you enjoy your careers? What's your typical day like?

@oldmahubbard would you mine talking more about your career as a psych NP it sounds really interesting...what u do! i feel like not enough psych NPs talk about their careers and experience.

The current job is nothing even slightly glamorous, but I sometimes make a difference. Today I went to a large LTC facility, conveniently located a mile down the street. I had a list of some 20 people that needed follow up, and as usual, there were more when I got there. Monday is my long day.

Most of the people I saw today were stable, and many were non verbal. I am not having a 20 minute heart to heart with most of my patients, they are not capable of it. Even so, I was glad to run into the daughter of a 95 y/o woman I have been treating for advanced dementia with agitation.

Today I managed sexually inappropriate behavior, aggression, and various inappropriate medication regimes, haha. I made an initial dx of dementia on a person who is well preserved verbally, and I called a case manager to get history on a youthful ( 45 ish) male resident who came to us with an "autism" dx, but now is exhibiting delusions and paranoia. I think his dx has been wrong, but there literally are no records.

So there are variety of presentations, but I did not see anything acutely dangerous today. But some maybe on the edge.

In the forensic setting, I did regularly deal with dangerous individuals but we had the resources to deal with it. The challenge was to figure out if the dangerousness was due to ASPD, or a treatable mental illness.

Having worked with inmates for many years makes it a little difficult to get me worked up.

The pay is nothing great, but I would recommend forensic work to any Psych NP for a couple of years. Very eye opening.

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With your background definitely consider psych NP. Our backgrounds are very similar and I am heading back to school maybe next year. Also, search your area for all np jobs. In northern California there is not a lot of NP jobs and many I see posted pay what I make or less. The psych NP jobs available here pay more than what I currently make. There are not tons of them posted but there is enough to get me back to school.

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The forensic experience must have taught you a lot even if it was dangerous at times

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I almost never felt like it was dangerous. 98% of my interactions with inmates were respectful and I was well liked.

Security was always on top of their game.

Working in an ER is probably more dangerous

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I always tell students working in the er is more dangerous than the psych hospital. You never know what you're gonna get in the er, but we know out psych patients

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