Inpatient or Outpatient for future PMHNP?

[AlcRoc]

Hello

Im starting the journey into Psych Nursing and I am curious if in the long term it is better to work 12 hour shifts in an inpatient Psych hospital or weekdays in an outpatient Psychiatric Clinic. I have job offers in both areas. I have been a nurse on a Med/Surg floor and most recently Surgery. I am extremely bored in Surgery and excited to work with patients more hands on. I loved Psych in nursing school and glad I finally will get my feet wet. I have my sights set on Nurse Practioner eventually. If I do decide Psych is the right fit which is better for PMHNP experience? Inpatient or outpatient? Thanks in advance!

[ErinDel, ASN, BSN, RN]

I would choose inpatient to really get a feel for what some acute psychiatric crisis look like. It will give you an idea about the symptoms and meds need to be given in order to bring people back to Baseline.

you also will be working closely with nurse practitioners in the hospital setting as well as in an inpatient setting. Some patients that go to outpatient clinics are currently not in an acute crisis at that time and they are just maintaining their mental illness and having checkups with the NP. I think both will eventually give you great experience but my thought would be to try inpatient first. You will learn very quickly after working inpatient if Psych is really where you want to be.

Good luck..

[AlcRoc]

Thanks Erindel RN! I really appreciate your input and your advice makes sense. I did make the decision to do the outpatient because it’s fulltime with benefits and I will be working with Psychiatrist, PMHNP, therapists and counselors. I had a PRN offer with the inpatient facility but really needed the hours and benefits of the fulltime. The inpatient facility has told me that in the future if I would like to pick up hours with them that I could so I’m really glad that door is still open. I think I’ll definitely give this clinic a try for a year and then see about diving into inpatient. I’m really excited about the team I’m working with and I’ll have a lot to learn this next year. I will be the only RN in the facility so it’s going to be a good exercise in using other resources such as the clinicians I’ll be working with. Wish me luck and thanks again for your advice?

[ErinDel, ASN, BSN, RN]

that is still a good choice and you will learn lots from it either way. I wish you luck in your new job!

[deza, MSN, NP]

I think you made a smart choice AlcRoc. I would love to do outpatient psych full-time and pick up inpatient. It would be beneficial to pick up shift inpatient, so you can see everything(emergency situations, all the bizarre things pts do, EPS, policy and procedures on seclusion and restraints).

[NurseNinja1990]

Honestly, if I had the choice I'd go outpatient full time and per diem inpatient. Inpatient can be incredibly demanding and challenging, but you'll learn so so much.