NP/PMHNP Work Culture

[Iamchasingdreams]

Hello everyone,

I am currently a retail pharmacist and I am seriously considering saving up and switching careers with PMHNP as my final goal. I live in New York and just have a couple of questions on the job market and the work culture. I see myself graduating and getting credentialed as a PMHNP in the next 6 years. How difficult is it currently to find a job as a new grad in this market, especially if I don't plan on staying at the bedside for long? Would clinical rotations from school be enough? What other opportunities are there to make myself more competitive? Do you get paid for charting time if you are an hourly employee? How do companies treat call outs? Do they call the patients to reschedule their appointment or do you end up getting the other practitioner's patients for the day? Do they pay you extra if you end up going over your normal scheduled work hours in cases like that?

While I would greatly appreciate any feedback from any PMHNPs currently practicing in the NYC area, I am happy to hear all your thoughts! Thank you in advance!

[verene, MSN]

On 7/20/2021 at 7:51 PM, PollywogNP said:

I taught the grad physical assessment course when local university started psych NP Program. One had been a labor & delivery nurse, has gone on to get PhD, teaching at same university and years later is head of psych NP Program. She works as FNP in urgent care and claims to have her private practice while continuing to teach full time. Another former undergrad student that also became  psych NP/DNP worked in cath lab as new grad. She is also teaching, works part time at acute care psych facility. One other did work in patient psych as new grad while pursuing psych NP/DNP and went straight to teaching. So while your cohort had some type of behavioral health background, many do not. I think they are lured when they learn the salaries for psych NPs

Unfortunately I think this is part of the variability of training and of school acceptances. Some school strongly screen applicants (for both direct-entry and for RN to MSN/DNP) and some don't and there is also variation in rigor of programs as well, and what those programs focus on preparing students for.  For my own cohort all of us went out into practice following graduation and are currently spread across FQHC/community mental health, substance use treatment, acute inpatient, forensic inpatient, step-down/residential, and private practice locations. All of us were employed in field with in 6 months of graduation and all of us remain in the field. 

 

 

[nursenameforme]

All good information to be aware of.

[Neo Soldier, BSN, RN]

On 7/1/2021 at 5:20 PM, Iamchasingdreams said:

 ...Long hours on your feet all day, sometimes it's even impossible to eat, or use the bathroom... there are limited positions in my state for a clinical psychiatric pharmacist position.

Any chance you might share your journey as a PMHNP, Neo? 

This reply is long overdue. I was formerly under the impression that pharmacy was a lot more rewarding than nursing, and so I truly didn't understand why you felt the way you did. I have a family member who is a pharmacist, who has expressed a desire to switch careers to nursing. Like you, this person had the same complaint: the long hours on your feet. 

What did you eventually decide?

Also, I am now in a DNP/PMHNP program; one semester down, and 2.5 years to go. 

Happy new year!

[Lana717, BSN]

I'd say go for it. There are plenty of jobs, but make sure to attend a local reputable school and avoid diploma mills (e.g., Walden, Chamberlain). I work in psych and know for a fact that clinics and hospitals in my area do not even consider grads from those schools.

[nursenameforme]

While the perception of Chamberlain might be that it is a mill, I can tell you that the classes are quite difficult.  Getting into the school may be easy but they readily fail students.