Nurse practitioner or psychologist?

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Hi everyone,

My friend is currently working in LTC care like me, she has an Associate Degree. She has always been interested in mental health and plans to go back to school. She was thinking of going for Psychology. She said the pay is better and more one on one. I told her she should think about being a Nurse practitioner and focus on Psych, so she would always have other options as a NP. She thinks this wouldn't be as much patient to patient. More medication monitering. What does everyone think?

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In my research, it seems there is more flexibility with a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Degree. Med management in combination with therapy is necessary for positive client outcomes. I would not hesitate to go the PMHNP route and I am seriously considering it myself. NW, BS Psy, BSN, RN

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It is true that, from my experience, psych nurse practitioner mainly do medication management. A few psych NP I know practice counseling as private practice part-time but it does not generate enough income. To save money, most facilities hire social worker and Master's level therapist to do counseling.

But it is the shortest route she can take from RN degree. Doctorate degree in psychology will take minimum of 4 years followed by 1 year of internship and 1 year of fellowship. However, I consider it more prestigious, rigorous, and widely accepted internationally. She can do both but it will take like 10 years. :) I personally want to do both if I am still motivated after turning 35 :)

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Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.
It is true that, from my experience, psych nurse practitioner mainly do medication management. A few psych NP I know practice counseling as private practice part-time but it does not generate enough income. To save money, most facilities hire social worker and Master's level therapist to do counseling.

But it is the shortest route she can take from RN degree. Doctorate degree in psychology will take minimum of 4 years followed by 1 year of internship and 1 year of fellowship. However, I consider it more prestigious, rigorous, and widely accepted internationally. She can do both but it will take like 10 years. :) I personally want to do both if I am still motivated after turning 35 :)

So Psych RN who are APN's can practice counseling? I want to be a a MHNP as well and was wondering if it was within the scope of practice of this APN to do long term, short term, aor any counseling.

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It is true that, from my experience, psych nurse practitioner mainly do medication management. A few psych NP I know practice counseling as private practice part-time but it does not generate enough income. To save money, most facilities hire social worker and Master's level therapist to do counseling.

But it is the shortest route she can take from RN degree. Doctorate degree in psychology will take minimum of 4 years followed by 1 year of internship and 1 year of fellowship. However, I consider it more prestigious, rigorous, and widely accepted internationally. She can do both but it will take like 10 years. :) I personally want to do both if I am still motivated after turning 35 :)

LOL...I am 37 and I need motivation and cash to get my Bachelors degree!

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Specializes in Psych, EMS.

I contemplated the same thing...everyone told me to go the NP or CNS route, but I start my doctorate in psychology in the fall :) I did research, looked at education cirriculums, and talked to pscyh NPs and psychologists, and I got the overall impression that psych NPs are utilized more for medication management than for psychotherapy, although both are in their scope of practice. I am much more interested in psychotherapy, diagnosing, and testing.

As far as the pay goes...that is harder to research. It appears to me that there is not a significant difference in pay, or psych NPs are slightly better compensated.

I know NP/CNS seems like the next logical step, I got a lot of "well you're an RN/BSN so you might as well...", but ultimately my career goals and interests do not necessarily reflect a linear progression. Best of luck to you and your friend!

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I contemplated the same thing...everyone told me to go the NP or CNS route, but I start my doctorate in psychology in the fall :) I did research, looked at education cirriculums, and talked to pscyh NPs and psychologists, and I got the overall impression that psych NPs are utilized more for medication management than for psychotherapy, although both are in their scope of practice. I am much more interested in psychotherapy, diagnosing, and testing.

As far as the pay goes...that is harder to research. It appears to me that there is not a significant difference in pay, or psych NPs are slightly better compensated.

I know NP/CNS seems like the next logical step, I got a lot of "well you're an RN/BSN so you might as well...", but ultimately my career goals and interests do not necessarily reflect a linear progression. Best of luck to you and your friend!

Good Luck to you! She is still unsure. I will tell her to really look into both avenues. We see Psych NP in LTC and they barely say hello to the residents. They adjust the meds on nursing notes. She has an Associate degree, so either way she has a way to go.

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Specializes in Psych, EMS.

I vigorously researched the salaries, as that was the facet I was least knowledgeable about, and it appears that the psych NP gets (roughly, on average) 15k more a year than a psychologist.

This is significant and is making me reconsider my enrollment in a psychologist program. Less time in school, more money, hmm.. However, I ultimately think that I won't be happy doing medication management, and since we spend most of our waking hours working, I suppose I'll stick with my passion. It's not like psychologists work for beans.

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I did research, looked at education cirriculums, and talked to pscyh NPs and psychologists, and I got the overall impression that psych NPs are utilized more for medication management than for psychotherapy, although both are in their scope of practice. I am much more interested in psychotherapy, diagnosing, and testing.

I will also throw in here and say that my research has found the same thing. There are also these National Survey Results (2011) - From ANCC, pertaining to the practice of psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioners, based on the results of a 2011 national study of practice of PMH-NPs.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nursecredentialing.org%2FCertification%2FNurseSpecialties%2FFamilyPsychMentalHealthNP%2FRELATED-LINKS%2FFamilyPsychNP-2011RDS.pdf&ei=2-dzUs7zKqSosATPmoDQBQ&usg=AFQjCNGytpImILIQ79ly-jkffSLA2JaqpA&sig2=OMps5bfCHDuGPYUrugZJNQ&bvm=bv.55819444,d.cWc&cad=rja

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

It is my understanding that psychologists largely do testing although some do therapy in private practice and in my area Psych-NPs should be making considerably more money.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

Psychologists can't prescribe. To me, that is an important difference. Some clients *need* meds.

If your goal is to provide counseling, then perhaps psychologist is the best route.

I'd like to become an NP so that I can counsel/talk with my client, but if meds are needed, or further tests/labs are needed, I would like the ability to be able to prescribe/order them.

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