PMHNP or FNP w/ Psych BA?

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Specializes in Emergency, Case Management, Informatics.

Hello all,

I'm jumping way ahead of myself, considering I'm only graduating LPN school in 6 weeks, but I guess it's never too early to plan for the future, right?

I'm fairly certain I want to specialize in Psych. Now, after I get my RN, I will be planning on getting a couple of years of Med/Surg experience to get a solid foundation. But, psych will be the goal.

I have two questions on this subject -- 1) Is it really worth it to me to go for a Psych NP, or would I do just as well being an FNP with (or even without) a Bachelor's in Psych as long as I have Psych experience?

I know the answer is that if I absolutely have my heart set on psych that I should go for PMHNP, but that leads me to my next question -- 2) Is there enough opporunity out there to justify specializing as a Psych NP? As an FNP, you're almost as guaranteed a job as you are once you get your RN license. But, (and maybe I'm just being silly) I don't see Psych NP's taking the role of Psychiatrist as much as FNP's take on the role of MD.

Any thoughts or insight on this?

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Primary docs and FNPs will prescribe psych meds but Psych NPs can also do therapy. Opportunity probably depends on your location

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Your observation is correct. PMHNP are not as common on the forefront as FNP. This can be a good or bad thing. Bad because there are not many opportunities available as of yet. Good, because this occupation is on the rise. It is being offered at more schools now and some psychiatrist are really utilizing them. But what is even better is that there are very few rural areas with access to adequate mental health care and this opens great doors for psych practitioners. I have been in mental health for a while as an RN. I am going back to school to become a psychiatrist. I am deciding now whether to become a psych prac or family prac as a means of income to support myself thru med school. Hope this helps. You can always PM me.

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i just graduated as well with pmhnp, and youre right, there are not many of us overall at this point. i do however, see the trend to begin using more. i am about to start a job basically working just like the physicians do, joining a practice. i didnt much see the point of doing the fnp since i knew that was not where i wanted to work.

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Specializes in Emergency, Case Management, Informatics.

Thanks for the responses. I'll probably go to Vandy for the FNP, since you don't have to repeat courses if you go back for a second NP specialty. At least this gives me an idea of what to expect.

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Hi there,

Sounds like you are in a similar situation as myself. I am going into a BSN program and plan on eventually finishing PMHNP school. A great thing that is happening that I have noticed (from the educational point) is that now you can do NP online. There are a few PMHNP degrees online, and I have seen at least one FNP/PMHNP joint program that is also offered completely online. If you are going to attend school, maybe consider checkng out programs that offer dual capacity. I love psych, I love talking with and helping people and although Psychology would be an great major, I definitely believe that the prescriptive role of the psych NP is excellent. I would love to eventually get a Ph.d/Psy.d to enrich my understanding of the different theories. I wonder if this would make you almost the same as a Psychiatrist? Whatever the role, do what you love. If you love psych, then go for it!

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What is the name of the dual distance FNP/PMHNP program?

Hi there,

Sounds like you are in a similar situation as myself. I am going into a BSN program and plan on eventually finishing PMHNP school. A great thing that is happening that I have noticed (from the educational point) is that now you can do NP online. There are a few PMHNP degrees online, and I have seen at least one FNP/PMHNP joint program that is also offered completely online. If you are going to attend school, maybe consider checkng out programs that offer dual capacity. I love psych, I love talking with and helping people and although Psychology would be an great major, I definitely believe that the prescriptive role of the psych NP is excellent. I would love to eventually get a Ph.d/Psy.d to enrich my understanding of the different theories. I wonder if this would make you almost the same as a Psychiatrist? Whatever the role, do what you love. If you love psych, then go for it!

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The trouble with FNP courses is that you don't get any psych experience or psychopharmacology. I've only seen one FNP program, and that was where I did my PMHNP, that required FNP's to have psychopathology. I did an FNP pharmacology course once...only 3 hrs required and almost no psychpharm. In contrast, in my PMHNP program you had 6 hrs, 3 of neuroscience and 3 just on psychopharm.

As for jobs, recruiters bug the heck out of me everyday...almost enough to drive me crazy!

As for learning about different therapies, forget it. Read Bradford Keeney's book's, especially "The Creative Therapist," where he states, "therapist are asked to minimize theorizing, pay less respect to scientific (and other abstract) renderings of therapeutic process, and still the diagnosis, explanations, and understandings that paralyze spontaneous, existential growth." If you don't know about Bradford, he's a therapist who studied what it was the great therapists were doing that made them great.

I'm a renegade PMHNP who actually told my professors that CBT, Narrative Therapy, etc, almost made me puke to even read about them.:lol2:

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