MentalKlarity BSN, NP

MentalKlarity has 8 years experience as a BSN, NP and specializes in Psychiatry.

MentalKlarity's Latest Activity

1. 

   ONLINE ASN TO PMHNP PATHWAYS

   MentalKlarity replied to MellowYellow0914's topic in NP

   Please look at reputable schools. Walden is under investigation by the US Dept of Justice and is a for profit diploma mill school. Trying to go to easy route to the school with no admission requirements might come back to bite you later. Contact the professors at your local state schools and ask them about the best way to prepare for the program.
2. 

   What to expect from Walden's PMHNP program?

   MentalKlarity replied to Kalibear17's topic in NP Students

   There are top tier schools like Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt, Columbia, Duke, etc. These on a resume will open doors but are expensive and hard to get into. They are quality programs and you don't have to worry about the quality control issue that plagues other programs. Second are the state schools and private not for profits with brick and mortar programs. Absolutely last place are the for profits: Phoenix, Chamberlain, Walden. These can be a red flag for some employers.
3. 

   The economics of PA vs. NP

   MentalKlarity replied to subee's topic in NP

   So a few points: NP programs should have more clinical hours, definitely. You can never have too many. Comparing PA programs to NP programs is apples and oranges because we SPECIALIZE. A PA may have 2000 hours to our 700 or so, but we do all 700 in our chosen population and they do everything. In the end we may have more hours in our given field than a new grad PA. Does a new graduate PA have more pediatric clinical hours than a new grad pediatric NP? Does a new PA have more psychiatric clinical experience than a new PMHNP? The answer in almost all cases is no. Even for an FNP, it's 600-700 hours in PRIMARY care, not specialties like surgery that won't lend as much knowledge about that subject. In reality, PAs have fewer clinical hours in the field they eventually end up practicing in compared to an NP trained for the same field specifically. Lastly, PAs will never be independent because they were basically developed to be an NP counter who is required to be under the thumb of physicians. It was the physician answer to the threat of independent NP practice.
4. 

   First NP job... Did you negotiate the salary?

   MentalKlarity replied to RN/WI's topic in NP

   Isn't 2 weeks vacation rather low? I don't know how people don't get burnt out with such low vacation allowances. And it makes it hard to plan nice vacations if you also use a few days here and there for other things.
5. 

   FNP- Urgent Care Courses/Training Question

   MentalKlarity replied to luckycat's topic in NP

   There are numerous boot camps like this, l will ask around and see which others I can find!
6. 

   First NP job... Did you negotiate the salary?

   MentalKlarity replied to RN/WI's topic in NP

   Yes, NPs love to overwork and be underpaid it seems. Remember that you are now a revenue producer - the practice makes money everytime you see a patient. Things to keep in mind: Vacation - You don't want to be burnt out! 4 weeks annually is standard/acceptable. 3 weeks is pushing it, and anything less is unacceptable. Would you really only want to have 2 weeks off or less a year? Benefits - 401k match, insurance, malpractice, CME. These things add up. If they don't offer it (or you're a 1099 employee) the salary should make up for it. Hours worked per day - Remember to divide that salary out! 100K annually doesn't sound so good if they explain your work week is 7AM to 6PM Mon through Friday. Figure out the hourly rate it works out to! Always negotiate. I don't think NPs, even new NPs should be below 6 figures. Having a slightly reduced salary for 3-4 months or so while you "train" is fine as long as the contract states you will then go up to a full rate. Especially as a new NP the expectation is you might be a bit slower as you learn the ropes so the practice will earn less.
7. 

   We Must Demolish Traditional Universities

   MentalKlarity replied to Shamrock1145's topic in Activism

   Let the institution know that the students are not up to standard and unless they up their admission standards and beef up their curriculum you have no interest in working as a preceptor for them any longer.
8. 

   Chamberlain FNP start date March 2020

   MentalKlarity replied to Lol124's topic in NP Students

   No, it's a for-profit diploma mill that graduates 2,500+ NPs a year. Employers are getting more strict about Chamberlain/Walden and other for-profits and you may have more trouble getting a job than someone who went to a traditional school with admissions requirements.
9. 

   We Must Demolish NP Diploma Mills

   MentalKlarity replied to cprimavera's topic in Activism

   From 2010 to 2020, the number of NP graduates each year increased from 10K to 30K, or 300%. It has been steadily increasing every year by about 2,000 to 3,000, primarily due to the diploma mills which happily pump out several thousand a year and grow their class size as much as possible since the entire thing is self-guided. More students means more profit, regardless of actual outcomes. 300% is higher than 45%. The job market will not grow fast enough to absorb all the extra NPs even at 45% a decade. We'd be doing quite well if not for the diploma mills, but alas.
10. 

    Importance of NP Program Reputation, Name Recognition

    MentalKlarity replied to adventure_rn's topic in NP

    There is! It's having admission requirements and not accepting everyone who applies! I agree with your other point too. That "nurse sense" is one thing we do develop as RNs that helps immensely even as a provider.
11. 

    We Must Demolish NP Diploma Mills

    MentalKlarity replied to cprimavera's topic in Activism

    Because the point of view that diploma mills with no entry standards are somehow good for the profession makes absolutely no sense on any level. You haven't actually explained why having diploma mills is a "good thing" though we have given plenty of reasons why it's bad: oversaturated NP market, poorly prepared graduates that lack intelligence to be providers, and loss of respect from our colleagues.
12. 

    We Must Demolish NP Diploma Mills

    MentalKlarity replied to cprimavera's topic in Activism

    Right. And just Google around and you can endless posts on other forums and websites mocking our profession specifically because of these for-profits. They post images of the ads touting how to get an MSN in 18 months. They post screenshots from Walden graduates asking basic questions on social media while working as independent providers. There is nothing we can do to refute it because it's true - lax standards of entry means we're graduating less intelligent providers. NP school doesn't increase intelligence or critical thinking, it just gives you the tools you need to be a provider. If a school is not doing ANY assessment of who applies (interview, GRE, high GPA) then they aren't choosing the best and brightest. Even worse, some end up at diploma mills precisely because they were rejected from real schools with standards.
13. 

    We Must Demolish NP Diploma Mills

    MentalKlarity replied to cprimavera's topic in Activism

    Saint James is a Caribbean medical school. LECOM has a total of 2,000 students across all 4 years, that's 500 a year from the LARGEST medical school. Walden graduates 500 a MONTH. It also has a 12% acceptance rate and requires the MCAT. Western Ontario is in Canada (??) and unsure why you've included it as it's not for-profit or a diploma mill? Look I'm sorry but there's not a Walden equivalent in the PA/MD world. They don't have any 100% acceptance rate schools that take anyone with a pulse and pumps out thousands of graduates per year regardless of their intellect. And it's more than just my opinion, it's the opinion of many people and more everyday once they find out how bad these schools are.
14. 

    We Must Demolish NP Diploma Mills

    MentalKlarity replied to cprimavera's topic in Activism

    There should be entry standards. Do you truly thing everyone is intelligent enough to be a medical provider? I've met a number of diploma-mill graduates. I even did clinicals with one in a shared office. They're not impressive. It's scary. Even physicians who used to fight for and respect NPs are starting to pull back. It's becoming indefensible at this point. The profession will be better off and have a brighter future if they eventually close down and I hope they do.
15. 

    We Must Demolish NP Diploma Mills

    MentalKlarity replied to cprimavera's topic in Activism

    You moved the goalpost? We've already discussed that that thankfully this study hasn't been completed. You can bet we will all find out when it is, and the AMA is featuring in ads and lobbying to remove our independence because the for-profits diploma mill graduates show poor patient outcomes. But again, your last post was telling us that there are also diploma mill medical schools. Please, show us those.
16. 

    Importance of NP Program Reputation, Name Recognition

    MentalKlarity replied to adventure_rn's topic in NP

    Sounds about right.