umbdude MSN, NP

umbdude has 3 years experience as a MSN, NP and specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

umbdude's Latest Activity

1. 

   Your Interview Experience

   umbdude replied to 3UNC's topic in NP

   My interviews were done via video meeting due to covid. For my first job interview I met with the recruiter, then cmo, then supervising physician, and finally two founders/executives (4 separate interviews). Another job interview included a couple of NPs, director of mental health, a physician, and a couple other staff within the team (2 interviews with multiple people).
2. 

   Getting a Psych Nurse Job After Graduation

   umbdude replied to BSNstudent44's topic in Psychiatric

   That won't be for long since everyone and their grandmother's cats are getting their PMHNP from 100% online programs.
3. 

   Getting a Psych Nurse Job After Graduation

   umbdude replied to BSNstudent44's topic in Psychiatric

   I was also a psych tech for ~2 years while I was in school for my BSN. It was easy to get a psych nursing job. I landed an inpatient job within a month after I passed NCLEX. But I agree with BeenThere...be very careful about the hospital you choose to work. Ask about orientation, staffing ratios, and whether there's security. There are some very unsafe psych hospitals out there.
4. 

   PMHNP Residency programs

   umbdude replied to PsychRN_CA's topic in Advanced

   Do a more thorough Google search. There are a number of residencies or fellowships out there that aren't well known, though the number is still small. There's one that's affiliated with Rush University. Your PMHNP program director should be notifying you about these as well.
5. 

   Are PMHNP allowed to prescribe outside of their specialty like BP meds or antibiotics?

   umbdude replied to The0Walrus's topic in NP

   I'm not entirely sure. Each school is different. If you already have a PMHNP, it'll probably take at least 1 to 2 years.
6. 

   Are PMHNP allowed to prescribe outside of their specialty like BP meds or antibiotics?

   umbdude replied to The0Walrus's topic in NP

   Can they? Yes. Should they? Absolutely not. If a psych NP writes a prescription for an antibiotic, it'll be filled. If something happens and the NP gets sued, she/he will almost certainly lose because they're prescribing outside of scope. Nothing in the PMHNP curriculum adequately prepares us to diagnose/treat infectious diseases or other chronic medical conditions. It is within scope to prescribe BP meds or few other ones as long as the NP is doing so within the context of treating psych. Most psych providers simply refer patients to primary care. If you, for whatever reason, want to do both, you should consider adding an FNP or AGPCNP cert.
7. 

   Importance of NP Program Reputation, Name Recognition

   umbdude replied to adventure_rn's topic in NP

   I think a reputable program will at least help get your foot in the door for interviews especially as a a new grad and for residencies/fellowships (or if your specialty is competitive). Is there a huge difference between an ivy-league (or any top 10 nursing school) and any reputable program? Probably not. Once you have the experience it will matter even less. That said, because it is going to be your NP degree and your education experience, what matters most is how you feel about it. If you love Penn's curriculum, and everything else makes sense for you, then go for it. I agree that financial aid is more generous at reputable private programs. My program has a pretty large endowment and I got some random scholarships without even applying (though my GPA is high).
8. 

   FNP MSN vs DNP school help

   umbdude replied to stephadler82's topic in NP Students

   UCI costs $50k more, but you will have your DNP completely done in 3 years. If you get a MSN now and go back to get your DNP later, it'll be another 2-3 years. Most Post-MSN DNP degrees from reputable programs cost $60k or more. Take a careful look at the curriculum. Often a highly-reputable DNP programs will provide more clinical hours at better medical facilities. It looks like UCI will offer 1,000+ hours and probably has great connections to medical facilities in the area. Sounds like you have some great choices and a lot to think about. CONGRATS and good luck with your decision!
9. 

   NP

   umbdude replied to girlwithnoname's topic in NP

   Thanks Verene. I'm with you on all that and I appreciate your help. I've just graduated and passed my board within the last month so I'm still trying to find something in my area first. I have a couple of possibilities so hopefully one of them will pan out. Do you do any outpatient clinic work? If you do maybe I can PM you with some questions. My plan was originally do FT or PT outpatient and pick up a PRN at a correctional facility. That facility approached me a month before I graduated and they told me to reach out to them when I pass board. Unfortunately, by the time I did, the jobs were gone (all within 4 weeks).
10. 

    last year of FNP school but want PMHNP

    umbdude replied to jensfbay's topic in NP

    You're welcome. Good luck!
11. 

    last year of FNP school but want PMHNP

    umbdude replied to jensfbay's topic in NP

    It really varies and depends on where you live. Developmental disabilities is a narrow sub-specialty in psych. Most of what PMHNPs deal with are mood disorders, anxiety, psychotic disorders, substance use, personality d/o, and most commonly a combination of all the above. If you live in an area that has a huge shortage, it really won't matter and you'll get a job. Having experience just gives you a bit more opportunities that's all. Also, it does help when you become a new-grad working with complex psych patients.
12. 

    last year of FNP school but want PMHNP

    umbdude replied to jensfbay's topic in NP

    If you have nothing psych related on your resume, get some. Even though PMHNP is in demand, having experience will expand your opportunities. In my neck of the wood, many employers won't consider people with no psych experience because a majority of the PMHNPs (even Direct-Entry students) have considerable experience working with this population.
13. 

    Walden U PMHNP

    umbdude replied to hannahbe's topic in NP Students

    Depends. Large research facilities probably won't take Walden grads. Also, it's unlikely Walden grads can find work in my area, which is a competitive job market for PMHNPs and we have a number of strong PMHNP programs in town. But if all you want is a job and your area has a shortage, you should be fine for now. Nobody knows what the PMHNP job market will be like in the next 5-10 years, but I would not be surprised if it becomes more competitive.
14. 

    Alphabet Soup of a Title

    umbdude replied to jfmDNP's topic in Advanced

    This is one of those "culture shock" for me when I switched career from finance to nursing. In finance, it is considered silly to put your degrees behind your name unless it's a PhD. Nobody ever puts "MBA, MS, BS" after the name (these degrees are dime a dozen). People do put certain certifications behind their names but only if they are considered prestigious (difficult to obtain with low pass rates).
15. 

    FNP Hopeful

    umbdude replied to Bdab's topic in NP Students

    Just took a quick look at Purdue...the admission criteria states that: "A minimum undergraduate nursing cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.0 on a four-point scale or equivalent "B" average. Note: Applicants not meeting this criterion may be considered for conditional enrollment status." You might meet the criteria since they're looking for your undergrad nursing GPA (your ASN). If I were you, I would reach out to them in person (by email or phone) and explain your situation. Talk to the people in charge (program director), not just admissions. Normally I would suggest people with low GPA take extra courses. But since your ASN-BSN GPA is pretty high, I would avoid it if possible. I experienced something similar. I had a sub-3.0 GPA 20 years ago (partied a lot). But since then I took a number of courses (and got "A's") and never had any problem getting into competitive programs since. It takes more work, but it can be done. I'd much rather do that than apply to a crappy program that takes anyone with a pulse. Good luck.
16. 

    No Jobs For New Grads Despite RN Time?!

    umbdude replied to kdawnz's topic in NP

    The only published stat I know are the HRSA projections. A less-quantitative method is to look at job openings in your area. If you're seeing an overwhelming number of jobs requiring at least 2+ years of NP experience, that tells me that it's probably a competitive job market. If you are a new grad (and a reasonably strong applicant) and applied to 50+ jobs in your area, including jobs that require 1-2 years of NP experience, and you're not getting any response, it's likely that the supply of NP > job openings. I don't think anyone is saying that the job market is saturated everywhere. It's highly dependent on where you live. My area is very tough for new grads (primary care NPs) and that's not a secret. We have perhaps ~10 NP programs in the area (not including online NP programs). If you have no experience and cannot move, it'll be incredibly difficult. But if you can move to rural areas in another state, your chances will be much better. Being able to move across the country and be highly flexible are the keys.