Carlyjo

I have applied for the FNP/DNP at the University of South Alabama. I am currently a PMHNP and went to UNC. I have a fellow PMHNP co-worker who graduated from the University of South Alabama. She is an excellent NP, recently graduated a few years back. I have researched this school and will answer what I can: The course is an mostly online format, with face time between students and professors to promote class discussions. A few campus visits are required as well. They base their admissions on first GPA and then nursing experience. They are very selective in their admissions. She said the program is very challenging, hence all of the bad reviews. Mostly people go out of their way to post negative comments when not successful. Their tuition is a bit lower because they are a public university and prices vary state to state. The University of South Alabama has a large university hospital and an associated medical school. My co-worker said she did not have any problems during her program. If you have a hard time finding preceptors, they will provide them but you must go to Alabama (I already asked this question). Good Luck on what you decide!

The South, except Mississippi, Alabama, and parts of TN (Memphis, Nashville) is terrible for PsychNP. This is horrible but true. FNP makes the same or more than Psych NP in most of the South. Derm is the best field, hands down. That is the area I am interested in and plan to return for my FNP to do derm. I have also decided that I will not accept another job as a Psych NP for less than six figures. As a new grad, I was scared to negotiate fully since new grad NPs have a difficult time in my area finding a job period. The next place I accept employment will be for six figures or I will not accept. I'll just stay right where I am. I believe if all Psych NPs do this in the South, wages will increase for experienced Psych NPs.

Yes, I believe we have all seen posts of those wishing to become NPs that are CNAs or from another field. People are allowed to have dreams and try to fulfill them. This is the land of opportunity. I don’t appreciate your jab at single mothers. I was a single mother when I went from CNA to RN. I had many nurses that I worked with jeer and say hurtful things about how I would not handle it, etc. Well, I did handle it. I graduated, got married, and finished as a NP. You should see the face of those nurses on the med-surge floor who jabbed me all those years ago. It is priceless. I don’t know if I could have become an NP as a single mother, let alone go from CNA to NP as a single mother. Any woman who does this has the hand of God upon her. I wouldn’t jeer or mock something God has molded, he will strike you. It may not be today or tomorrow, but you will repay. If you believe in a higher power.

I don’t think it will be long before most programs go to online with the exception of a few campus visits. Some backward professors are stalling this transition (at least in my program).The programs some of you graduated from that are hybrid will be online before long as well. The professors holding back may be looking for another job. Definitely looking into distance learning for my FNP.

I have noticed that the people on here that dog other NP programs are not NPs. The few NPs that do have nasty remarks about other NP programs are generally very insecure. Making fun of a colleague is tacky, period. There is a special place somewhere for people that keep others from putting food in their mouth. Karma is very real. What you say about someone else today is likely what you will be living in the future. Just a thought.

I don’t exactly agree with this. Two of the top graduate schools for PMHNP now deliver a completely online format. Rush and Vanderbilt are in this format…not synchronous, either. Actually, Rush and Vanderbilt are ranked in the top 5. I know my co-worker “knows her stuff”. Some people may not be as affluent as you are, having kids and the like that they want to spend time with. Going back to school requires sacrifice and money. I went to an ADN for my RN, a for profit for my RN-BSN, and a hybrid program for my MSN. None of the three were easy. I doubt Rush and Vanderbilt are either. For profits are not currently offering the PMHNP track online.

I think that restricting NPs from signing disability forms is very serious. If an NP is in independent practice, they cannot sign for a patient that is in need of disability. The patient (or the NP) has to arrange for the patient to be seen by an MD. I can see this issue causing problems in independent practice, big time. Word of mouth in the community is how an NP builds up his/her practice, and if a patient tells others “she cannot even sign my such and such form, she is not a doctor” this could hurt the NPs business.

One has to consider cost of living related to salary. I do not live near the cost, so cost of living is reasonable in my area. Cost of living on the west coast and other parts of the country are outrageous. 110k salary estimates may not reflect cost of living. 80k may equal 110k after taxes and differences in cost of living. If you are tied to a specific area and have no plans to move, defiantly go FNP verses PMHNP.

I live in SC, went to the UNC for my PMHNP. Our class completed a large portion of the program in the hybrid format. I would look into other schools that offer PMHNP. Be sure the school you choose has an associated medical school/hospital. I have a co-worker that went to the University of South Alabama, which also has a medical school/hospital. She said the program is very difficult, though. I had no problems with UNC, it is ranked 11th in graduate nursing education. Now for the bad part. Salary in this area is not as good as other parts of the country. If you can relocate after graduation, you will get the best salary. NC/SC salaries for PMHNP start out 70,000-80,000. There is a great deal of oversaturation in this area as well, with few jobs. If you can move after graduation, I would say go for PMHNP. If not, I would say choose FNP. I don't think any diploma mills are currently offering PMHNP. But with the false sense that going into this area will make one rich, I would not be surprised to see this NP track offered at diploma mills!

I completed the RN-BSN program at Chamberlain. I went to a community college for my ADN. I got into the MSN school of my choice. I do have complaints with Chamberlain but it prepared me well for graduate school. The cost of the program is very steep and if I had it to do over, I do not think I would choose Chamberlain. Others on this site seem to not have encountered the same problems. I do not have any complaints from my MSN program (I did not go to Chamberlain for my MSN). I think it all depends on what professor you are assigned in each class. My main complaint is from my evidenced based practice class and the community health class.

Megan, I have a co-worker that went to the University of South Alabama. The way she describes that program, it is much more rigorous than my hybrid program. I went to a public intuition, the University of South Alabama is also a public institution. Both have associated medical centers/programs. I wish I had looked into other public institutions that offer NP tracks online. I feel like I spent too much time driving back and forth to school that could have been used studying or spending time with my family.

There are many hybrid programs available. I think we need to make a distinction between online verses for-profit. Online does not necessarily mean for profit. Many public institutions offer NP tracks. This being said, I went to Chamberlain for my RN-BSN. Chamberlain was no cake walk, and it prepared me well for graduate school. Chamberlain has a B&M campus. It does not have an associated medical center. I would be very wary of going to a NP school that does not have a medical school. I am a PMHNP, and yes I went to very good program for my MSN. But to each his own.

I work outpatient full time. I think the worst part for the majority of NPs is that we are not paid hourly or per patient. If you can get hourly or a per patient rate, this controls more of what you earn. Most doctors work this way, and it is a shame that NPs do not. Unlike staff RNs, we get no overtime because we are salary. I had to sign a no compete contract which limits any work I might want to do on the side. I think many NPs have to sign some sort of no compete contract. As a staff RN PRN I could have stayed and worked all the hours I wanted, including overtime. When I was an RN in the hospital, the psychiatrists would come in, round, and then go to their private practice. I do not know any NPs that do this, the hospital either employs them fulltime (on salary) or they work outpatient (again, salary). Working either of these options entails 8-5 and some days 7-6 because you will see a great deal of time seeing patients and an outrageous amount of time dealing with insurance/Medicaid for medication authorizations, additional days for hospital stays, and paperwork. Again, I am not trying to discourage, because anybody that has a heart for psych will be an asset. Maybe your employer will be willing to pay a per patient rate/percentage and if they do I would say grab that chance. You will also be able to be a DON, which can in some places pay more than psych NP. If you live close to the VA. The VA has jobs and probably always will, although the compensation begins in the $70,000-$80,000 range, at least in my area. The VA has very good benefits.

Ella86rn, I did not mean to offend you. I also do not mean to be pessimistic, just honest. If you already have a job offer from your employer, this is excellent. If you have the heart for psych then you need to be a Psych NP. The main point I am trying to make is that overall in the South, PMHNPs are underpaid and jobs are not on every doorstep. Other areas of the country must be in need of psych providers. I know salary ranges for jobs with benefits in the overall Southeast region start around $80,000. Those with a great deal of psych NP experience may hit six figures, but coming out of school this is not realistic in the South. Inpatient may pay a little more because it involves on-call, JCAHO, being responsible for seclusion/restraint, etc. I love my job and what I do, but I do not like how limited I am. The OP wanted an honest answer from a PMHNP that has been in the job market. If you have the backing of a psychiatrist, opening your own practice could be an option. I think Arizona/New Mexico is where PMHNPs make the most. And I plan on getting my FNP for sure!

Actually, I went to The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The program is ranked 11th by Us News & World Report. They are mostly distance learning, so my classmates were spread throughout the South. Vanderbilt is “online” now, BTW. Vandy has a large class planned next year so there will be significant competition in your area. Vandy graduates are the cream of the crop. Sure hope you are going there or you have a good network, cause you’ll need it!