One4All

Whoo hoo, go girl! I am 55 and just finishing my PMHNP program. Learning is for a lifetime.

Hi Joe, I will be completing my PMHNP coursework and graduating in May. I am changing my scope of practice as a Public Health CNS for ten years. The last three years while going to school I have been working in a psychiatric inpatient unit in a hospital. I also work in the Crisis Unit in our ED. Both have been great experiences I never had in my previous 20 years of nursing. It has also reinforced my interest in my chosen plan. Gaining some experience in a direct care setting may also help you to see if you would like it. If you were to get your CNA (certified nurse assistant) while going to school, you could get hired as an entry level Behavioral Health Tech in a psychiatric inpatient setting. It has to be more about fulfillment rather than money or you may not be happy. Best wishes as you pursue your plan.

Don't lose hope...your passion will lead you to where you want to be. Thank you for contributing to the updates on the status of the Advanced Public Health Nurse discussion. I was a little disappointed when my degree and PHCNS-BC credential retired one year after I received it. Although I have been able to maintain my APRN, PHCNS for 10 years through continuing education, certification and license renewals, I wish my school could have transitioned to the Public Health Nurse Practitioner a little sooner. If I had known the change was coming, I would have stayed and transitioned to the new program. Your education and experience are what you make of it. My MSN and PHCNS-BC credential still helped me to get great experience in a federally qualified health center (FQHC) in a public health department for seven years. It also lead to increase knowledge and experience in the integration of Primary Care and Behavioral Health. I will graduate and take boards to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in May. Best wishes to you in your endeavors!

I just saw your post and interest in community health. There are some variations depending on the degree. There are some community health degrees that focus on all nonclinical roles such as health education and promotion, assessment, etc. They are not always nursing focused however. When my graduate college ended their ACHN program, it transitioned into the Advanced Practice Public Health Nurse Practitioner program. This competencies of this curriculum integrate population health and individual health into an NP direct care role. I think this curriculum would have been the best way to go for me years ago if it had been available...but times and experiences change over time. It was my 15 years in public health safety net clinics and an FQHC that lead to me returning for additional training and specialization in the psychiatric NP arena.

Good question. You are correct that an RN with an MPH is NOT an APRN. To be an APRN you must have an appropriate board examination in Advanced Practice Nursing and be recognized by your state board of nursing practice act to be licensed as such. The practice role of a PHCNS depends on the setting, state board of nursing and APN Practice Act. I am licensed in my state as a CNS, APRN, with prescriptive authority. I am also a licensed RN. I think if you put out a survey to the few PHCNS that probably still exist, there might be a surprising mix of clinical and non-clinical roles with this credential.

Absolutely! The practice of medicine is a collaborative effort between Physicians, Advance Practice Nurses, and Physician Assistants. Some would even include the integration of Behavioral Health Clinicians as part of the medical team.

Check out my other more lengthy posting about my transition from PHCNS to PMHNP...

Hi PF, It is good to know there are others out there passionate about public health. Since my original posting, there have been considerable changes in advance practice nursing related to the PHCNS. See my more lengthy posting about this these changes. I am wondering if I will continue to maintain my PHCNS certification with a new scope a practice nearly completed as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Hang in there and keep up the passion!

Good question...sorry for delay in answering. Thanks to colleague below for discussion lead. I took the ANCC specialty exam to become an ANCC board certified Clinical Nurse Specialist in 2008 after completing my Advanced Community Health Nursing degree (MSN). This allowed me to become licensed as an Advanced Practice Nurse (CNS) in my state. Unfortunately this national board exam no longer exists. I am able to maintain my certification and licensure as long as I continue to obtain scope related continuing education and renew my certification in a timely manner. The certification can now be at a bachelor or Master level but you are not able to become an advanced practice nurse anymore. My ACHN graduate degree is less common now due to changes in advance practice nursing and the public health transitional focus to the MPH generalist degree. Anyone can earn an MPH degree. As a nurse, my public health scope was always as a public health nurse which is why I did not choose an MPH. The last two years I have been receiving additional training to transition to the scope of Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I will graduate in May and take a new board exam for PMHNP which will involve a change in my Advanced Practice Nursing licensure. I will always have a passion for public health. I have just found a much needed specialty of practice where I can still apply population based health and work with an individual focused direct care context.

"What lies before us and what lies behind us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hello bloggers, You probably thought I died or something....no, just some life changing experiences! Thank you for the continued interest in APRNs. I am a PHCNS because I took the national certification exam and became licensed in my state as an APRN. My work has been public health clinic management and all that goes along with it....staffing, recruiting, training, protocols, patient education and case management, QA/QI, risk management, PCMH etc. After many years in PH I am moving to a new field----Psychiatric Nursing---as I work toward my PMHNP. I look forward to joining some new groups of currently practicing Psych RNs, CNSs, and NPs. For anyone interested in PHCNS - they were removed as part of the changes with scope and practice. Any nurse can now take an Advanced Public Health Nurse certification, but a masters degree is not required and you can no longer become an APN in your state with it. Those of us who still exist under the old system are still APRNs as long as we maintain licensure requirements for our state. I wish the best to you all on your nursing journeys!

What type of roles do you have? Administrative, educator, or clinician? Thanks for sharing, there doesn't seem to be too many of us around. :)