NPAlby

Where do you work? Sounds like a regular day in Phoenix Psych.

Lovemyplants, I'm a PsychNP but work at a crisis stabilization unit. We have a 16bed inpt unit along with our intake area. Just wonder what kind of unit you work on (geri, adult, dual diagnosis) and how do you like it. I havent done inpt as an NP and think it would be fun (maybe not the right word) to go back as that was my RN experience. i actually like the set up here, Im just not crazy about the company.

Can you pm the company's name? I get phone calls daily from one company but then when I told them the pay rate I was looking for (locum tenens) they hung up on me! Just wondering.

Madglee, Where exactly do you work? PM if you can. Wouldnt mind moving if I could make numbers like that only working 40hrs/week.

Contractor here. Looks like Im going to make 225k by the end of the year. Of course I work like a mad woman but I have no kids and will probably slow it down. Looking for a raise so hopefully wont be doing 56hr/week like Im doing now. And yes I take vacations. I've been taking about a week off every month for the past 6mos. I try to make up the lost time but not all of it. Phoenix, AZ

Agree with the above posters. I think I had a week or so of orientation but that was just because it took a while to get me credentialed for their insurers, mental health system. My second job was more like here's the office and theres the bathroom. I was the only prescriber on site so just had to roll with it. I cant imagine asking for a minimum of 4weeks for orientation. sounds painful!

Less stressed as NP. I do have to worry about getting sued and negative outcomes. Still I feel like I have more control of my career and day to day work and therefore less overall stress.

Yikes! Talk about hostile work environment. Where do you work that you have 30 NP's? Just curious.

Hey, it's my honest answer. Maybe if I came from a more wealthy, more educated family I would have gone to med school . As it was I knew I had to pay my own way through school and life. I think my patients appreciate my candor and honesty. Most of them are homeless and do not come from healthy family environments. I usually get a chuckle and a "oh really? wow!"

"It's my straight cred" oops "street"

Oh wow! That is odd. Maybe she didnt have much RN time prior to her NP? Don't know but something's up because I think most of us are proud of our nursing experience. It's my straight cred.

When patients ask, I answer with "I had to work for a living." Kind of like when enlisted personnel are referred to as "sir" and they say "Im not an officer I work for a living!"

I still consider myself a nurse. I think I use "when I worked inpt" or "bedside" to differentiate the two roles. Now granted I wouldnt wanted to go back to RN bedside nursing but I am proud of my RN time and experiences. I wonder if that person from the original post was a new NP and maybe associated being an NP as a more glamorous role. Believe me I do NOT hear Sheila Easton singing the Glamorous LIfe in the background when I'm at work.

Moved 3k miles away from all I know as well. From NY to AZ and love it! I had always planned on moving out to AZ. Not because I knew anyone or anything about AZ but just because I knew it was warmer and the pay was better. It was a pain in the buttocks with licensing and all the things you need to get credentialed for (magellan, medicaid system in az) but has been very worth it. i actually moved out by myself and did the long distance thing for about year with my long time BF. It worked for us. No children so that does make things easier. It was my first NP job out of school and so I did feel like fish out of water regarding the mental hygiene laws in AZ. I am in Psych so hopefully you wont have such hard of a time as an FNP. I dont regret it at all.

I'm a PsychNP and completely agree with what you are talking about. I also realize that this may not be the case with non-psych NP's. Part of being a PsychNP is med mgt but the bigger part is gathering accurate, truthful information. There's no blood work or xray we can take when a pt is trying to score some adderall, valium etc from you. Nor is there a scan or other test we can do when someone is BIB family for psychotic behavior but they (the pt) are desperately trying to hold on to their sanity and are denying all.

School wasnt too difficult. Juggling working full time and going part time was the hard part. I would suggest you go up on the psych inpt unit and get some time there. Sometimes pt's can present as "manic" in the ER but they are on spice, bath salts, meth, or have a UTI, thyroid disorder. Sounds like you are being very thoughtful about your RN work experience and that will help you out in the future as an NP. I've heard of some taking easy RN gigs (where do these exist I have no clue) and getting no real clinical psych experience. I would say try to get as much different psych experiences as you can get before becoming an NP. I was a travel Psych RN and was lucky enough to work geri, forensic, adult, child and adolescent, dual diagnosis, Psych ER, state and private hosp along with level 1 medical centers. Nothing beats experience.

from the info you've given I would do the online or whatever is the fastest. Also if you havent already worked at a CPEP or Psych ER I would highly suggest getting a job in one of those. Thats where you learn to make quick diagnostic and med decisions. Good Luck!

I punch a clock and get paid hourly. I don't consider myself less professional. Actually the rumor has been that some NP would claim she was at work but would be gone from the office for hours. I make my own hours and work at my own pace. I'm a contractor and have no immediate supervisor to report to. When I did outpt I just claimed 40hrs on my time sheet because there were days I would leave early and worked through pretty much every lunch. Every place is a little different but in general I dont have anyone cracking a whip over me as NP.

I think the listing I applied for had a few weeks but with a definite close out date that was sooner than 1yr. Odd that they would keep the job open for that long hmmm

"you will be answering to a different pimp - keeping your billing numbers high and profitable for your practice." Ha! I love that! I know it1 Sometimes I liken my job to pole dancing.

You said you were a new nurse. Not to discount what you are feeling but it's pretty normal to feel ***** slapped the first year of nursing. Its not like school at all. Most of us doubted why we got into nursing and if we could truly handle it that first year. i know I did. It does get easier. As for being an NP it give you more options and more control, generally speaking. Yes you have to worry about getting sued and harming a patient because you missed something or prescribed the wrong thing. And yes the buck stops with you so you need to be ready to make the tough decisions. But like nursing you get the hang of it and it becomes easier in time. I would check out NP jobs in your area or the area you would want to live in when you are done with school. NP practice, pay and job prospects vary from state to state. So before you make that investment see whats out there and see if its something you would like to do. Sorry cant give you a more black and white answer of lawsuits, lowest stress, lowest liability. For myself I know my first year as an RN was a lot tougher than the first year as an NP. Yes I worried as a new NP but I had no where near the self doubt that I did as a RN. I think its because of my RN experience that I felt more comfortable.

How dramatically? I wanted to get in on a federal position but the VA pay was so low I couldnt justify it to my bank acct.

I inherited a benzo pt oy vay! The NP before me had written explicit notes not to prescribe benzos, sedatives etc. Of course in the middle that NP and me starting at the clinic this patient go to meet Dr HappySunshineCantsaynotoanyone. And then I had to wean her off the ativan after she repeatedly has suicide attempts and self injury presentations at the ER. Eventually I had enough ammo (suicide attempt via od on pills) to say nope nothing not even a weeks supply of benzos will you get from me. She fired me and went back to Dr HappySunshineetc. Not sure what was the cause of her death but she did die a few mos later after transferring her care. Not blaming the doc at all and again not sure of cause of death (she was young, healthy). Just saying protect yourself. You do not want to be involved in a mortatlity case review.

I just reread your post... your husband wont have to worry about student loans?????!!!!! Then money is not a worry for you guys. Do whatever you want.

Im a PsychNP here in AZ so not sure how much you would make outside of the psych world BUT I can tell you this I make a heck of a lot more than an RN. (except for the VA which is another post). You have more flexibility as an NP with regards to scheduling. I am a bit insane and choose to work x3 16hr shifts and x1 8hr. What can I say I like my money. But I do know of a lot of part time jobs at urgent care clinics,hospitals etc. You do not have to work Mon-Fri 8hr days. Plus I dont work holidays AT ALL. I had no idea what a PsychNP did before I started my program was not even sure if I wanted to be one. I was so happy by the time I was done with school. After 7 RN years I was done being a bedside nurse. You are so young you can take a year or so off. See if you really want to be an NP. Once you start planning kids though things get trickier. I have no children so I have no idea how some of my classmates juggled school, work, kids. Working full time and going to school part time was enough for me. Good Luck!