Daddie O

Fullglass, I believe we have disagreed before on the helpfulness of psych nursing experience in being a psych NP. While I would like to defer to your expertise as a provider, as a PMHNP student, I can tell you that my 6 years of acute psych nursing have been an invaluable resource for myself and my cohort. I have seen how many different mental health disorders present. I have gained practical knowledge about psychotropic medications, typical dosages, and their effects on patients. I have developed therapeutic communication skills and interviewing skills that have been immensely helpful in my clinical rotations. Are there others in my cohort with no psych nursing experience who are doing well and will be great providers in the future? Of course! I would say that every single nurse in my cohort has expressed gratitude for sharing my experiences as a psychiatric RN. I also agree with others that one's opinion of psych nursing should not be based solely on a single clinical site experience. Everything can be a learning opportunity, and you have learned about a place that is doing things the wrong way. As a mental health nursing clinical instructor, I have taken students to sites that were just as you described, RNs not interacting with patients. The acute hospital I work for is entirely different from your experience. I am fortunate to be in CA, and I rarely have more than 5 patients at a time, so I have plenty of time for patient interaction and care. My advice would be to graduate, find a job at a reputable psychiatric facility, gain a couple of years of experience, and then attend a high-quality PMHNP program (not a diploma mill) that offers clinical placements. Best of luck, and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!

I disagree with the above response, suggesting that working as an RN is not necessary or beneficial. The experience you gain working as a psych RN is invaluable. Seeing how different mental health issues present, recognizing comorbidities, learning and honing therapeutic communication techniques, and becoming familiar with psychotropic medications will all help you in your future PMHNP education and practice. I also disagree with the advice to go to FNP first. The pay differential between FNP and PMHNP is vast. In California, FNPs get paid less than acute bedside nurses fresh out of BSN school. In a PMHNP program, you will learn advanced health assessment and pharmacology before moving on to psych-specific assessments and pharmacology. Whether FNP or PMHNP, job opportunities abound. PMHNPs get paid nearly double what a FNP gets paid. Psychiatrists get paid more than general family practitioners as well. As a PMHNP, you will be headhunted.

I have been accepted! I start January 8th. Wish me luck!

I have not attended Walden, but I have a few coworkers that have and I asked them about their experiences. They both felt that Walden did not do a good job of preparing them to be PMHNPs. They stated that they had to do everything on their own. They were given a bunch of textbooks to read and papers to write without much interaction with fellow students or professors. If they had questions they would maybe hear back via email in a week, which was sometimes after a paper was due. Walden does not set you up with your clinicals, that is also left to you and can be a challenge to find. Based on both reputation and anecdotal feedback from people I know well, I chose to not apply to Walden even though I get a discount due to a partnership with my employer.

1.) Where did you apply and for which cohort? Yale Spring 2024 2.) Preference of school and is it online or in person? Yale, online with on-campus immersions 3.) Personal background/stats (GPA, GRE, experience) Undergraduate BSN-RN with 3.75 GPA. 5 years experience as a psych nurse in acute care. Charge Nurse and sometimes House Supervisor. Clinical Nursing Instructor for a California State University 4.) Have you interviewed or scheduled an interview? Submitted essays, resume, and three letters of recommendation 5.) Acceptance? Playing the excruciating waiting game. Hoping to get accepted in the next couple of weeks!

In California the law states patient nurse ratio on a psych unit is no more than 6:1

I'm a guy and I passed in 75 questions.

I went to a very competitive nursing school. Everyone accepted to the program was a straight A student before the program. Pretty much no one was by the end. It was hard at first to accept you won't get an A in everything, but not having a 4.0 when you graduate will not prevent you from being an excellent nurse. Keep your head up, and keep plugging away. You'll get there!

If you passed then it should be posted on CA breeze already

I bet your licence posts about 11:45 pm tonight.

Part of the problem is our education system. It rewards memorization skills instead of critical thinking skills. Obviously both skills are necessary, especially in the nursing profession. Instead of being able to memorize a correct answer you are possibly faced with a question where every answer is correct, but which is the most correct? One good thing to keep in mind when taking a HESI or NCLEX is safety. If you could only choose one answer, which would you do if you were not able to choose any other answer? Which response would keep them alive? In nursing you will continually encounter situations you did not study or were unable to memorize, and that is where critical thinking comes into play.

Hi everybody! I recently graduated nursing school with honors while earning my BSN. I was actively involved in student government, and continue to volunteer. Since graduating I've earned my ACLS, PALS, and NIHSS certifications. I went on my first job interview and was offered the position within the hour! I will be working on a Neuro Tele unit at a Joint Commission certified Primary Stroke Center. I am really excited! There is so much for me to learn! I start orientation in less than a month, and I am seeking advice as to what I can do to prepare for the challenge of working on a busy Neuro Tele unit? I know there will be a steep learning curve, and this position is going to be challenging. Are there any resources such as apps or reading materials you would recommend? As long as the culture on the unit is one where I will supported when asking questions and seeking help as I work towards independence I think I'll be fine. I will be working the night shift (three 12's), and so I am also looking for advice on how best to transition to working that schedule. Thanks in advance for any helpful tips or advice!

I'm shocked at the "slip medication into his food" when the patient is non-compliant. This not only violates the ethical principle of autonomy, but I believe it constitutes battery.

There is a lot of bacteria in the mouth, and if you don't do oral suction first you may introduce bacteria into the respiratory tract.

Congrats! You should add RN to your name now :) I'm waiting for the ATT from the BRN and then I'll schedule my test.