PSYCH ARNP

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  1. Is it easier to get into ARNP school if you are younger

    • 6
      Yes
    • 7
      No, 60 is the new 50
    • 4
      Just hire a personal trainer
    • 3
      Go blonde

20 members have participated

Specializes in Orthopedics and Neurology.

I am close to making a decision about applying for the psych ARNP. I have a friend who says that younger students are better candidates. I don't agree.

Any thoughts on this topic?

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Specializes in Mental Health.

I think psychiatry has evolved quite a lot in the past few decades and old school psych rns may see things differently than newer psych nurses, but it really is dependent upon the individual, age is just a number ; )

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I just finished school for Pmhnp and I am 42. I don't see where age comes into play at all

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Specializes in Orthopedics and Neurology.

You are a kid-I am talking applying at 59.

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Specializes in psychiatric.

49 going on 50 in a few weeks, started PMHNP in the summer, will be done in 2 years if it doesn't kill me first lol.

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Age is not an issues at all. There are so many schools now. If one do not accept you, you can just go on to the next.. Age is not a factor at all!!

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Thank you so much for this thread, it is encouraging. I am 35, just starting RN to BSN next month. I plan on going on for PMHNP. I don't feel quite so foolish anymore!

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Specializes in psychiatric.

oh, to see 35 again! You are the perfect age, mature but young :)

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It's a great plan, you can graduate quickly without too much debt and triple your earnings as an NP, once you have experience and if you're able to travel you can make really good money.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

The best candidate is one with actual psych experience!

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I think completion rate may be a better focus. Getting in is always easier than getting through!

(Some things are federally monitored, and so schools that are not especially fair-minded may be ultra-careful in those observed areas, and less so where they are not. Graduation rates overall are monitored, and the demographic breakdown of admissions; I have no idea if the demographics of graduation rates at all types of degree-granting institutions are monitored at all academic degree levels and published by governmental authorities for those same demographics. It doesn't help me to know that a brick-and-mortar school X admits a proper ethnic mix of undergrads, when I am looking at an online graduate program completion rate in a very specific program. Would love to hear from those who do know.)

Do older students get the same support as traditional ones? In schools, especially online aschools, where volume is the money maker for the school, are they graduating at the same rates? I have seen many happy posts by older ones who felt supported and well-treated and are SO glad they went back.

But I've also seen posts on other sites about instructors seeming ultra-sensitive to any seeming challenge from an older student, or any sense that the student feels s/he already knows anything. I am referring to all levels and types of schools about that particular complaint. (One such site is named something like "rn reality" or "reality nurse". Those are the disappointed ones, yes--but the stories do remind me of things I have actually seen myself from LPN vocational school to on the job with new RNs, etc.)

I've seen posts about older students being challenged to do more in some ways to see if they have the stamina to keep up, or are presumed to be out-dated dinosaurs in regards to technology, especially if they are not working in acute care when they apply--in school and on the job as a recent grad. Humility is already emphasized in any medical training, but I can see where an instructor or school might be tempted to challenge the humility of, say, a DNS at a hospital pursuing her mid-careerMSN or doctoral degree than a 24 yo nearly-new med-surg nurse working on the same one. And it would be normal for that younger nurse to blatantly hero-worship (rather than just admire and respect) a shining role-model instructor--and who doesn't love being the object of hero-worship?

So I think that in general older nurses seem welcome and are well-treated and glad they went back--but it's not always a level playing field and not every school lives up to its advertising. (For that matter, how many schools have older nurses on their "welcome, prospective students!" page, as students?)

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