Published Jun 18, 2008
Astock
10 Posts
i have a couple questions about np. i am a nursing student, senior, in abilene, tx. i have a interest in psychiatric nursing, and i have deep desire to become a psychiatric np. i love the idea of having the ability to diagnosis, prescribe, and give psychosocial therapy in the psychiatric field, while having my rn background. i believe i can treat the whole person in a better way, than just to look at the patient from a psychiatric view alone.
my current plan is to work on a gen-med surg floor for about 3-5 years after nursing school to get just core nursing experience. after that i want to transfer to psychiatric floor/hospital to work in the field for 1-2 years before beginning my np education for the field. my girlfriend and i will be getting married june 6, 2009, and more than likely moving to charlotte,nc, which has great art community of clay for her . the state college there has a np program there in adult, and family. they also have a psychiatric/mental health clinical specialist. i know they have psychiatric np programs out there, but they are not as common as adult/family. so i have a couple of questions
1)is my overall plan before entering into np college, a good plan to gain enough experience, or would i need more experience/less?
2)is there a clinical difference in a np and a clinical specialist? i have read up on them, and i think the only difference is the ability to prescribe.
3)i have always read that i can get certification for psychiatric field as an adult/family np. would this allow me to practice in field doing psychosocial therapy, and prescribe?
-anthony