Psychiatric NP

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Hi everyone,

I've searched this site high and low and found some posts on psychiatric NPs but nothing recent. I'm just wondering if psych NPs have a high level of job satisfaction and what are the hours typically like? Do you get to incorporate therapeutic communication a lot in your practice? Also, if anyone has attended Vanderbilts program.. did you enjoy it? did you feel they adequately prepared you for practice.. such as for prescribing meds?

Any info would be much appreciated.

Thank you

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Specializes in Hospital medicine; NP precepting; staff education.

High and low? Have you heard of Jules?

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No I haven't

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I'm a psych NP. I love what I do. I hate the politics of nonprofits. I work M-F 8-5 with no call.

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@the old guy

thanks for your response! how do the politics of non profits affect your job? (satisfaction, stress levels, etc).

also, i love psychology and caring for mental

health patients. however, the idea of prescribing psych medications is overwhelming (although i am up for the challenge, i don't take the role of a prescriber lightly). did the program you attend adequately prepare you?

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@the old guy

thanks for your response! how do the politics of non profits affect your job? (satisfaction, stress levels, etc).

also, i love psychology and caring for mental

health patients. however, the idea of prescribing psych medications is overwhelming (although i am up for the challenge, i don't take the role of a prescriber lightly). did the program you attend adequately prepare you?

How do the politics affect me? Ever hear the phrase "the tail wagging the dog"?

I felt the program I attended prepared me extremely well.

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Specializes in Hospital medicine; NP precepting; staff education.

Jules A is a member here from whom you could get answers . Search her posts.

Good luck.

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Specializes in psych/medical-surgical.

I had a lot of the same questions and searched the forums as well. What hepled me the most is actually finding one in person and seeing what they do answered a lot of my questions.

The answers to the questions depend a lot on where/who you work/for. When you get to the provider level, you negotiate a contract which stipluates hours, call, days, etc. if you're in a private practice. If you work for the goverment/nonprofit you are usually salaried in which case hours/call are more fixed. Most places I think you will find there are some politics which you must endure. We all dream of a place without politics! I think satisfaction is tied to doing what you enjoy and feeling like you have adequate support and good leadership.

I know a civilian PMHNP that works in a mental health clinic for the USArmy. She works 7-4 Mon-Fri. Has 30-45 min patient time slots and sees each person 1 at a time. Talk therapy is part of what she does but she focuses on medication management and is primarily used for that purpose (when pt needs med adjust).

I know people that went to Vanderbuilt. It has a good reputation, but the tuition is insane IMO. I had about 40k (One yr of tuition at Vandy) left in loans once I left my University and am just as much of a nurse as the next one that went to Vandy. I don't think you should go unless money is not an object. The institution doesn't make you educated - you make you educated.

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Specializes in DHSc, PA-C.

I did outpatient psych for 1.5 years in a private practice. I worked 9-6pm M-TH with an hour lunch. No weekends, holidays, or call. I did have to check emails Fri-Sun as the clinic was still open Friday and Saturday. So, I needed to respond to any patient/staff questions. When I started I had 2 patients per hour and then quickly went to 22 patients per day. I would see 3 per hour except only 2 the hour before lunch and leaving. Learning the meds was not as bad as I thought it would be. I don't recall the book name, but I had this excellent book that gave thorough information about meds and augmenting therapies and alternatives. The practice employed therapists. So, I did little psychotherapy and focused on med management. However, if a patient came in emotional or with a problem then I had to address it a little without stepping on the toes of their therapist.

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@adammRN,

Thank you for responding! I appreciate your feedback. I suppose I should seek someone out and shadow them to really get an idea of the job. Are you currently working as a psych NP or are you in school?

@DizzyJon,

Thanks for your response! Private practice is something I would be interested in so your perspective is appreciated. What did you like most about that position? Did you feel burnt out ever? Why did you decide to leave and what do you do now?

Also, if you happen to find the name of the book I would greatly appreciate it.

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Specializes in psych/medical-surgical.

Well, ever since I started an interest in NP route, I've been keeping my eye out for whenever I run into one to pick their brain or pay close attention to what they are doing. I've run into a handful of NPs now so I have a clear idea of what they do. I'm going to apply to schools at the end of the year as soon as I separate from the military at the end of this year.

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Specializes in Consultation Liaison Psychiatry.

I love my position as an NP on our Psychiatry Consultation Liaison service. I work in an academic medical center which has an inpatient med-gero-psych unit, and Acute psychiatric Unit (ED) and an active CL service. I work midnight to 0800, Sun-Wed, no weekends, holiday or call. I see whomever is most emergent and that may be on the inpatient unit, in the ED, or on the consult service.

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