A polite request for psych nurse info - page 2

Before I ask my question to you who were so nice in your response quoted above...May I vent (not to this nice person I quoted, but to others)? Being a fairly new member on this site, I have often observed the response "that's been answered in earlier posts, check there..."- and when I see that, I then invest inordinate amounts of times looking who-knows-where and reading zillions of posts to find the same information that the original inquirer asked about, feeling self-conscious in case I too should ask something that may have been asked and answered in years past (as if new members have no right to ask questions afresh that might address things for other new members, without scrolling through and reading and learning everything from years past...). I have found it interesting that alot of time is spent in giving that answer when one could simply have politely answered the question (or not answered at all or skipped that thread entirely!), or provided the link if you readily knew where the answer might be found! Anyway, since i feel better now for a bit of venting, here is my question: I liked Psych in my BSN undergrad training, and am considering Psych nursing via an advanced credential (I have new BSN) but I am an older nurse (new to nursing, but making the change to nursing at mid-life) who has to support myself. Putting it out there plain and simple, and I hope you will all excuse me for being so blunt about my desire for the best possible income within this field: Does anybody know what is generally thought to be the highest earning advanced degree/certification (not including PhD) for nurses interested in Psych Nursing? Is it Psych Mental Health NP or would you recommend something else? I live in California, in case that helps, and probably will stay here till I retire. Thank you!

Greetings!
I think that one of the most difficult aspects of psychiatric nursing for many people who "don't like it" is the need to really "know" yourself. The components that go into knowing oneself could take hours to discuss, and it is (hopefully) a continuing process. I have been a psychiatric and mental health nurse for 23 years.I am one of those who knew from the start that psychiatric nursing was for me, therefore I did not do the "recommended" 1 year of med-surg. I don't believe I have "lost" my basic nursing skills, our patients have medical illness also (diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc). I have always worked in high risk psych (admission units, PICU ( no,not peds ICU....psychiatric intensive care unit), correctional health inpatient, stabilization unit and for the last 11 years on a mobile crisis team. Everytime I think I've seen everything.....
Just like other areas of nursing, psych is not something everyone is comfortable doing, or able to do. It is an intricate patient care situation, and one not readily learned. What we do is not in the ordinary psychomotor domain of nursing, and certainly lends to "the fear of the unknown". Observation and assessment of human behavior, communication techniques, "gut feelings", nonverbal interpretations, and ability to relate appropriately to others are necessary skills to succeed as a psych nurse. As a clinical instructor of psych in 2 ADN programs, I don't think enough time is spent experiencing this practice area. I believe that the skills required of nurses in behavioral health are skills that would enhance every nurse (communication, knowledge of self, etc). Many nurses in the other fields do have "psychiatric patients", it's just with us we know from the get go, the others tend to find out in time!! LOL
A great site for information about psychiatric nursing is American Psychiatric Nurses Association http://www.apna.org/faq/aboutnursing.html
Margie

Mia,
I HAVE THE SAME EXACT QUESTIONS AS YOU! BASICLY, A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PSYCHIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER!!! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!
Brad