Hi, I am coat tailing on a previous post from Molly J regarding the limited response by psych nurses to information requests.Psych nurses do not seem to respond to posts like the other specialty nurses do. This is especially troublesome for student nurses (like myself) who are interested in pursuing a career in psych nursing. It is not just on this site either. I have approached quite a few psych nurses to get emloyment information and they have all been very tight lipped. What is the big secret????? I personally just want to know how you like your job, what kind of career opportunities there are for psych nurses, is it better to get an advanced degree as a clinical nurse specialist or as a psychiatric nurse practitioner or is there no benefit to getting an advanced degree? Is there really such a position as a nurse psychotherapist and if so how do you become one ? Can they prescribe meds? Is the pay for psych nursing comparable to other nurse specialties? Is there a high turnover rate for psych nurses? Do you recommend getting some Med -Surg experience first? Some body please break the code of silence . I would REALLY appreciate it.
I'm not an advance practice RN. So I can't give you much info on that. I'm a diploma grad with a BA in an unrelated field. I have about 20 yrs fulltime experience in various inpatient psych units. At this time I am the night supervisor and admissions nurse for a free standing psych hospital.
In the inpatient psych unit setting, I am strongly in favor of nurses having medsurg or emergency department experience. I think even psych specializing advance practice RN's would do well to have this because with your expanded role goes the assumption that you are a general resource person for nursing issues. The reality is that as you devote more time and effort to becoming a specialist, you will have less general nursing experience, unless you take steps to get it. At the very least it gives you "street cred" with the nurses whom you supervise.
As to doing "therapy", that depends on just what you propose to do and how you expect to be paid for it. Any RN can sell their services directly to the patient. The "Private duty" role is bedrock. Listening to patients, observing and recording their symptoms, teaching them how to live more healthy lives, performing comfort measures, these are all legitimate nursing functions. You can do a whole lot of therapy within those limits. Just steer clear of diagnosis and prescribing meds. Now once you go looking for 3rd party payment, that's another matter. As long as you are stricly private duty your qualifications as a therapist are pretty much between you and your customer. Once you seek insurance payment they will want to see credentials. You need to check your local laws too, the meaning of "therapist" "counselor" etc may be legally defined.
I am certified as Family NP and Psych Mental Health NP. The new role of PMH NP vs. CNS is confusing and overlapping....If you need information or just some support, let me know. Like I said, I would be happy to share.
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!
Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing.
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
Hi, I am coat tailing on a previous post from Molly J regarding the limited response by psych nurses to information requests.Psych nurses do not seem to respond to posts like the other specialty nurses do. This is especially troublesome for student nurses (like myself) who are interested in pursuing a career in psych nursing. It is not just on this site either. I have approached quite a few psych nurses to get emloyment information and they have all been very tight lipped. What is the big secret????? I personally just want to know how you like your job, what kind of career opportunities there are for psych nurses, is it better to get an advanced degree as a clinical nurse specialist or as a psychiatric nurse practitioner or is there no benefit to getting an advanced degree? Is there really such a position as a nurse psychotherapist and if so how do you become one ? Can they prescribe meds? Is the pay for psych nursing comparable to other nurse specialties? Is there a high turnover rate for psych nurses? Do you recommend getting some Med -Surg experience first? Some body please break the code of silence . I would REALLY appreciate it.
Thank you so much!
Mia :)
Mia,
I HAVE THE SAME EXACT QUESTIONS AS YOU! BASICLY, A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PSYCHIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER!!! PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!
CharlieRN
374 Posts
I'm not an advance practice RN. So I can't give you much info on that. I'm a diploma grad with a BA in an unrelated field. I have about 20 yrs fulltime experience in various inpatient psych units. At this time I am the night supervisor and admissions nurse for a free standing psych hospital.
In the inpatient psych unit setting, I am strongly in favor of nurses having medsurg or emergency department experience. I think even psych specializing advance practice RN's would do well to have this because with your expanded role goes the assumption that you are a general resource person for nursing issues. The reality is that as you devote more time and effort to becoming a specialist, you will have less general nursing experience, unless you take steps to get it. At the very least it gives you "street cred" with the nurses whom you supervise.
As to doing "therapy", that depends on just what you propose to do and how you expect to be paid for it. Any RN can sell their services directly to the patient. The "Private duty" role is bedrock. Listening to patients, observing and recording their symptoms, teaching them how to live more healthy lives, performing comfort measures, these are all legitimate nursing functions. You can do a whole lot of therapy within those limits. Just steer clear of diagnosis and prescribing meds. Now once you go looking for 3rd party payment, that's another matter. As long as you are stricly private duty your qualifications as a therapist are pretty much between you and your customer. Once you seek insurance payment they will want to see credentials. You need to check your local laws too, the meaning of "therapist" "counselor" etc may be legally defined.