I'm an undergraduate nursing student at the University of Texas at Austin. I plan on graduating with a BSN in nursing and applying to a graduate school to receive a masters in nursing. Ultamalty I want to be a nurse practitioner in the behavioral and mental health dept. ok here is an extended explaniation of my situation so bare with me please!!! I have seen a variety of psychiatrists who for some reason or another seemed very stuffy. I was refered to a nurse practitioner who did the same thing as the psychiatrist only much better!! I am intrested in following in the nurse practitioners footsteps. My questions are as follows:
1. Is getting a masters in nursing the only way of pursing this career?
2. If so will someone refer me to graduate schools that I can attain a masters in the field of psychiatric nursing?
3.What is the pay?
4. Do I have to work as a RN before going to graduate school?
5. I heard that NP in the psychiatric field can have thier own practice and prescribe meds is this correct?
Sometimes I think I was put on this earth to be a stick in the mud. I tell all to get one year of med surg experience under your belt, so you know how to take care of sick people and the go forth and Prosper.
persons with a mental illness are sick...in some ways i agree with getting the med-surg experience but imho with the patient/nurse ratios the way they are these days, your license can be put in jeopardy...not that it can't be put in jeopardy with psych patients but i like my odds better with my good ole schizos and bipolars...but that's just me
FutureRNMichael
189 Posts
Psych NP programs out West here at Gonzaga U and OHSU in Oregon are both wonderful programs, I hear.
I too have the same ideas of where I would like to work...Psych NP sounds to good to be true!! :)