Published
IMHO psych ER is advanced practice. I've seen people start in ER and get faced with losing their licenses fairly quickly (usually having to do with someone suiciding after ER assessment). For what it's worth, I would recommend at least a year minimum (two to three would be great) on an acute psych unit before venturing into psych ER. New grads have done it and survived, but ultimately I think it's a huge risk...unless you would be working in an ER along with another seasoned nurse all the time. Most psych ER's I've encountered only have the one nurse at any given time.
I did med surg, then psych inpatient, then advanced practice. I know someone who went from ER to psych ER and advanced practice and did fine. Another friend did ICU and acute inpt psych concurrently- then got aprn.. I think you want to first get a foundation in nursing or psych nursing. And then see whats next...
There are at least some psych NP programs out there that will take you with no psych experience whatsoever (I precepted a PMHNP student last summer who had only worked in ICU prior to this, but had now decided that she wanted to go into psych, and there have been posts on this site in the past from others following a similar route). I'm not saying I think that's a good idea, just that there are schools that will do it.
zoidberg, BSN, RN
301 Posts
hi all,
im a student now, and will graduate with my bsn next year. i am in the process of figuring out where to start. I have always been drawn to psych, but i know i do not want to work in an inpatient psych floor for very long. I also am planning on becoming an APRN. i guess my point is what is the best place to begin? I am thinking ER. I would get to see everything, and get some psych cases in there of course. However, would a PMHNP program accept a RN who has such little actual psych experience? My ideal job would be working in the ER as a PMHNP managing emergency psych cases. Is this realistic? (do hospitals use NP's this way?). I hate to be one of those students rambling for advice, but i would appreciate some insight from the wise ones. Fire away.
ps this is in psych not pre-NP because i would like to hear from psych nurses :)