Struggling between ER travel and PMHNP.

[OrRnThrowAway]

Title gives a decent run down, I'm up in the air between pursuing ER Travel nursing and seeking admission to a PMHNP program.

 

A little about me.. I am 25, I have 2 years of inpatient LPN Psych experience, 1 year of RN OR experience, and 1 year of RN ER experience. I only have my ADN and am only considering ADN-MSN or ADN-BSN-MSN programs. I do not want to do an incremental career path. I would need at least another year to begin travel nursing as an ER nurse but feel that I could apply to a PMHNP program for January admission and complete it successfully as I stand now.

 

My reasons for wanting to follow the PMHNP route include colleague and clinical instructor recommendations for working with crisis psychiatric patients, a family history of substance abuse and suicide, and a long standing passion for helping and caring for addiction and psychiatric patients in the ER and Inpatient setting. I would also enjoy the ability to work remotely after a period of in person experience as a PMHNP, and the ability to practice and treat patients as an independent practitioner is highly alluring. I feel that this would secure a long term stable future for myself, but my quality of life outside of work and education would be drastically dampened over the next 4-6 years.

 

My reasons for wanting to travel nurse are pretty run of the mill. I enjoy travel and have visited 19 countries prior to getting my RN. I feel that being able to take time off between assignments would allow me to do things that a normal career job would inhibit. I believe that I would be able to cover my finances appropriately with working 6 months out of the year as a traveler. However, I feel that my long term financial goals would be dampened by going this route, but my short term life experiences would flourish.

 

My mother is sick with extensive stage SCLC and I don't feel comfortable setting out as traveler until she's passed, though I do expect her to live for another year or more. I have a duplex in a reasonable cost of living area with a long term tenant. My out of pocket costs are roughly $400 a month not including repairs and renovations. I am at a significant crossroad and I'm unsure whether I should try to achieve long term career stability or short term life experience satisfaction. Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions.

[RatchedAfterMidnight, MSN, APRN]

Only you can decide between ER and Psych, I don’t know your personal preferences. If you like to travel there are PMHNP Locums positions all across the country. If you like the rush of ER consider a psychiatric emergency room as a PMHNP. These are two ways to combine your love of both.