Switching careers and interested in psychiatric NP

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Hello everyone,

This is actually my first post on allnurses.com. Currently, I am a licensed psychotherapist working for the U.S. Army's addiction clinic. At my current work site, a recent legislation was passed that anyone possessing a LPC or LMHC license would have difficulty moving into management positions. I have encountered this at several places I've worked in for the federal government.

Actually, this worked out because I was thinking about going back to school anyway. I've grown a great interest in the psychiatric nurse practitioner route and wanted to ask a few questions. What does the current market look like for employment, salary available, and job flexibility?

I don't want to make the mistake of getting the wrong degree or license and hear that I will never be able to move up in any company I work for. Also, can psychiatric nurse practitioners be employed overseas by different organizations other than military branches?

I looked at the U.S. embassy positions but they only hire family nurse practitioners and MD Psychiatrists. Any advice would be appreciated.

Mark

Thanks everyone for all the responses. I had one question to ask everyone. Currently, I am torn on whether to get my BSN first then apply for a psychiatric nurse practitioner program or go straight into a MSN program that offers the psych nurse practitioner NP speciality. I just want to make sure and get the right license for employment after graduation. What would people suggest? Also, i already have a LMHC license and have been doing psychotherapy for 6 years.

Hi Mkim680 - I was (still am) an LCSW prior to going to nursing school and eventually becoming a PMHNP. In terms of having an LMHC license, these will not have an impact on nursing education or licensure/board certification. I was required (in order to sit for the ANCC exam) to complete the same number of clinical hours doing psychotherapy as my classmates, despite having been a therapist for about 4 years. I was allowed to substitute coursework from my MSW program (Individual/Family/Group Psychotherapy), but had to take additional coursework in place of this.

My recommendation on whether or not to get your BSN first or proceed directly to your MSN - I chose to get the BSN first and work as an RN while completing the MSN-PMHNP program. This gave me an opportunity to get exposure to nursing (as this was completely different from being a clinical social worker) and to make connections that have been helpful to me as an NP. My BSN program took 16 months and I started my MSN program immediately after. The MSN program took 24 months (6 semester, full-time, year round). In total it took me 40 months - I don't regret having taken this route, it was the right way to go for me. Hope this helps - best of luck to you!

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Like Psychiatric NP, I too went BSN first. It took me four semesters to accomplish that, and some of it was great and informative. Some of it wasn't. I work now as a RN in a medical unit while I'm working on my master's. I do almost nothing psych related, and since I work nights the patients sleep so I don't talk to them about their feelings, etc. You'll find people with mental health problems in all areas of nursing, and teachers at school will tell you that, but you won't necessarily interact with those problems professionally.

There is a debate in nursing about whether RN experience is necessary to be a competent NP. Any healthcare experience is good experience. I've been told that, with respect to psych NPs, it's probably the least helpful field to have worked as a RN. This is hearsay, and I clearly cannot vouch for this. I understand what's being said though. Because I was hired on initially as a charge nurse, with night time differential I make more than I did before I was a RN so economically this makes best sense. Also, in the unit I work I have loads of free time at night which the rest of nursing would scream at me for saying, lol. We have a census of three, lol. At any rate, I had to work as a RN for a year to enter the specialty track of the NP program so work was compulsory. I got that, and I'll actually probably quit working as a RN in August to do something else until I finish the NP program.

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There is a debate in nursing about whether RN experience is necessary to be a competent NP. Any healthcare experience is good experience. I've been told that, with respect to psych NPs, it's probably the least helpful field to have worked as a RN. This is hearsay, and I clearly cannot vouch for this. I understand what's being said though..

Actually all my experience in areas other than psych turned out to be very helpful as many of your patients will have medical problems. Better know all the drugs as they might interact with yours. I'm always contacting primary care to see if I can change one BP meds to Prazosin as the patient has nightmares, or their T level is low and they also have depression, or like last week when a I sent a 24 year old guy for a urology consult due to ED which he had before starting SSRIs. Got to know a baseline as some of my meds will cause sexual dysfunctions. This goes on and on.

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Actually all my experience in areas other than psych turned out to be very helpful as many of your patients will have medical problems. Better know all the drugs as they might interact with yours. I'm always contacting primary care to see if I can change one BP meds to Prazosin as the patient has nightmares, or their T level is low and they also have depression, or like last week when a I sent a 24 year old guy for a urology consult due to ED which he had before starting SSRIs. Got to know a baseline as some of my meds will cause sexual dysfunctions. This goes on and on.

I understand how it would help. Thanks, Z.

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Thanks everyone for all the responses. I had one question to ask everyone. Currently, I am torn on whether to get my BSN first then apply for a psychiatric nurse practitioner program or go straight into a MSN program that offers the psych nurse practitioner NP speciality. I just want to make sure and get the right license for employment after graduation. What would people suggest? Also, i already have a LMHC license and have been doing psychotherapy for 6 years.

In my opinion I think you should try to get some psych RN experience before you get your NP. Part time would be good since you already have a mental health background. I think you would feel more comfortable once you start prescribing. I've seen other Psych NP's who went straight through and felt nervous about the meds they were prescribing. I mean REAL nervous. Also being exposed to acute inpatient psychiatry gives you a better understanding of how sick our patients can get. Helps when you're the one who has to make the call whether the patient has to go to the hospital or needs to be given meds stat. Dont count on the school to give you all the training you will need.

Oh and you will get your RN before your NP. Maybe not your BSN depending on the program but legally speaking you need an RN to be an NP. Theres no way around that one.The program may have an accelerated program but it's still the same RN then NP.

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There is a debate in nursing about whether RN experience is necessary to be a competent NP. Any healthcare experience is good experience. I've been told that, with respect to psych NPs, it's probably the least helpful field to have worked as a RN. .

The "LEAST?" Why because all we do in psychiatry is sit and talk about feelings? This has to be people with no knowledge of psych nursing.

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The "LEAST?" Why because all we do in psychiatry is sit and talk about feelings? This has to be people with no knowledge of psych nursing.

It's just something I've encountered. I'm not condoning nor denying it. I couldn't care less about what the rationale behind the statement is because I was merely passing the hearsay.

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Specializes in Psychiatric.

Agreed, but such experience can be had in an inpatient acute care psychiatric setting, particularly in a teaching hospital. I catch stuff all the time.

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Specializes in leadership, corrections.

The FNPs here in GA on the psychiatric unit are making 98,000. My friend is going for her Psych NP cert. I guess location and demand has a lot to do with it. I know about the psychotherapy salary.

Best to you in all your endeavors!

L.

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The FNPs here in GA on the psychiatric unit are making 98,000. My friend is going for her Psych NP cert.

L.

Unlike Texas, AZ, NM and some states, GA is backward in allowing NP to practice outside of their specialty. There is no point in going back for Psych NP cert in GA at all unless she/he wants to move out of the state. You will face competition with the generalist (FNPs & generalist PAs) in GA. The best NP degree to get in GA is FNP because you can work in all settings with that degree. In my opinion, they need to eliminate all psych NP program there. There is no demand for psych NP there since FNP can fill the slot.

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That is backwards. Im a Psych NP and I sure as heck wouldnt want to be doing pap smears!

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Specializes in leadership, corrections.

For Georgia, the salary is within the VA hospital not on the outside in clinics or pvt places. There are very few positions on the outside but you can go to any state with the VA hospitals.

With the state of affordable healthcare, the shortage of physicians, nurse practitioners are going to be playing a much bigger part of the healthcare system regardless.

Best to you in all you do and much success too!

Lexi

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