Thinking about NP school, appreciate input

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Hello everyone!

So like the title says, I'm currently researching NP options. A little background, I am a Master's level Professional Counselor, and looking into a grad entry Psych NP option. However I'd like some input on a couple things.

-Is getting a psych NP a career limiting move?

-Is it better to generalize in your NP program?

-Would I be able to transition to another area, (thinking FNP) if I wanted to later down the line. How does that work?

-Where do most psych NPs practice? What's your day to day look like

-What is the job outlook for psych NPs and FNP?

Thanks in advance!

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

In my state there is such a shortage of mental health NPs that the state NP organization is offering scholarships for NPs to return for mental health certificates. There are usually listing in that specialty.

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Specializes in Home Health, Podiatry, Neurology, Case Mgmt.

Online Nurse Practitioner Programs

Nursing Schools offering Online Masters in Nursing (MSN) – Nurse Practitioner Programs:

Albany State University

(Albany, GA)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

NLNAC accredited

Angelo State University

(San Angelo, TX)

Program Tracks:

Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

NLNAC accredited

Ball State University

(Muncie, IN)

Program Tracks:

Adult Nurse Practitioner (online), Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

California State University-Dominguez Hills

(Carson, CA)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Case Western Reserve University

(Cleveland, OH)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) (online)

Accreditation:

NLNAC accredited

Clarkson College

(Omaha, NE)

Program Tracks:

Adult Nurse Practitioner (online), Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

NLNAC accredited

Concordia University-Wisconsin

(Mequon, WI)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Geriatric Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Delta State University

(Cleveland, MS)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (online), Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Adult/Family) (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Drexel University

(Philadelphia, PA)

Program Tracks:

Psychiatric Mental Health NP (online), Women’s Health NP (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited, NLNAC accredited

Duquesne University

(Pittsburgh, PA)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

East Carolina University

(Greenville, NC)

Program Tracks:

Adult Nurse Practitioner (online), Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited, NLNAC accredited

East Tennessee State University

(Johnson City, TN)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Felician College

(Lodi, NJ)

Program Tracks:

MS in Nursing – Adult Nurse Practitioner (online), MS in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Frontier Nursing University

(Hyden, KY)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

NLNAC accredited

George Washington University

(Washington, DC)

Program Tracks:

MSN – Adult Nurse Practitioner (online), MSN – Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Georgetown University

(Washington, DC)

Program Tracks:

Adult Gerontology Acute Care NP/Adult Gerontology CNS, Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse-Midwifery/Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Georgia Southern University

(Statesboro, GA)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Gonzaga University

(Spokane, WA)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Graceland University

(Independence, MO)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Idaho State University

(Pocatello, ID)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Illinois State University

(Normal, IL)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) (online), Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Intercollegiate Consortium for a Master of Science in Nursing

(Hammond, LA)

Program Tracks:

Adult Health Nurse Practitioner (online), Adult/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (online), Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Intercollegiate Consortium for a Master of Science in Nursing

(Lafayette, LA)

Program Tracks:

Adult Health Nurse Practitioner (online), Adult/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (online), Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Intercollegiate Consortium for a Master of Science in Nursing

(Lake Charles, LA)

Program Tracks:

Adult Health Nurse Practitioner (online), Adult/Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (online), Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

(Worcester, MA)

Program Tracks:

MSN with Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) (online)

Metropolitan State University

(Saint Paul, MN)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Middle Tennessee State University

(Murfreesboro, TN)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

NLNAC accredited

Midwestern State University

(Wichita Falls, TX)

Program Tracks:

Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Montana State University

(Bozeman, MT)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Mount Marty College

(Yankton, SD)

Program Tracks:

Masters in Nursing (Adult Geriatric Nurse Practitioner) (online), Masters in Nursing (Pediatric Nurse Practitioner) (online)

New Mexico State University

(Las Cruces, NM)

Program Tracks:

Psychiatric/Mental Health NP (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Northern Arizona University

(Flagstaff, AZ)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Northern Kentucky University

(Highland Heights, KY)

Program Tracks:

Adult Nurse Practitioner (online), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

NLNAC accredited

Radford University

(Radford, VA)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Regis University

(Denver, CO)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Rush University

(Chicago, IL)

Program Tracks:

Family NP (FNP) (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Rutgers The State University of New Jersey-Newark

(Newark, NJ)

Program Tracks:

Acute Care of the Adult and Aged (NP or CNS) (online), Advanced Practice in Pediatric Nursing (NP or CNS) (online), Advanced Practice in Women’s Health (NP) (online), Clinical Track (online), Community Health Nursing NP/CNS (online), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) (online), Oncology (Adult and/or Pediatric) (online), Primary Care of the Adult and Aged (NP or CNS) (online), Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing (NP or CNS) (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

South University

(Columbia, SC)

Program Tracks:

Adult Health Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

South University

(Montgomery, AL)

Program Tracks:

Adult Health Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

South University

(Savannah, GA)

Program Tracks:

Adult Health Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

South University

(Tampa, FL)

Program Tracks:

Adult Health Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

South University

(West Palm Beach, FL)

Program Tracks:

Adult Health Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

St. Louis University

(Saint Louis, MO)

Program Tracks:

Adult (NP CNS or Nurse Educator) (online), Adult Acute Care NP (online), Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Gerontological (NP CNS or Nurse Educator) (online), Pediatric (CNS NP or Nurse Educator) (online), Psychiatric/Mental Health (CNS NP or Nurse Educator) (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Stony Brook University

(Stony Brook, NY)

Program Tracks:

Perinatal/Women’s Health NP/CNS (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Tennessee Board of Regents

(Nashville, TN)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

NLNAC accredited

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington

(Wilmington, NC)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited, NLNAC accredited

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

(Memphis, TN)

Program Tracks:

Acute Critical Care (online), Gerontology (online), Primary Care (online), Psychiatric/Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

(Galveston, TX)

Program Tracks:

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (online), Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program – Gerontological (online), Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program – Pediatric (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Troy University

(Montgomery, AL)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Troy University

(Troy, AL)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

University of Arizona

(Tucson, AZ)

Program Tracks:

Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (online), Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (online)

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

(Little Rock, AR)

Program Tracks:

Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (online), Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Family Psych-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (online), Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (online), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (online), Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of Central Missouri

(Warrensburg, MO)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (Rural Family Nursing focus) (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of Cincinnati

(Cincinnati, OH)

Program Tracks:

Adult Nurse Practitioner (online), Family Nurse Practitioner (online), MSN – Psychiatric NP/CNS (online), Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

(Amherst, MA)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of Michigan-Flint

(Flint, MI)

Program Tracks:

DNP – Adult Nurse Practitioner (online), DNP – Adult Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (online), DNP – Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

University of Missouri

(Columbia, MO)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (online), Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (online), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of Missouri-Kansas City

(Kansas City, MO)

Program Tracks:

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of Nebraska Medical Center

(Omaha, NE)

Program Tracks:

Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (online), Adult Nurse Practitioner (online), Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Family Nurse Practitioner/Psychiatric Dual Track (online), Gerontological and Geropsychiatric Nursing (NP or CNS) (online), Women’s and Children’s Health Nursing (NP) (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of North Dakota

(Grand Forks, ND)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Gerontology Nursing (CNS or NP) (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of Pittsburgh

(Pittsburgh, PA)

Program Tracks:

Post-Masters DNP – Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (online), Post-Masters DNP – Adult Nurse Practitioner (online), Post-Masters DNP – Family Nurse Practitioner (online), Post-Masters DNP – Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (online), Post-Masters DNP – Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (online), Post-Masters DNP – Psychiatric/Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of Rhode Island

(Kingston, RI)

Program Tracks:

Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of Saint Francis

(Crown Point, IN)

Program Tracks:

Adult Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of Saint Francis

(Fort Wayne, IN)

Program Tracks:

Adult Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of South Alabama

(Mobile, AL)

Program Tracks:

Adult Acute Care NP (online), Adult-Gerontological Acute Care NP (online), Adult-Gerontological Primary Care NP (online), Adult-Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner with Palliative Care Specialty (online), Advanced Emergency Nursing (Family NP/Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Dual Role) (online), Child Health NP (online), Emergency NP (online), Family NP (online), Geropsychiatric (Adult Psych NP/Gerontological NP) (online), Neonatal NP (online), Pediatric Acute Care NP (online), Psychiatric (Family) NP (online), Psychiatric/Mental Health NP (online), Women’s Health NP (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of Southern Indiana

(Evansville, IN)

Program Tracks:

Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP) (online), Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of St. Francis

(Joliet, IL)

Program Tracks:

Adult Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of Utah

(Salt Lake City, UT)

Program Tracks:

NP with Focus on Rural Substance Abuse (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

(Milwaukee, WI)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

(Oshkosh, WI)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Vanderbilt University

(Nashville, TN)

Program Tracks:

Acute Care Nurse Practitioner – ACNP (online), Adult Nurse Practitioner – ANP (online), Adult Nurse Practitioner/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (online), Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (online), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care (online), Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care (online), Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

NLNAC accredited

Walden University

(Minneapolis, MN)

Program Tracks:

Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Western University of Health Sciences

(Pomona, CA)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Wheeling Jesuit University

(Wheeling, WV)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

Wright State University

(Dayton, OH)

Program Tracks:

Family Nurse Practitioner (online)

Accreditation:

CCNE accredited

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Specializes in PICU.

To switch NP specialties you have to complete a post-master's certificate, which usually takes about a year. You have to do all of the required clinicals, so I think it would be difficult to complete in a year and still work full-time, but it's possible. As for job prospects, it varies greatly on where you live. Some areas are crying for NPs and some are over saturated. If you have the ability to move, you won't have any trouble getting a job.

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Hey -- I am LCSW contemplating a psych NP -- what did you end up doing last year?

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