What's the educational path to becoming an NP?

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I've been doing some research but so far have no idea what the real educational path to becoming an NP is. I'll lay out my situation below and would love any help/advice/guidance that anyone may be able to offer.

I work for a university that offers 100% paid tuition for the programs that they offer. I'm about 6 months away from finishing up my bachelors in psyc. I'm getting my degree in that because I'd like to pursue a masters in counseling. (The university I work for offers both programs.) However, as I learn more about psyc I'm finding that I'd like to learn more about how the body physically functions and think that I'd love to become an NP. I've found a couple of RN programs in the area that offer evening/weekend programs that I can continue to work and go to school, which is important because I have no idea how I'd pay my rent if I didn't get to work. Here's where I'm confused: I know that all NPs have an MSN. The university I work for offers an MSN, but I don't see anything there about training to become an NP. Would getting that MSN be the least bit useful? Is there any way to get a regular MSN and take some additional training to become an NP? Do NPs have to choose a single specialty? I like the idea of being able to understand how the whole body works but have a special interest in psychiatric and mental health care.

I apologize if I'm not articulating myself horribly well. I've been doing a lot of reading but still feel as though there are a lot of holes in my knowledge.

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Specializes in critical care.

Right now you must get a MSN to be a NP. Soon that will be a DNP. Since you will have a bachelor's degree you have a couple of options

RN-ASN then do a RN-MSN program

RN-accelerated BSN, then do MSN

direct-entry MSN

There are MSN in a variety of areas...education, administration...then there are nurse practitioners, nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialists....

An MSN does not equal NP, you must look for a NP program (family, adult, acute, neonatal, etc)

I am not sure about psych and NP? Someone else may know better. The psych advanced practice nurses I know are CNS.

HTH

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If you study in one speciality (say family, for example) are you limited to only family practice? Could you work in acute care, for example, or would you have to go back to school to be able to do so?

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You would have to return to school in order to change specialties -- this makes advanced practice nursing significantly different from "basic," generalist level nursing, in which you can switch specialties anytime you feel like it and can manage to talk someone into hiring you in a new area ... :) Advanced practice nurses (NPs, CNSs, CNMs, and CRNAs) are locked into a particular clinical role, and have to complete further graduate level education to make a change.

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Are NPs restricted more than family doctors in terms of providing treatment for mental health issues? I know that for relatively "minor" issues (depression, anxiety, ptsd, etc.) family doctors will prescribe medication and will only refer out to psychiatrists in more severe cases. Would the same be true for most NPs, or would that require going to school for psychiatric and family practice?

I'm sorry for being such a pest, but thank you for being so helpful!

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Specializes in CTICU.

Jess, you can specialize in some programs in "Psychiatric/Mental Health NP"

eg: http://www.allnursingschools.com/featured/psychiatric-nurse-practitioner/

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Thank you all for all of your help!

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