Why is Psych NP not as popular of a choice?

Specialties Psychiatric

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Hi! I'm brand new to the forum and interested in becoming a NP as a second career in my life. I've always loved psychology and wanted to become either a social worker or mental health counselor, but family pressure directed me else where.

I'm been reading many posts on here and it seems like there is a huge demand for PMHNPs...which leads me to believe that many students do not want to specialize in Psych NP in the first place. Why is that? Just curious...

Also, unlike PA programs where you can switch specialities at any time without having to go back to school to get additional training, in NP programs it appears that you specialize in 1 thing and that's it. Given the fact that I come from a non-health related career field, how can I determine which NP specialty that I want to go in? Do NP programs make you go on several different specialty rotations before you get to choose what you want to specialize in?

By the sheer fact that I've always love psychology, loved analyzing people, and read many psychology books and magazines for the joy of it, I believe that I would love to pursue a career as a Psychiatric NP....but how do I know for sure if this is the best fit for me unless I'm given a chance to test out the other specialities? Any thoughts and insights? :)

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

It seems psychiatry is something people either really love or want to avoid so in my experience jobs have always been plentiful. Personally I don't think it is appropriate for people to enter nursing with a masters degree as a CNL or NP without prior RN experience. I know there are direct entry programs but it just doesn't make sense to me that someone with no prior nursing or psych exposure should be prescribing right out of the gate. :uhoh3: Many people I know have gone for the FNP first and after that I think you only need to do two semesters or so to add the psychiatric component so you are not stuck in only one speciality. Good luck with whatever you decide.

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

Is psych NP really in such great demand? I did a search for psych NP jobs in my area and there were very few listings.

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Yes, in some States Psych NP is in demand. Also, psych nurses. One university addressed

the problem by creating a program with a psych hospital to help alleviate the shortage in

that area.

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I am in Rochester NY and there are a number of job postings for psych NP--wishing I had mine so I could apply! lol But as far as getting to try out different areas--I guess that is what many would say being an is for. As an RN you are trained a bit in everything pretty much and can try out any area. That's when most people solidify what they love, hate, and tolerate. As an NP student, not so much. I would say FNP which as you would expect lets you take care of children and adults with little limitation other then neonatal, OB and psych.

Psych is a very specific area. Your practice is limited, your script writing is limited. ie--at least here Psych NP can prescribed controlled substances that are specifically used for psych diagnosis like the benzo's and I think Ambien too.

They can't write for controlled meds for physical pain--narcs. However if you love psychology my guess is the psych NP might be just up your alley. What I would do is see if you can shadow a couple of Psych NPs.....in a few settings--inpatient psych, psych ER, outpatient psych, corrections psych, etc. as the jobs are a bit different--to see what it's really like and ask lots and lots of questions. Not sure how shadowing works with HIPAA but I know we used ot get high school seniors who would sign up to come into the hospital and spend one or two days shadowing in as many areas as they wanted. I would see them on the inpatient psych unit I worked on. They could see nursing areas, OT or PT, Resp. Therapy, radiology tech, etc-whatever they are interested in seeing.... to let them see what the areas they think they might be interested in are really like, in the real world. They sign some sort of HIPAA paperwork. Just a thought. Good luck to you.

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Specializes in trauma ICU,TNCC, NRP, PALS, ACLS.

I was told by a local college graduate admisisions that over 300 people applied for n.p school and only 4 wanted to become psych n.p

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

I don't think psych NPs are in such great demand. In fact, the school I attended dropped its program after I graduated due to lack of demand from students for the program as well as lack of jobs after they graduated. I had a terrible time getting a job after graduation. The same was true for the others in my program as well as some other psych APNs I've talked to. I'm a psych CNS but able and legal to do psych NP things. The programs can be quite similar.

Check things out in your area, at the schools there, as well as at the psych facilities.

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I think it depends on where you live. Here in southeastern Michigan where the economy is one of the worst in the country is a horrible place to look for a Psych NP job as a new grad. The very few positions available at the larger hospitals want at least 1-2 years experience. State facilities do not use psych NPs except for the prisons. Also, there are many nursing schools in the area with new grads competing for positions. However, I have had many phone calls and offers from facilities in other states. Many of my classmates have moved or are in the process of moving to get employment. If you have the ability to move around the country, I would say go for it! :)

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Wherever there's a shortage of psychiatrists (and that's a seldomly chosen residency for medical school graduates) the psych NP could become a productive business person. I think the psych NP pathway is a sound business strategy particularly if you limit most of your time to medication management since that's the biggest need. There are countless others prepared to engage in talk therapy so that role is readily filled, and often it seems the PCP is hesitant to medicate those beyond textbook depression and anxiety. I'm really tempted to go this route, plus psychopathology is interesting too although it's not the "most" interesting -ology out there.

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Specializes in psych/addictions/liaison.

Could someone explain to this Brit what a NP is.....Nurse Practitioner? Nurse Prescriber?

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I agree with ImThatGuy. As a Psych NP, I have received e-mails and phone calls from employers seeking someone to do medication management and assessments. During my clinical, the Psych NP's I trained with did integrate many of the therapeutic techniques like CBT or DBT in their patients encounters. We tried to make the time we spent with the patient as therapeutic as possible, even if the appt was for a 15 minute-30 min medication check.

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Could someone explain to this Brit what a NP is.....Nurse Practitioner? Nurse Prescriber?

It's a Nurse Practitioner. You have them also in the Motherland.

I'm a psych NP and I get job offers almost every single day. NP's who do family psych are in even greater demand. However, I don't like dealing with kids.

This is a great job if you like studying human behavior. I'm in a community mental health center so most of my patients, at the worse, will have some mild hallucinations, occasionally a manic patient. I have a great staff helping me, get to sit down most of the day and chat with people, an hour for lunch, free housing, car allowance, 6 figure income, etc. You can't beat this with a stick!:yeah:

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