career choice - psychiatric nurse practitioner

Career ChoiceCareer Development

Ken McIntyre Jr.Instructor Tore Skogseth

December 4, 2012

Advanced PracticePsychiatric Nurse Practitioner

What PsychiatricNurse Practitioners do:

Diagnose mental illness;Develop plans of care;Evaluate effectiveness;Prescribe medication;Psychotherapy

According to the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, “Psychiatric mental health nursing is a specialty within nursing.”

“Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (PMH-APRNs) offer primary care services to the psychiatric-mental health population. PMH-APRNs assess, diagnose, and treat individuals and families with psychiatric disorders or the potential for such disorders using their full scope of therapeutic skills, including the prescription of medication and administration of psychotherapy.”

“PMH-APRNs often own private practices and corporations as well as consult with groups, communities, legislators, and corporations.”

http://www.apna.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3292.

Some Mental Health Illnessesthat a PMNP will treat are:

Depression

All depression types are not the same. Some of the most common are:

Major Depression Chronic Depression

(Dysthymia) Atypical Depression Postpartum Depression Bipolar Depression (Manic

Depression) Seasonal Depression (SAD) Psychotic Depression

Source: http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-symptoms-and-types

Anxiety DisorderGeneralized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a pattern of constant worry and anxiety over many different activities and events:

The main symptom is the almost constant presence of worry or tension, even when there is little or no cause. Worries seem to float from one problem to another, such as family or relationship problems, work issues, money, health, and other problems. Even when aware that their worries or fears are stronger than needed, a person with GAD still has difficulty controlling them.

Other symptoms include:

Difficulty concentrating

Fatigue

Irritability

Problems falling or staying asleep, and sleep that is often restless and unsatisfying

Restlessness, and often becoming startled very easily

Source http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001915/

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder — sometimes called manic-depressive disorder — is associated with mood swings that range from the lows of depression to the highs of mania.

Although bipolar disorder is a disruptive, long-term condition, moods swings can be kept in check by following a treatment plan. In most cases, bipolar disorder can be controlled with medications and psychological counseling (psychotherapy).

All information from the Mayo Clinic

Mental Healthissues are a disability

“Just like wheelchairs and Braille have increased social integration for people with physical handicaps, there is also a need to identify and remove the barriers to community inclusion for people with serious mental illness,” says Prof. David Roe, chair of the department of community mental health at the University of Haifa.

“Much attention has been given to providing accessibility to all facilities intended for the public, in striving to gain equality for people with physical disabilities.”

“But while the obstacles facing the physically challenged can be relatively easily identified, pinpointing the obstacles that persons with a mental illness must overcome is much harder.”

“According to Roe, earlier studies have shown that one of the central obstacles is the negative stigma attached to mental illness by society at large, which is much more powerful than the labels attached to people with other disabilities.”

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/05/14/tools-to-reduce-stigma-of-mental-illness/13823.html

Average annual salary:$103,000.00

Job Outlook

The job market in Michigan for Nurse Practitioner is difficult to determine since there is no one source for information.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates for Physician Assistant, (a very similar occupation to Nurse Practitioner), a 30% increase in job growth between 2010 and 2020. Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners growth is expected to grow at 26%.

Source: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm#tab-6

19 Job Postings 12/3/12

Educational Requirements

Educational requirements are extensive.

Not as extensive as a Medical Doctor, but much more than a Registered Nurse.

You begin by getting an Associates Degree in Nursing, and passing the exam to be a Registered Nurse. Then you must earn your Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.

Once you earn your Bachelor’s Degree, then you must apply for and be accepted into a Master’s or Doctorate Program. After you earn your Masters or Doctorate, then you must pass Nurse Practitioner Certification Exam.

U of M Flint requires a minimum 3.2 GPA for undergraduate work or a 3.5 for graduate work.

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing* or Master of Science in Nursing (with certification) from an accredited college or university with an overall undergraduate grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale (3.5 for graduate work)• BSN to DNP Applicants: Current RN license in the United States• MSN to DNP Applicants: Current license as advanced practice nurse• College-level Chemistry with grade of “C” or better• College-level Statistics with grade of “C” or better• At least one year RN experience is preferred

Masters or Doctorate in Nursing

Pass Nurse Practitioner Certification Exam

Other Titles in this Field:

Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Nurse Practitioner Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Psychiatry

Source Credits

Sources:

http://www.apna.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3292.

http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physician-assistants.htm#tab-6

http://psychcentral.com/news/2010/05/14/tools-to-reduce-stigma-of-mental-illness/13823.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001915

http://www.apna.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3292

http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/depression-symptoms-and-types

http://www.mayoclinic.org

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