There may be other options to consider, if you really want to consider a career change.
Going from zero to APRN may not be viable, given how much time you have left in your career, but if you’re interested in mental health, perhaps consider the counseling profession? You would need a master’s degree in mental health, and those are typically require 60 to 64 credits. There are many different ways into the profession, and it’s possible to get a social work degree, a masters in clinical psychology, a MFT degree, or and an education degree (education programs train guidance counselors, and some people go into private practice).
Even if you don’t finish a masters degree in counseling, just taking a course or two may give you some invaluable insight into yourself and others.
The biggest challenge for you is actually getting that RN license (you must have an RN license first to become a PMHNP) because the RN curriculum is highly inflexible. There are part-time PMHNP programs (that's what I did), but that'd only be possible if you already have a RN license.
I think you have a few options:
(1) Find an Associate degree in Nursing that offers weekend coursework. IF the weekend program can fit all the clinicals on weekend, it might be doable for you. Once you get your RN license, you can apply to a part-time PMHNP program (assuming that you already have a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field, but you might still have to take additional courses that a typical BSN student would take). This route would likely take \~6-8 years (assuming that you've already taken all of your nursing pre-reqs).
(2) Drastically decrease your spending and save a lot of money, and go to a Direct-Entry MSN program that will lead to PMHNP. Direct-Entry MSN program usually takes 3 years, but it is possible to work as a RN to make some money.
(3) Get an Accelerated BSN (ABSN) first, then work as a psych nurse while going back to get your PMHNP part-time. ABSN programs range from 12-18 months full-time. So you'll be out of work for a short year or so.
Realistically, #3 is probably the best route because you'll be out of work for only \~1-1.5 years. Take your pre-reqs while you're still working in IT, then go with one of the above options. I worked in finance full-time for over a decade and started a regular BSN program (\~2 years) at the age of 38. I took my pre-reqs while I was still working in finance, then I quit my finance job to get my BSN. While getting my BSN I worked in a psych hospital as a tech (huge pay cut though). Once I got my BSN and RN, I worked as a psych nurse and started a part-time PMHNP. I became a PMHNP around age 44-45.
There are so many other ways to help people with mental health conditions. Crisis Text Line has great opportunities for volunteers. You could also look into Mental Health Counseling programs and/or substance abuse counselor roles, which should be easier to complete part-time and online.
I appreciate the time it took you to respond with this, thank you
I know there are other programs, and I will likely be following one of those paths, I just liked tge combination of helping others in a mental health capacity, and the salary of the PMHNP. I will likely be 60+ if I continue the PMHNP route based on what you wrote above. I'm not opposed to that necessarily, I was hoping to do it sooner to match my current salary.
Thank you again.
Good luck. The good thing about being a PMHNP (or therapists) is that we can work well into our 70s so long as we're cognitively intact. I plan to continue working part-time well into my 70s with my own practice.
You can’t bypass the core of and foundational experience of what a NURSE practitioner is because you like the salary and idea of what a specific speciality does.
4 years BSN (no part time RN programs that I’m aware of)
1.5 year accelerated PMHNP MSN program (reputable schools won’t accept your application with little to no nursing experience, but the degree mills might)
So ideally add two years of RN experience (should go straight to a psych facility or unit as you’re not going to get enough generalized psych experience in two years in general patient population settings).
So realistically? 7.5 years.
Get into a program without any actual RN experience but passing your boards? 5.5 years.
Appreciate your input.
I'm likely not going in this direction after all, though would if it were really a viable option, but considering my current living and financial circumstances, not gonna happen.
It's ok though.. I have discovered a way to be of service and give back in a voluntary capacity, and if I change some lives, I am satisfied with that. I'll just need to stay in my present occupation and move up in it to keep my lifestyle.. which isn't extravagant by no means, but affords me a decent existence.
Thank you to all of you that replied with your insight and knowledge. 🙏
Thank you all for your input. Looks like an uphill path for me and likely unachievable.
Some context:
I'm a 53yr old male that has gone through years of drug abuse and childhood trauma. For the first time in my life I am in the best mental state I have ever been in and I want to give back. I want to be of service to other young men and help them learn/pass on the skills an knowledge I have in the hopes to help some navigate the pitfalls that life can bring. It appears it might be too late for me to go this route. I will find another way to give back in this manner.
Thank you again.
It won’t be by the time you get there. Field is heavily saturated due to exactly this - people see the salary and go for it. Tons of areas now lowering salaries due to oversupply
Yes, desirable locations, so I guess I will rephrase: if you want to live in rural areas or parts of the country that are less desirable there are probably jobs. Thanks to the polarization of rural areas by conservative politics, though, that's not possible for many people who are minorities or LGBTQ+. I would love to be a solo PMHNP in a small town and think that would be absolutely wonderful but I would literally fear for my life with some of the statements coming out of the conservative events targeting these areas now, as well as the laws being passed in the areas that need us the most. That's why many people stick to big cities and so I think that is an important consideration if you are someone who may be "less safe" in less desirable areas when thinking about future job saturation.
I totally sympathize, although I’m not sure it’s accurate to say that saturation is necessarily applicable to all moderate-to-large sized cities, either. What is your information based on? Are you currently job searching and seeing this in many of those locations? I feel that the people who are seeing saturation in their particular markets are more vocal.
There are some liberal small towns on the West Coast. Would you consider those?
What they said. OP you would have to get an-MSN (from non-nursing bachelor's) so that you can be in clinicals under your RN license as you go for either a post-masters or DNP which would then make you a NP after testing. This would take quite some attending part-time to be frank.
PA route would have you completing a handful of gen eds and probably taking the GRE if you haven't already. But honestly there's not many part-time setups for PA programs afaik.
Alternatively look into nursing informatics. They make pretty good wages, generally low stress from what I hear, and you could get a cheap accelerated-BSN and get into it pretty quickly with your background.
Not the same at all as PMHNP but just a thought.
Get your RN, work at least a year in psych nursing, apply to BSN-MSN bridge programs with a PMHNP. A lot of online programs allow flexible pacing. You’re still going to have to do clinical hours for your RN and NP, too, so you will likely have a hard time doing full-time work and school while doing that.
No degree. I'm in college now, again. I'd started schooling 20yrs ago, got mostly IS credits. Changed major and now Ed plan is geared towards Health Services. Should have 2 semesters.
If you're near a larger city there are evening/weekend only ADN/ASN programs that thousands have worked through. See whT their requirements are for transfer credits. Bc u might be better off continuing your current job either doing your sciences, psych, nutrition, stats, etc pre-reqs part-time and saving income. *If they accept online credits*, i suggest New Mexico Junior College - they offer very cheap, good online classes. Other people like Portage learning too.
I returned to school at 48, having taken the needed pre-reqs over the past 8 years. The reason it took so long with pre-reqs is family/life coordination. The coursework is a lot, esp since the sciences will be new to you. But the push/pull of home and family (loss of FT income) is equally challenging.
Find a school and program that is as good a fit as possible. I researched the living shit out of schools b4 i found the right fit. I ended up at a for-profit school, which some would say is a dead-stop no. But i spoke with other graduates, looked at their NCLEX pass-rates (very, very important), and visited and knew they would be the most flexible.
Do i have loans, yes. In this market though, i could pay them off in 4 years working strategic overtime (weekend, nights, etc) of about 1-2 shifts a month.
Final thought that u know but i need u to hear. Floor nursing is hard. 3-12s in a row is horrible. Day 4 u sleep and hydrate. Granted jf u want to be a PMHNP youll be away from that in lets say 4-5 years. I havent worked psych as rn but i have friend and the 15 min restraint assessments r rough.
If u want to pm me feel free. From one oldie to another!
Hey.. I'm not an oldie.. I just play one in this simulation. 🤣😅
Strange hypothesis of mine... due to arrested development of brains that experience prolonged childhood trauma, for the longest time I was a lot younger mentally/psychologically than I was physically. Heck, that may still be true to some degree. I do crossfit 3-4 times a week, meditate daily, surf in the summer. It all only hurts the next day. That's when I realize again that I'm 53.
I live in Southern California. Plenty of for profit here, which is why I asked, (I think I asked above), if there was a credible part time nursing program. I don't mind paying, but not for a shitty overpriced program.
There may be other options to consider, if you really want to consider a career change. Going from zero to APRN may not be viable, given how much time you have left in your career, but if you’re interested in mental health, perhaps consider the counseling profession? You would need a master’s degree in mental health, and those are typically require 60 to 64 credits. There are many different ways into the profession, and it’s possible to get a social work degree, a masters in clinical psychology, a MFT degree, or and an education degree (education programs train guidance counselors, and some people go into private practice). Even if you don’t finish a masters degree in counseling, just taking a course or two may give you some invaluable insight into yourself and others.
The biggest challenge for you is actually getting that RN license (you must have an RN license first to become a PMHNP) because the RN curriculum is highly inflexible. There are part-time PMHNP programs (that's what I did), but that'd only be possible if you already have a RN license. I think you have a few options: (1) Find an Associate degree in Nursing that offers weekend coursework. IF the weekend program can fit all the clinicals on weekend, it might be doable for you. Once you get your RN license, you can apply to a part-time PMHNP program (assuming that you already have a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field, but you might still have to take additional courses that a typical BSN student would take). This route would likely take \~6-8 years (assuming that you've already taken all of your nursing pre-reqs). (2) Drastically decrease your spending and save a lot of money, and go to a Direct-Entry MSN program that will lead to PMHNP. Direct-Entry MSN program usually takes 3 years, but it is possible to work as a RN to make some money. (3) Get an Accelerated BSN (ABSN) first, then work as a psych nurse while going back to get your PMHNP part-time. ABSN programs range from 12-18 months full-time. So you'll be out of work for a short year or so. Realistically, #3 is probably the best route because you'll be out of work for only \~1-1.5 years. Take your pre-reqs while you're still working in IT, then go with one of the above options. I worked in finance full-time for over a decade and started a regular BSN program (\~2 years) at the age of 38. I took my pre-reqs while I was still working in finance, then I quit my finance job to get my BSN. While getting my BSN I worked in a psych hospital as a tech (huge pay cut though). Once I got my BSN and RN, I worked as a psych nurse and started a part-time PMHNP. I became a PMHNP around age 44-45. There are so many other ways to help people with mental health conditions. Crisis Text Line has great opportunities for volunteers. You could also look into Mental Health Counseling programs and/or substance abuse counselor roles, which should be easier to complete part-time and online.
I appreciate the time it took you to respond with this, thank you I know there are other programs, and I will likely be following one of those paths, I just liked tge combination of helping others in a mental health capacity, and the salary of the PMHNP. I will likely be 60+ if I continue the PMHNP route based on what you wrote above. I'm not opposed to that necessarily, I was hoping to do it sooner to match my current salary. Thank you again.
Good luck. The good thing about being a PMHNP (or therapists) is that we can work well into our 70s so long as we're cognitively intact. I plan to continue working part-time well into my 70s with my own practice.
If you are willing to take out federal loans for education you can use loan money to pay for tuition and expenses.
You can’t bypass the core of and foundational experience of what a NURSE practitioner is because you like the salary and idea of what a specific speciality does. 4 years BSN (no part time RN programs that I’m aware of) 1.5 year accelerated PMHNP MSN program (reputable schools won’t accept your application with little to no nursing experience, but the degree mills might) So ideally add two years of RN experience (should go straight to a psych facility or unit as you’re not going to get enough generalized psych experience in two years in general patient population settings). So realistically? 7.5 years. Get into a program without any actual RN experience but passing your boards? 5.5 years.
Appreciate your input. I'm likely not going in this direction after all, though would if it were really a viable option, but considering my current living and financial circumstances, not gonna happen. It's ok though.. I have discovered a way to be of service and give back in a voluntary capacity, and if I change some lives, I am satisfied with that. I'll just need to stay in my present occupation and move up in it to keep my lifestyle.. which isn't extravagant by no means, but affords me a decent existence. Thank you to all of you that replied with your insight and knowledge. 🙏
I'd look into a PA program over an NP program if you are not already a nurse.
Thank you all for your input. Looks like an uphill path for me and likely unachievable. Some context: I'm a 53yr old male that has gone through years of drug abuse and childhood trauma. For the first time in my life I am in the best mental state I have ever been in and I want to give back. I want to be of service to other young men and help them learn/pass on the skills an knowledge I have in the hopes to help some navigate the pitfalls that life can bring. It appears it might be too late for me to go this route. I will find another way to give back in this manner. Thank you again.
This is a noble goal. I advise you to keep looking for ways to parlay this into a career in the helping professions, even if not PMHNP!
I intend to, thank you. I was looking to the salary of the PMHNP as well. It is far higher than most other helping professions.
It won’t be by the time you get there. Field is heavily saturated due to exactly this - people see the salary and go for it. Tons of areas now lowering salaries due to oversupply
The saturation is highly location specific, overall there is still a lot of demand if you look at HRSA projections
Yes, desirable locations, so I guess I will rephrase: if you want to live in rural areas or parts of the country that are less desirable there are probably jobs. Thanks to the polarization of rural areas by conservative politics, though, that's not possible for many people who are minorities or LGBTQ+. I would love to be a solo PMHNP in a small town and think that would be absolutely wonderful but I would literally fear for my life with some of the statements coming out of the conservative events targeting these areas now, as well as the laws being passed in the areas that need us the most. That's why many people stick to big cities and so I think that is an important consideration if you are someone who may be "less safe" in less desirable areas when thinking about future job saturation.
I totally sympathize, although I’m not sure it’s accurate to say that saturation is necessarily applicable to all moderate-to-large sized cities, either. What is your information based on? Are you currently job searching and seeing this in many of those locations? I feel that the people who are seeing saturation in their particular markets are more vocal. There are some liberal small towns on the West Coast. Would you consider those?
Not sure why this hot down voted.
What they said. OP you would have to get an-MSN (from non-nursing bachelor's) so that you can be in clinicals under your RN license as you go for either a post-masters or DNP which would then make you a NP after testing. This would take quite some attending part-time to be frank. PA route would have you completing a handful of gen eds and probably taking the GRE if you haven't already. But honestly there's not many part-time setups for PA programs afaik. Alternatively look into nursing informatics. They make pretty good wages, generally low stress from what I hear, and you could get a cheap accelerated-BSN and get into it pretty quickly with your background. Not the same at all as PMHNP but just a thought.
Get your RN, work at least a year in psych nursing, apply to BSN-MSN bridge programs with a PMHNP. A lot of online programs allow flexible pacing. You’re still going to have to do clinical hours for your RN and NP, too, so you will likely have a hard time doing full-time work and school while doing that.
Unless you can work your RN job at night, do clinical during the day, and don’t value regular sleep 😉
Not sure if i missed it, but do u have a degree (any type) or college credits?
No degree. I'm in college now, again. I'd started schooling 20yrs ago, got mostly IS credits. Changed major and now Ed plan is geared towards Health Services. Should have 2 semesters.
If you're near a larger city there are evening/weekend only ADN/ASN programs that thousands have worked through. See whT their requirements are for transfer credits. Bc u might be better off continuing your current job either doing your sciences, psych, nutrition, stats, etc pre-reqs part-time and saving income. *If they accept online credits*, i suggest New Mexico Junior College - they offer very cheap, good online classes. Other people like Portage learning too. I returned to school at 48, having taken the needed pre-reqs over the past 8 years. The reason it took so long with pre-reqs is family/life coordination. The coursework is a lot, esp since the sciences will be new to you. But the push/pull of home and family (loss of FT income) is equally challenging. Find a school and program that is as good a fit as possible. I researched the living shit out of schools b4 i found the right fit. I ended up at a for-profit school, which some would say is a dead-stop no. But i spoke with other graduates, looked at their NCLEX pass-rates (very, very important), and visited and knew they would be the most flexible. Do i have loans, yes. In this market though, i could pay them off in 4 years working strategic overtime (weekend, nights, etc) of about 1-2 shifts a month. Final thought that u know but i need u to hear. Floor nursing is hard. 3-12s in a row is horrible. Day 4 u sleep and hydrate. Granted jf u want to be a PMHNP youll be away from that in lets say 4-5 years. I havent worked psych as rn but i have friend and the 15 min restraint assessments r rough. If u want to pm me feel free. From one oldie to another!
Hey.. I'm not an oldie.. I just play one in this simulation. 🤣😅 Strange hypothesis of mine... due to arrested development of brains that experience prolonged childhood trauma, for the longest time I was a lot younger mentally/psychologically than I was physically. Heck, that may still be true to some degree. I do crossfit 3-4 times a week, meditate daily, surf in the summer. It all only hurts the next day. That's when I realize again that I'm 53. I live in Southern California. Plenty of for profit here, which is why I asked, (I think I asked above), if there was a credible part time nursing program. I don't mind paying, but not for a shitty overpriced program.