Steps to becoming a nurse?

What are the steps to becoming a PMHNP (Psych nurse practitioner) after becoming an RN (registered nurse)?

• What is grad school like? What tests do you have to take to get accredited or licensed? how intense and hard is school and clinicals? Do they try to "weed out" the bad students like some med schools do? If you're a Pscyh nurse practitioner I would really like to talk to you through email.

• Answer:

  I am not a Psych nurse practitioner, but here's what you'd need to do. Once you become an RN you would then look for a MSN program that has a nurse practitioner specialization to it. There should be one in Psych, I haven't checked in a long time for these things so you'll have to do some checking around. Also, you may want to get a BSN first, which you should be able to do without as much issue. Once you complete your MSN with the Nurse Practitioner etc. and get certified you just need to find a position. Competition is stiff right now, but it's nowhere near what med school would be. I would suggest that you find an RN program you like as I can't tell from your question if you are already a RN or not, if you are already one ask at the place that you did your RN program at for guidance and advice, if you're not an RN find some schools near you to check out. These programs will result in you being eligible to take the NCLEX exam which you need to do to get your nursing license, the nurse practitioner end of things has its own set of exams.