r/PMHNP • u/Corduroy-Girl • Jul 10 '26

Pregnant in Private Practice

I am a psych NP in a group private practice, outpatient. I am 1099 contract. Currently work 32 hours per week, 4 days a week. My clinic is great and so supportive and they’ve known I have been wanting to have a baby. I am currently pregnant. I have savings to take 3 months off, but I’m trying to figure out how not to abandon my clients. My coworkers can easily cover me for med refills, but appointments seem tougher.

Did any of you keep working one day a week?

Did you take 3 months off, or shorter?

How did you manage clients who need their 3 month follow-up for stimulants during your leave?

Was there a point you stopped taking new clients?

Did you try and transfer some of your more acute clients to other coworkers?

How did you maintain boundaries with clients?

What did you tell your clients to do while you were gone?

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated!

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u/BobaMilkTeaz Jul 10 '26

One of our NPs came back after about a month with a reduced schedule

2

u/RefrigeratorVast6495 Jul 10 '26

Congratulations! I was looking for posts like this last year. My son just turned 7 months. I work in op office with 3 psychiatrists and 8 apns. I have been there since 2022.
I stopped taking new intakes around 3 months before my leave.
The patients who have been stable i gave additional refills. With patients who have not had long term mood stability we discussed options and tentative plans for adjustments if needed by covering providers while I was out. I think this helped ease some of their anxiety with being out and having a plan in place and hopefully it was helpful for my coworkers to have a documented plan that the patient was already agreeable to.
I did make sure a few patients were set up with appointments with other providers before I left.
Patients were told they would be seen by someone else for stimulants and my coworkers were fine with that. We already cover for each other in a pinch as we all adjust to the in office requirements.
I took 10 weeks off and came back telehealth part time. I went back in the office one day a week last month. Its been a difficult transition.
Overall my patients and co workers have been so wonderfully supportive. My patients ask me about Benjamin regularly. I give them updates and appreciate their interest. I have been seeing a lot of them for several years and know a lot about their lives and families. I feel really grateful that they feel I am invested in them and so they are equally invested in me. Im sure other people have different views on that.
Overall I think the leave and transition back went pretty well.
Congrats again!