[daholetruth]

Hello Nurses,
I am searching for the truth about being a Nurse Practioner. I was suckered into being an RN and spent the last 10 years trying to avoid bedpans, cleaning feces, vomit, and other human evacuations.

Can anyone advise me on any of these:
if NP's are being employed a lot?
are PA's more preferred?
is there collaboration between the MDs and the NPs?
are NP's intellectually valued?
what sort of opportunities are there for NP's outside the hospital?
what is the social climate like between RN's and NP's?
What is the social climate like between NP's and Dr's?
Do NP's find their education enough to diagnosis accurately?
As an NP, what do you find frustrating being an NP?
As an NP, what do you enjoy most about the field?
As an NP do you wish you had just gone to Med school or became a PA?
And last but not least as an NP were there any situations that required you to handle a bedpain, urinal, vomint basin etc..?

Please nurses, tell the whole truth as it is. You need not be politically correct or impartial because that is how i got into into this mess in the first place. I had teachers who were unopinionated and detached from reality.

[sirI]

Originally Posted by daholetruth

Hello Nurses,
I am searching for the truth about being a Nurse Practioner. I was suckered into being an RN and spent the last 10 years trying to avoid bedpans, cleaning feces, vomit, and other human evacuations.

Can anyone advise me on any of these:

if NP's are being employed a lot?
are PA's more preferred?
is there collaboration between the MDs and the NPs?
are NP's intellectually valued?
what sort of opportunities are there for NP's outside the hospital?
what is the social climate like between RN's and NP's?
What is the social climate like between NP's and Dr's?
Do NP's find their education enough to diagnosis accurately?
As an NP, what do you find frustrating being an NP?
As an NP, what do you enjoy most about the field?
As an NP do you wish you had just gone to Med school or became a PA?
And last but not least as an NP were there any situations that required you to handle a bedpain, urinal, vomint basin etc..?

Please nurses, tell the whole truth as it is. You need not be politically correct or impartial because that is how i got into into this mess in the first place. I had teachers who were unopinionated and detached from reality.

Hello, daholetruth,

Most of the answers are location dependent. My area has a demand for nurse practitioners and not PAs.

My state requires colloborative agreements.

Yes, the NP is intellecually prepared.

I am in a practice as FNP with 6 physicians. Many are in practice as PNP, NNP, ACNP...

Physicians in my area are receptive to the NP. The nurses, LPN, RN have no problem.

I learned after the NP program how to really hone my diagnostic skills. That takes experience.

I can not identify any frustrations at this time.

I enjoyo the complete autonomy that I have. I love ER call.

Never considered a PA. I did consider med school and was actually accepted. Changed my mind and decided this was the right decision for me. (I had been an NP for a while).

I have been vomited on too many times to count as an NP....

[daholetruth]

Hi Siri,
thanks for replying. which state do you work in? I work in NY and would like to continue working there after i complete an FNP. Do you know of other venues an FNP can practive in outside of the hospital? Do you know if FNP's are used outside the United States or Nurse Practioners in general?

[Dancie]

What is your location where there is a demand for NP? What are you personal opinions as to what type of NP are needed...ie NNP, PNP, GNP, FNP?

[sirI]

Originally Posted by daholetruth

Hi Siri,
thanks for replying. which state do you work in? I work in NY and would like to continue working there after i complete an FNP. Do you know of other venues an FNP can practive in outside of the hospital? Do you know if FNP's are used outside the United States or Nurse Practioners in general?

Hello again, daholetruth,

I am located in the rural South.

The FNP is utilized normally in the clinic setting, but, I know of a couple in my area who work in the hospital setting and as state employees in the public health arena. I am utilized primarily in the clinic setting, however, I do quite a bit of ER call. This is the part that really excites me. I am an OB-GYN NP as well as FNP and am utilized in both capacities within the hospital setting.

Yes, NPs are utilized abroad. I know of a couple who have gone to Europe and worked.

[sirI]

Originally Posted by Dulcedragon

What is your location where there is a demand for NP? What are you personal opinions as to what type of NP are needed...ie NNP, PNP, GNP, FNP?

Hello, dulcedragon,

I am located in the rural South. I started out as OB-GYN NP and added the FNP for the better marketability. Now, I am utilized as both, however, the FNP is what got my foot in the door.

I have friends who are ACNP. A couple who are PNP and NNP. Those are the most marketable in my area.

[lalaxton]

Was it worth it? Every minute of it!

I am a US trained FNP now living back in Canada and working as an ACNP. There are almost 800 practicing Primary Care and Acute Care NP's in Ontario a the moment. Our scope of practice is more restricted here but we are working on improving that! Other provinces have started to use NP's in varying degrees and there is a movement to standardize competencies and testing across the country. (for more info lon NP's in Canada ook up the 'Canadian Nurse Practitioner Initiative')

[JACKMAC]

Yes it is worth it. Research your area for marketability, FNP is usually the most marketable. Some areas with PA schools use them more. Most NPs do not work in a hospital but more are starting to.
But if you do not like sick people, and it sounds like you don't, then find another area health care. When people are sick, basic human needs have to be taken care of. Granted in an office there is less feces but I have been thrown up on, spit up on by children, collected numerous samples of vaginal discharge, and wiped many tears. Yes, I have helped little old ladies go to the bathroom because they needed me and no one else could help. I am just grateful that I don't have to ask anyone for help but one day I probably will and so will you. I know working in a hospital is tough and it sounds like you need to find another area to work in. But please don't just try to avoid human needs, they will always be there.

[DeigoT]

Originally Posted by JACKMAC

Yes it is worth it. Research your area for marketability, FNP is usually the most marketable. Some areas with PA schools use them more. Most NPs do not work in a hospital but more are starting to.
But if you do not like sick people, and it sounds like you don't, then find another area health care. When people are sick, basic human needs have to be taken care of. Granted in an office there is less feces but I have been thrown up on, spit up on by children, collected numerous samples of vaginal discharge, and wiped many tears. Yes, I have helped little old ladies go to the bathroom because they needed me and no one else could help. I am just grateful that I don't have to ask anyone for help but one day I probably will and so will you. I know working in a hospital is tough and it sounds like you need to find another area to work in. But please don't just try to avoid human needs, they will always be there.

Well said.