[HISSYTHECAT]

I have been thinking about going into Nurse Practioner. Does anybody know anything about this field. How long do you have to go? Do you do the 4 year program for RN and then so many years for that? Does anybody know if there is a shortage for them like there are for the nurses? Just wandering....

[kvack]

Most universities offer an NP program time varies but mostly 2 yrs is what you'll spend in the course No you dont have to be a nurse first to be a physicans asst(NP) same damn thing) Shortage not yet but there is always the possibility starting salary 60k tops out at 100k

[2ndCareerRN]

Normally I let posts like this go by, but had to reply to this one.

Most universities offer an NP program time varies but mostly 2 yrs is what you'll spend in the course

Many, but not all, universities offer a nurse practitoneer track. And then not all universities that offer the NP track will offer all the different types of NP. You will need to decide what you want to do, and then where you want to do it. A NP is a masters level program. You will need to have your RN, and a Bachelors degree in something to get into a NP program. Of course, a BSN is the one most preferred.

No you dont have to be a nurse first to be a physicans asst(NP) same damn thing)

Yes, the normal time for the masters portion of the NP is 2 years, after the four you have spent getting your bachelor degree, so a total of 6 years of school is required.
A NP and a PA are NOT the same thing. A NP is a nurse, a person who brings the caring and compassion to the position with him, a NP is (or should be) concerned with the whole patient (holistic approach). A PA is nothing more than a doctors little helper, one who cannot even work if the Dr is out of the building. A PA is much like a Dr, only concerned with the immediate sx and treatment of that. The NP on the other hand will take into account the patients entire wellness/illness and also the environment to treat the person, not just the symptoms.

Shortage not yet but there is always the possibility starting salary 60k tops out at 100k

I don't know anything about the shortage, so I will not comment.
But, salary starting at 60K is unlikely. In this part of the country the starting salary is around 3400-4200 a month, and goes up with experience from there. A NP with a solid background, and several to many years of experience may get 60K to start and up from there.

There is a NP forum on this board, go and read some of the posts and you may get a better idea than what I can tell you. I will tell you I decided not to get my masters and become an NP because I feel that by traveling I can make more money that most NP's at this time.

bob

[HISSYTHECAT]

OK Thanks guys. I appreciate the info...

[np2b]

I think I can say pretty confidently that the NP tracks aren't hurting for people nearly so much has RN positions....the exception being perhaps neonatal NPs and others who, like many RNs, work in hospitals. (Where the conditions are driving many people away from the profession.)

Otherwise, there are certainly places in the country where the market is saturated with NPs, but it largely depends on the profession. Here in the SF Bay Area, you'd be hard-pressed to find a full-time job as a family nurse practitioner right out of school. Many NPs piece together a couple of part-time gigs in order to make a full-time career. However, if you were to head a couple of hours south, into rural California, finding a job wouldn't be so difficult.

Once you've nailed down what type of NP specialty you want to do, I'd look into areas where you're willing to live and see what the prospects are locally.

Best of luck!

Kelly

PS If you have a bachelor's degree in a field other than nursing, there are several NP programs around the country that will allow you to emerge with a degree in 3 years (that includes spending a year to 16 months preparing for sitting for your RN licencing exam). They're often called masters-entry or bridge or direct-entry programs. Just another option for you to consider.