Help! 1st job experience- chronic dialysis or med-surg? My goal is to be an ARNP.

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a new ADN grad, enrolled in a BSN program. My plan is to get some experience as an RN for at least 2 years before I start applying to an FNP-DNP program locally.

I guess my question really is what experience will help me become an FNP? (I have researched ER is or even a urgent care clinic is...but right now the choices given to me are a dialysis job, and a med-surg one.)

Currently I am in the 3rd week of orientation at my chronic dialysis job. I like it because it has a set schedule of M,W,F, no sundays, no holidays. I am scared of it at the same time because of nurses who say its hard to leave. Although if I do stay in this field, I have considered becoming a nephrology NP. (Although I am unsure about this job outlook for nephrology NP's since it is so specialized).

I had a recent interview at the hospital I did my nursing clinicals at and got hired as a med-surg nurse on the surgical unit. I figured I have enough time to make my decision as there is no penalty to leave the dialysis job if I choose to do so before the end of orientation. However the med surg position is a variable shift, and I am scared about having the worst sleep schedule combined with the steepest learning curve.

Any people in this predicament? Or ARNP's that can give me advice about which experience is the better of the 2?

If I manage to get an ARNP with dialysis experience, will I be able to get a job somewhere outside of the field is also what I am wondering as well. Thanks!

Going to school and working is tough. Med surg would help you get lots of experience but hard to get a flexible schedule. If you like dialysis in a few years you could go to acute dialysis .

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