Career alternatives for NPs

Editorial Team / Admin · Aug 3, 2005

hello everyone! i am a rn with 11 yrs of nursing experience in various areas (med-surg, burn unit, onc, amb surg, iv therapy, nursing educ, insurance, step-down, ltc, l&d, management, post-partum, informatics). while working in l&d, i decided ob/womens health was my niche. i completed my training as a womens health np in dec 2003. i left va (husband in military) where i had several job offers (education and np) and moved 45 min from dc where i have had no such luck in finding a whnp position (ob docs are getting out of ob, high malpractice etc). we are here to stay and needless to say i am quite fustrated. currently, i am working as a pain management nurse supervisor. i miss doing ob, but i am totally burned out from l&d. i like working with my hands. so i have considered going back for the post masters cert- fnp and maybe i can incorporate my np training into something interesting. as you may gather i get bored easily. things like surgery, er and ob keep my interest. are there any nps out there that can help me discover other alternatives for our profession? thanks in advance

hello. i do understand exactly what you mean.

i , too, am an ob-gyn (women's health) np. i, too, found after so many years in this narrow profession, the liability was tremendous....physicians getting out and doing gyn only....malpractice insurance too much to afford. i did go back for the fnp and did that for many years, too. i have recently certified in the legal aspects of nursing and have started m own business in that. so, i know there are other areas for you. i have always been intrigued by the legal side of medicine, hence my choice.

i think with your valuable experience,you would excell as an fnp. if you want more info, you may pm me. i will be on in the a.m.

goodnight!!

siri, crnp, clnc, rlnc

JACKMAC · Aug 6, 2005

I can understand your situation. If you want to complete your FNP look into doing it online through Northern Kentuky University. They have a program called NP Advancement that is for NPs with Master's Degrees that want to expand their scope. You only take the classes needed to be able to sit for FNP certification or other certification that you want. I will probably be starting the ANP to FNP in December. Good luck.