I'm an NP student - How did you choose your specialty?

Specialties NP

Published

I am currently in an accelerated BNS/MSN NP program and am thinking about what specialties I am interested in and what goals I have long term. I haven't had my maternity/pedi rotation yet, but I am really interested in labor and delivery and maybe even fertility. On the other hand, I also have a love for neuroscience (what my original BS is in), the brain and Alzheimer's - though I'm not sure if care in this area is something I would enjoy long term.

I worked as an LNA at an assisted living home for people with dementia over this past summer and I loved it, however it was so emotionally and mentally draining that it really took a toll on me as time went on. I know nursing and caring for others is never an easy job, and I am a very hard worker, however I want to have a job that won't constantly burn me out. I'd like to have a job that I smile at and am busy at, but am not so mentally exhausted that I can't socialize or do anything but sleep when I get home from a shift. I think that might be why labor and delivery seems so appealing to me... it's usually happy. It also could be the fact that I love kids and I love babies. :)

Long story short- I know I have plenty of time to figure this out for myself, but I'm a planner and I'd love to hear about specialties you're in or jobs you have that you love and why! How did you get to where you are and how did you decide what you wanted to do?

You were one who jumped right on the bandwagon of "bypassing the entire nursing profession", so I hope you're including yourself in those that overreacted. I did say I was exaggerating.

It is reasonable for those who have RN experience to base their APRN choices on that experience. That doesn't make it unreasonable for those who have not had RN experience to base their choices on other knowledge and experiences. The two scenarios are not mutually exclusive.

FWIW, it's tough to come on a forum, perhaps being a little naive, and then have people not answer your questions and jump all over you for furthering your education in a non-traditional way. I hate the NETY phrase, but some posters come across as arrogant and a bit cruel at times. I've probably done it myself. DjMatte, I remember the responses you got to a question you recently posted on another thread. You took lot of flak, and while I did not respond, I felt that some of those responses were unnecessarily blunt and not helpful. Same with the constant DE bashing on AN, among other things. Maybe that's why the perception of some is that nurses are nasty and mean to each other. I don't buy into the whole NETY thing, but it not's a stretch to see why some might.

My overreaction comment was geared toward the initial response to "GIBL" freaking out about DE nurses and the clearly misguided NETY statement by the OP. My reaction was pointed toward that specific part and my words clearly calculated because 1. the person who threw out that statement is not a nurse and 2. as he/she moves into a DE APRN goal will not have the background to have any justifiable opinion on that subject. I generally avoid commenting on people choosing one path or another anymore. But when they throw out phrases that characterize a profession offensively and they aren't actually working or plan to work in that role...I am quick to respond to that.

Unless you are 100% sure of exactly what you want to do and know there is a good likelihood of getting a job in that field, then I would pick your track of study based on what will give you the most options. For example if you study Women's Health then you can only work in that narrow field, but if you study Family NP then you can still work in Women's health, but also in a myriad of other specialties. It also depends on the state restrictions and the job market restrictions in your area. I work in FL and they will hire an FNP to work in a hospital position, but some states or employers will only hire an acute care NP into a hospital position.

Another thing that I notice as I job hunt is there seems to be A LOT of psych NP jobs out there, which probably means there is a serious shortage in the field.

Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

Students are always interested in specialties especially in the pre-licensure part of direct entry programs. My best advice is to be passionate about each one you get to rotate through and keep your eyes and ears and mind open to each possibility. Even more important is keep your mind open to primary care as well: it is a "specialty" in its own right, challenging and diverse.

Rather than focusing on specific specialties this early, consider thinking about general criteria you are interested in: do you want to establish a relationship with a patient and follow them long term, do you want to work a MF 9-5, do you want to work inpt or clinic or both, do you want to see a variety or the same thing over and over, etc. This is a better way to hone in on what you want to do in the end.

And enjoy the journey!

I am lumping in the Direct Entry MSN students also into this group. You need a base of nursing knowledge and experience to be a competent NP. Your nursing school will not teach you everything that you need to know to be a good provider. NP programs should require a minimum of 5 yrs nursing experience before applying. That way you actually have a good base of knowledge and experience to have an informed decision on their route to take in NP school.

I always find it curious when there are "soapbox" lectures posted for what seems like the sole purpose of scolding the OP. These are some pretty strong statements. What are they based on?

It is a scary thought that patients go to the doctor's office for a problem and they are treated by a fresh New Grad NP that has zero nursing experience prior to being an NP.

A novice NP is a novice NP, regardless of their prior experience.

{Getting off my soapbox}

I am going to get on my soapbox for a minute too.

The OP came here with excitement to ask about what people love about their jobs and why. It is a great chance for practicing NPs that love their job to share that excitement with a student NP that is planning for and dreaming about the future. I think most of us at some point in our student career are guilty of dreaming about the future. Instead the OP gets greeted by assumptive posts about his/her education choices (which has nothing directly to do with the topic at hand).

If you want to debate the role of RN experience in the NP practice role, start a thread, we can debate that. Otherwise, let those that work in NP practice share with the OP what we love about our jobs and why we chose them.

And on the topic of nurses eating their own, it sounds like many on this threat are fortunate enough to have not experienced this phenomenon. But it my 8 years of experience this has been very true at my facility. In general people are very hostile to students and don't want to be bothered by them. Which is just odd, because when I worked the floor the students were very helpful to my day.

Most of my working experience as an RN before becoming an ARNP was in the OR, and they devour their young there. It was bad enough that nurses suffered hostility and bullying from the doctors and the surgical techs, but the nurses would bully each other too...particularly the new nurses but also experienced nurses. It was so bad that half of new hires would wash out during orientation. Now I am not going say that this was all nurse driven, there were definitely management and systems reasons that contributed to this work environment.

I had multiple experiences of being eaten and bullied prior to becoming an NP.

That was, in fact, a large part of my motivation.

Oh boy!!!

The direct entry debate again. Actually its not a debate its a reality. Direct Entry NPs are here, not going anywhere and not seeking anybody's approval except for the one that matters and that's the professional licensing board in their state. This is as it should be in my opinion.

So on to your question. How will I find my specialty? I graduate in a couple months and my employer paid for my NP studies. This means they pick my specialty. It seems likely that I will be assigned one of three roles cardiology, medicine team (hospitalist) or ER from reading the tea leaves but who knows. Honestly, I don't care much. I've spent a long time in the ER but I'm not going to pretend my time as a nurse there would prep me for a role as a provider there and think I'd rather be in a new place taking on a new role. You have clinical rotations coming up and a job market to face after that so use those as a guide when its time to make that choice.

Do yourself a favor and don't try to explain your choice to other nurses. Your career path and educational choices were yours to make and you did nothing wrong by choosing what was available to you. If they don't like it they can soak in their own bile. Better yet if some nosey nurse comes around pretending to be your friend and asks about your background tell them to mind their business and go find a patient to help.

Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.
I had multiple experiences of being eaten and bullied prior to becoming an NP.

That was, in fact, a large part of my motivation.

I was fortunate not to have experienced bullying as a RN student, NP student, or NP. That may have been in part due to the fact that I was older when I went into nursing. I was not a sweet young thing, but rather a crabby middle aged mom of teenagers. Bullies would not get too far with me.

Well I certainly wouldn't receive my care from a DE NP. Personal preference.

Yeah I wasn't bullied either. I'm a big guy who is a combat vet and a background in the law. I've seen it but bullies are by nature a cowardly and lazy lot who prefer lower hanging fruit who won't drag them aside and tell them in no uncertain terms what they think of their punk selves.

Well I certainly wouldn't receive my care from a DE NP. Personal preference.

That's your right

Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.
Well I certainly wouldn't receive my care from a DE NP. Personal preference.

How would you be able to tell if the NP was a DE grad? Would you ask them? Would you still refuse to see him or her if they had been in practice for many years?

Specializes in NICU.

OP, well I guess you can see that you landed yourself in a hot mess ; )

To answer your question: I like babies and decided I wanted to take care of them. Therefore, I did everything I could to get hired into the NICU as a new grad. With a bit of luck I got my dream job and went to NP school a few years later to take care of the babies from a provider prospective.

I'm almost 10 years (4 of them as a NP) and still love my job. I can't guarantee that I will always love it, but can't see any of that now.

+ Add a Comment