NP Salary vs. RN salary

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I second that BmoreCRNP!!! I think that is sooo true about how we can work like a dog just to make the money, BUT then again is it really worth it?? I will keep my wonderful NP job AND my happiness, thank you very much!! :yeah:

Spencer2002

132 Posts

This thread has been really helpful in reminding why I want to become an NP. Reading these posts really motivates me to study and the GRE done. And like most have said, THE MONEY is not worth giving up a normal happy life. Horrible hours, no respect from staff and missing Holidays, NO THANKS!

Phoenix2010

29 Posts

Specializes in Critical care,Psyciatric (family).

You wouldn't happen to be from Texas would you? All of our managers, directors, etc. in the critical care areas had associate degrees and treated the staff who were aspiring for higher edcation like "crap."

carachel2

1,116 Posts

RN's don't START @ 80-100K. NP's do and then the possibilities only increase after that. Our salary quotes include "just" 36-40 hour week and don't require hours and hours of overtime, 14 hour shifts and schlepping through holiday shifts while your family sits by the Christmas tree or hunts Easter Eggs without you. I'm sure it IS possible to make 80K as an RN AFTER 10-15 years of experience...right when you are hitting your upper 40's and 50's and realize you are practically incontinent from working so many hours without stopping to pee and you realize your knees are crap from working on concrete floors and kneeling down for 40 minutes on your knee to desperately try and start a line in the ER.

Phoenix2010

29 Posts

Specializes in Critical care,Psyciatric (family).

I have been an RN for over 25 years; 22 of those years were spent working bedside care in the ICUs mostly, but also ED or any other place they needed me. I graduated with an associate degree in 1985, and then went back for my completion BSN in 2001. I had already had one back surgery, and was determined to get out of the environment before my physical health was completely ruined. I lost a child in 1996 and became interested in Family Psychiatric NP. I graduated from that program in May of 2007, went to work for a psychiatric hospital making 80,000 per year as opposed to 50-60. I was loving it until L4 and L5 decided to leave me at the same time. I could not walk or get out of the bed, lost 40 lbs and as a single mother almost lost everything I owned because I was in a new job without sick leave or insurance and had only been there a short time. I had more surgey in October of 2007, but continued to have severe pain in my right leg and had to quit my job. By the grace of God somehow the same graduate school that I had graduated from called me to teach in there BSN program. The money is average, but the hours are great and there is no physical labor involved. I still want my certification some day, and yes if you can find a job as a psychiatric NP you can make great money because there are so few of that particular specialty.

Phoenix 2010

Spencer2002

132 Posts

Would it be reasonable to work part time while in school part-time or full time. I heard that once you have entered a NP program you can teach at the BSN level.

foreverLaur

1,319 Posts

Would it be reasonable to work part time while in school part-time or full time. I heard that once you have entered a NP program you can teach at the BSN level.

I'm not sure about the latter, but a decent number of programs I have researched actually recommend you work part-time as a RN. Perhaps you should look at entering programs that are designed for students to be working at least part-time as a RN.

GM2RN

1,850 Posts

Would it be reasonable to work part time while in school part-time or full time. I heard that once you have entered a NP program you can teach at the BSN level.

Some NP programs, Michigan State's for example, are offered part-time. I would imagine that you could even work full-time in a program like this if you are working 3 days a week.

Phoenix2010

29 Posts

Specializes in Critical care,Psyciatric (family).

Most graduate schools prefer that you not work at all,but that is normally not reasonable for most of us. I worked three 12 hour shifts weekly in ICU and the team I worked with was real good about changing days around for me, or simply picking up one of my shifts. The last semester I went to a PRN status while doing my practicum and worked very little. I used student loan money, savings and credit cards. I was broke when I graduated which made my back injury even worse. I work for UAMS in a satellite BSN program. You do not have to be an NP to teach, although they prefer it but you have to have a masters degree in something to teach BSN students in our program. What you have to be while in school is very creative and resilient if you work.You can teach in an ADN or LPN program if you have a BSN.

Good Luck!

Phoenix 2010

foreverLaur

1,319 Posts

Probably the only reason I was considering NP over PA was the ability to work while getting your MSN where that is impossible to do in PA school. Guess I ought to rethink that one...

carachel2

1,116 Posts

Probably the only reason I was considering NP over PA was the ability to work while getting your MSN where that is impossible to do in PA school. Guess I ought to rethink that one...

I think you can work while you get your MSN. Almost all of my classmates and I worked at some capacity throughout the program. The key is having a job you can flex as your class needs change and clinical hours become more of a focus. You need to plan ahead for your practicum and realize it will be next to impossible to to work a lot while you are doing that semester. My MSN program allowed people to split their practicum and this was done by a few students who just absolutely HAD to work.

There were plenty of students with no kids, no family and they worked full time and went to school either part-time or full-time.

Reno1978, BSN, RN

1,133 Posts

Specializes in SRNA.
Would it be reasonable to work part time while in school part-time or full time. I heard that once you have entered a NP program you can teach at the BSN level.

The FNP program I'm looking into has it set up over 7 semesters, taking two classes each 16 week semester, however they structure the classes into 8 weeks, so you basically take one class at a time throughout most of the program. Talking to the program coordinator, she says many students continue working full time. I'm currently working with nurses who continue working full-time while in graduate school.

I plan on continuing to work FT while going to school. Mostly because I only work 3 nights a week and I have little outside obligations on my 4 days off to distract me from my schoolwork.

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