Np vs Rn

Specialties NP

Published

I want to hear from the np's who worked as Rn's before doing np. Which do you like better? Being an np now or when you were an Rn? I'm not concerned about difference in salary just as a job which are you happier doing?

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Im the dissenter: RN by far. I had an extremely traumatic first year as an APN which even now, 7 yrs later, makes me rethink my professional choices....

I loved, loved the ER and very much enjoyed working there.

Specializes in Adult Health.

I started as a staff RN, became a staff educator and infection control nurse, a unit manager, and then an NP.

I don't make a ton more than I did working per diem as an RN my last year as an NP student, but...

I don't miss being a staff nurse. As a hospitalist NP until recently, I worked with some amazing staff nurses who loved being staff nurses. It was a pleasure working with them, but I'm glad I wasn't the one on the floor anymore. I love being an NP. I love the challenge, the interaction one on one with patients, the ability to made my own decisions and the autonomy.

I'm transitioning to a specialty office (geriatrics) and looking forward to the new environment. The NPs there have their own patients, consult in the hospital, and do a lot of public education. I've been told by all the NPs that the collaborating physician wants independence and will support continued education. I'm so excited and even though I've been an NP for only 2 years, it's been worth it.

So much to think about. I guess I will have to find out for myself what I like better.

The two np programs that I will be considering are about 50k-60k. Is that on the expensive side or the inexpensive side?

For MSN, it is on the VERY expensive side. For DNP, I think it is fine.

My only fear is that I won't get into an np program. For instance, one of the local universities only accepts 24 np students per year. Seriously, how do you get into a program that accepts that few?!

Well.. you just have to compete or to be willing to move and pay high out-of-state tuition.. If just about every RN can become NP, then what's the point, market will be saturated and there will not be enough jobs for NP.

I don't want to give the impression that NP is superior. Not at all. It may "sound" more cushy but it comes with responsibility. It just fits someone's career goals better. And of course, since you are posting in APRN forum, most people here will favor NP route. I know a lot of nurses (RNs) who are happy financially and professionally with what they do esp most experienced RN. They don't think it is worth to go back for 3 years to make about the same or a little bit more.

RN is not a dead end career. For RN, you can obtain non-NP/clinical leader MSN and move up to administrative position (eg. director/manager) and make even more or the same money as NP with a few years of experience. And you probably will have autonomy in those positions as well. Another hot area is clinical informatics nursing- MSN prefered.

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