Nurse Practitioner Info:

[GVSUgirl87]

Hi all,

I'm a nursing student now, halfway through completing my BSN...I'm interested in earning my MSN and become a nurse practitioner. My question is what type of departments do nurse practitioners typically work in and what type of work do they do? I've tried to look up some stuff online, but most of it is for OB-GYN. Is this the main area of work for a NP?

Thanks everyone!!

- Jenny

[reznurse]

Does anyone have insight into NP in Oklahoma?

[sailornurse]

Thanks TraumaRUs. I am from Oklahoma (working on the Navajo reservation in New Mexico) and I know someone who opened up an NP clinic about two years ago in rural Oklahoma who seems to be doing very well, I am just worried about the power of the AMA and them feeling threatened by NP's.

Well-You are currently living in one of the BEST states for NP's-New Mexico!!! We have independent practice with full prescriptive authority. I am in Las Cruces. One of my FNP friends makes abot $80-90K but that's with her 10 years experiecece. New Np's start at about 65K. My other FNP friend is buying the building where she has her own practice. There are many APN's with own independent practices here. FNP is very marketable, you can specialize ( peds/women's health, internal med/ cardiology etc.) if you want to work WITH ( not for) a physician. One hospital has FNP's doing fastrack in the ER. & I am currently teaching (no- I did NOT plan to do that!!) in a BSN program

[reznurse]

Thanks sailornurse. Those are pretty good numbers, I imagine that Oklahoma is similar, if not we might end up out here! How's the teaching life?

[Gmag75]

I am currently working as a RN in a PICU. I'm currently in school for my RN to BSN and also am looking towards getting my masters degree. I was thinking of getting a degree as a NP in dermatology. But I have no idea how to go about getting information in it. Where do you go to school for NP in dematology or is it a certification after you're an NP? Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

There is no certification test for NP in derm that I'm aware of. What you do is get the general NP in either family nursing (FNP) or acute care (ACNP) or adult health (ANP) and from there specialize. Many times you can set yourself up for a job too by the way you do your clinicals.

[IMANURS]

GO Grand Valley State University!

Anyway, I too am heading to grad school. GVSU has a great program but limits you to adult or family practice. IF you are interested in acute care, you might consider Wayne State University, or U of M Flint, they are the only two programs in michigan offering ACNP. But I continually hear that a FNP is more marketable. BUt if you are like me and know you don't want to work in a doctor's office doing routine care, then an acute care specialty is the direction to go.:smilecoffeecup: