Soon to be NP. Nervous.

[anh06005]

I graduate in just a few weeks with my FNP. Not sure yet where I'll wind up but I am feeling very nervous about the change in role (RN to NP).

I know this is normal and all but just wondering if any other soon to be's feel the same, any tips from experienced NP's, etc.

I've seen plenty of threads about exams but not many about the actual role change. Thanks!!

[anh06005, MSN, APRN, NP]

I'm right there with you anh06005 I feel the same way.

I knew there were others!! I'm not the most social person unless I'm in the nurse role so I don't small talk with many of my classmates.

I'm a few weeks on a new Lexapro prescription from the nerves and stress and may ask for propranolol for test day lol.

I'm usually someone who can take stress pretty well. Really I am. I think it's that this is my ultimate goal in my career and I don't know what job I will have yet (and I'm a HUGE planner....so not being able to PLAN really gets to me)....so figure I'll give the Lexapro a year or two lol.

[jj2004]

i also have Holliers review cd's and scheduled a course in December. have u taken your boards yet? just wondering if I am wasting my time with the review course after listening to the cd's. if you have taken it, did Hollier's material help?

Jackie

[honeykrown, MSN, NP]

Anh06005, I feel the same way. I am a new NP just 5weeks in my position. What everyone said here is so true, I still feel like I don't know anything and I second guess myself a lot. Right now I have very supportive coworkers and bosses.

One of my supervisor said the most dangerous provider is one who does not ask and feel they know all. So take this into practice. It is better to ask than not ask at all. I have another NP who we are close and I ask questions all the time. If we both don't know we ask the MD.

Our company lost UTD and micromedex and I find myself using medscape a lot (it's free and they divide the sections easily). Not as informative as UTD but good for easy read up.

All the best to you and know that you are prepared for this. Everyone I meet said you will learn a lot in your first year than you did in school. So that first year may be the roughest

[ispilledink2]

Follow your gut instinct when it comes to diagnoses and ruling out the abnormal. Your a nurse first and let that be your foundation. Order what is necessary and prescribe what the patient needs. If ever in doubt seek out a differential. There is nothing wrong with consulting with your MD.

[ispilledink2]

Oh and congratulations on this huge accomplishment! I hope to be in your shoes in three years!

[anh06005, MSN, APRN, NP]

i also have Holliers review cd's and scheduled a course in December. have u taken your boards yet? just wondering if I am wasting my time with the review course after listening to the cd's. if you have taken it, did Hollier's material help?

Jackie

I haven't taken them yet!! I hope too before Christmas so I can relax. I graduate in 3 weeks and hope to take boards the week after since I've already applied.

I've stalked these boards a lot and everyone seems to think Hollier helps. I do know that I'm making a lot more connections with her help. I'm on my 2nd listen with the CD's and plan to focus on those and Leik's book these last few weeks.

Hope we all pass!!!

[anh06005, MSN, APRN, NP]

Anh06005, I feel the same way. I am a new NP just 5weeks in my position. What everyone said here is so true, I still feel like I don't know anything and I second guess myself a lot. Right now I have very supportive coworkers and bosses.

One of my supervisor said the most dangerous provider is one who does not ask and feel they know all. So take this into practice. It is better to ask than not ask at all. I have another NP who we are close and I ask questions all the time. If we both don't know we ask the MD.

Our company lost UTD and micromedex and I find myself using medscape a lot (it's free and they divide the sections easily). Not as informative as UTD but good for easy read up.

All the best to you and know that you are prepared for this. Everyone I meet said you will learn a lot in your first year than you did in school. So that first year may be the roughest

I've heard the first year is roughest too. I know it was when I graduated and became a RN so I figure NP will be the same. I think it's that I'll have more responsibility and make a lot more calls!! And I won't accept a position where I'm not working with someone experienced lol. I won't feel safe doing that

[OBigdog26, MSN, RN, NP]

Do you recommend new NPs do a fellowship after NP school to ease transition into a provider role?

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses

[Alicia777, MSN, NP]

I'm 3 weeks into my NP position after being an RN for almost 15 yrs. Its definitely different! My position is inpatient surgical with assisting in the OR and my most recent background is as an OR nurse.

What I've been doing is keeping a little book (I like moleskine you can find on Amazon) of important things like tests I want to read up on, a how-to of note writing, such as inpatient order set and dictating notes for example.

I echo what BC said, I feel like such an imposter! But, everyday I find myself making a bit of progress, even if that means remembering one new thing from the day before. Just as everyone said, ask questions, make notes and review them.

You can PM me directly if you want to chat or for support :-)

[nursemissy8]

I'm a new NP also, graduated in August and started my job in October, so only here a little over a month. I think the best advice is make sure you study, study for the boards. I thought I was going to do my boards a couple weeks after graduating too, but once I got into things, I did not feel ready. I took Fitzgerald online course on top of several other books, Barkley DRT, etc. I am an AGPCNP, so our test did not include pediatric. Just don't rush to take the exam to get it over with, you will be more likely to fail.

As for jobs, my biggest recommendation is to find a collaborating physician who gets that you are new NP and you are comfortable working with! I work with 2 physicians, who are both understanding that I am new to this and never wrote prescriptions/ordered test before in my life. I'm so nervous that I should know it, but they are both very good at teaching and saying we were all new once, you are not going to learn everything in a day.

Good Luck!