How do you figure out what specialty to pick?

[HeartNursing3]

I am a RN who is considering applying to a MSN program to start Fall 2014. However, I cannot figure out what specialty I want to do.

I love trauma/critical care and always considered acute care NP. However, I don't want to work nights/evenings/weekends/holidays for the rest of my life and it can be difficult to find a Mon-Fri daytime job as a ACNP.

So I thought about doing FNP since that's outpatient. But it limits me to family medicine. No real option for specialty offices. But it does let me do adults and kids.

I always wondered what type of NP specialty offices want (such as a cardiologist) but then I found myself getting frustrated that so often these patients are partially to blame for their health issues and ignore the education you give them.

So then I thought I'd be interested in working with kids. But PNP (either acute or primary) is very limiting and I know several that have a hard time finding jobs. So then I was back to FNP since you are a lot more marketable but will a pediatric office hire a FNP?

I have an interest in women's health and thought about doing the dual nurse midwife / women's health NP in my town. However, I'm not sure I'd like looking at THAT part of a women day in and day out and it would make me sad that I wouldn't have anything to do with the baby once it is born.

But I don't want to do neonatal NP - too sad and not enough baby snuggling. Post partum bores me to death.

I have worked in psych and have no interest in it.

So how does one figure out what specialty to pick?

[phillycpnp-pc, MSN, RN, NP]

I work with kids and doing PNP. Like the other poster said I don't mind limiting myself to pediatrics and could never do adults even though i agree that FNPs are more marketable and versatile especially job wise. I have many friends that are FNP students and they say their pediatric classes do not have as much depth as mine do because they have to cover all age groups.

However, you have to consider the parents too if you want to do kids. Some can be very disrespectful and nasty and do not follow recommendations, treatments plans, and/or do not follow up for their children and simply don't care etc. I think all specialties are going to have pros and cons.

[HeartNursing3]

I wish more schools did MSN programs like Case Western. It's not an option for me (relocation + price) but they have a lot of blended majors that don't really add much time to schooling (maybe a semester). They have a blended PNP/FNP program that would be great!

I know what you mean about parents. I remember being scared of them and dreaded them being around the entire time in my peds clinical! I think that was mostly due to the fact that I have no kids and was very unfamiliar with that environment. That being said, I would definitely take babies with bad parents over adults any day!

[mcnacht]

FNP for sure if you don't know at least which age group you want to see. You can always add a certification later, but initially, FNP gives you the most flexibility.

Some areas will only consider FNP's, like urgent care or the military, in case those might be in your future.

[IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

FNP for sure if you don't know at least which age group you want to see. You can always add a certification later, but initially, FNP gives you the most flexibility.

Some areas will only consider FNP's, like urgent care or the military, in case those might be in your future.

Uh...military takes PNPs.

[nomadcrna, DNP, CRNA, NP]

Unless things have changed, the army only takes three types of APRNs.

CRNA

Psyc

Family

[IrishIzCPNP, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

Unless things have changed, the army only takes three types of APRNs.

CRNA

Psyc

Family

Air Force...they even do nice scholarships. I'd join if I didn't have a many kids. PNP and many others listed.

http://m.airforce.com/careers/bycategory/health-and-medicine

[phillycpnp-pc, MSN, RN, NP]

Since you have your heart set on kids then you should do FNP since you are still a little unsure of a specialty. You can still work in pediatric offices as a FNP. At one of my clinical sites, at a peds primary care office, my preceptor was a FNP that just did pediatrics. You could switch it up later to different specialty later.

I wish more schools did MSN programs like Case Western. It's not an option for me (relocation + price) but they have a lot of blended majors that don't really add much time to schooling (maybe a semester). They have a blended PNP/FNP program that would be great!

I know what you mean about parents. I remember being scared of them and dreaded them being around the entire time in my peds clinical! I think that was mostly due to the fact that I have no kids and was very unfamiliar with that environment. That being said, I would definitely take babies with bad parents over adults any day!

[calinicumurse]

When I go to the dermatologist, I see an NP....are they an FNP or what?

[HeartNursing3]

When I go to the dermatologist, I see an NP....are they an FNP or what?

I would imagine they would have to be. Every dermatologist I have ever been to sees both kids and adults. I went to the same dermatologist from age 14 to now (26).