What types of NPs are in higher demand?

Nursing Students NP Students

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Hello!

I'm currently a med-surg RN, looking to start NP school in fall of 2015.

Since I enjoy patient interaction, I would definitely be going toward the direction of patient care rather than admin or research. I also want to do some sort of specialty rather than broad and general stuff like family practice. Recently I've followed a wound care NP around for a day and I loved it! I've also always been interested in women's health (and always test really high in women's health in standardized tests).

However, I'm also concerned with the ease of finding jobs after graduation (I had some previous odd degrees that couldn't get me decent jobs and rather not go through that again). Really prefer not go through NP school just to find out my chosen specialty is competitive as heck. So... if ya'll can give me an idea of what type of NP is most needed, but are also some sort of specialty? Thanks in advance!

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

And also seriously consider what area you have experience in and a talent for! School does not prepare us fully to work in a specialty. I can't imagine trying to do what I do without having had a solid background in this field and see the poor outcomes of practitioners who lack a foundation.

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I live in a rural area, I don't know of a single PMHNP, other than those that post on this board. However, we have lots of FNPs & ACNPs working in primary care. We also have a few FNPs working full time and more part time in the ER, several working in various specialties, etc. I know a doc who has an urgent care, and they can't find enough FNPs to staff the place.

So from my unscientific background, FNPs/ACNPs seem to be in most demand. From discussions, I believe the primary cares that employ both NPs and Pediatricians would hire PNPs in a heartbeat, they just haven't had an opportunity to do so. I don't know why the only mental health agency in town doesn't/hasn't hired PMHNPs, probably just haven't been introduced to the idea yet.

I agree with others who have said, find the practice population that appeals to you most and get your degree in that. It might take a bit more for you to find your first job, but you will be much happier in it and the jobs after that are all reputation and word of mouth anyways.

The fact that you don't know a single PMHNP in your rural area should give you the clue that there is a need for it. It is not because there is no demand, it is because the supply is limited.

Another clue- until two years ago, the military was offering full scholarship with housing and living allowance for FNP students. They stopped that and changed it to PMHNP.

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Specializes in Emergency.
The fact that you don't know a single PMHNP in your rural area should give you the clue that there is a need for it. It is not because there is no demand, it is because the supply is limited.

Another clue- until two years ago, the military was offering full scholarship with housing and living allowance for FNP students. They stopped that and changed it to PMHNP.

While I will agree their are patients who need mental health services, I don't believe the fact that the local mental health providers have for whatever reason chosen to not employ or actively seek to employ PMHNPs somehow indicates a demand for their services. Instead, it indicates that in my small community, there is no demand for PMHNPs. Someone might be able to sell the providers on the services they as PMHNPs can provide, or since we are an independent practice state, hang out their own shingle, but I don't see how you can say there is a demand for someone if no one is looking to hire them.

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Might any of you be willing to share the general area you're describing, as in the Islands, Southwest, etc.? I don't think that would compromise our anonymity, but could go a long way in helping nurses and NPs gain traction in career planning and compensation as a profession. It's mutual empowerment. I don't understand the extreme reluctance (not yours; don't know why you as an individual weren't more specific, but in general) to provide that one level-higher information that would make so much more of what we share here actually USEFUL in a practical way.

I don't think it's going to weaken us as mutual competitors, either. If someone is willing to move across country or change his/her choice of specialties based on what's hot (or not) in your area you know about, then they are in a minority of nurses. If they;re willing to go that far, more power to them, I say. At the same time, they are balancing out a possible glut of licenses in one area that is depressing the market there, so adjustments are win-win.

There is a big shortage of PMHNPs in the Midwest, a psychiatrist friend told me, and he should know! I felt smug knowing I had already selected the "smart" choice, but it was my passion, not my pockets, that had chosen it years before I got to actually start.

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Thanks for your inputs! I've started FNP and after asking and researching around, I feel like I'm on the right path. I'm going to rule out PMHNP for myself because I'm not sure how well I can handle mental health patients. After FNP, people can always get certified in certain specialty areas right?

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

Yes, you can do a post master's certificate program in another specialty of your choice.

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.
I say get that msn in the area you feel passionate about if you are willing to keep an open mind and do more certifications then you will find your way. FNP is most marketable but if you are not interested, it won't make you happy. If you are going to invest time and money for a graduate education might as well be what you are passionate about

This is good advice! I have a colleague who did FNP to be marketable....but turns out her heart missed the NICU babies. She went back for a post masters NNP. Had she followed her passion, she would have just done that for the first degree and saved a lot of time and money.

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Thanks for your inputs! I've started FNP and after asking and researching around, I feel like I'm on the right path. I'm going to rule out PMHNP for myself because I'm not sure how well I can handle mental health patients. After FNP, people can always get certified in certain specialty areas right?

You can like any other specialty. A PMHNP can get a certificate for FNP etc etc.

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