Hello, I am in my first year of a BSN to DNP program, and I am in the ACNP track. Our school is starting an FNP program as well. I am wondering if some ACNPs can elaborate what type of hours and hospitals setting you work in. I have a young child, and I am considering going for the FNP program bc (well for one thing, it is a generalist degree, and I like that option), I am worried about the hours of an ACNP...My background is in surgery and critical care, and my passion is critical care. BUT, my family has to come first, and all I keep hearing is that I will likely be placed on midnights as a new NP like I was as a new RN.... I absolutely can not work MN...I have no family here, and there is no one to watch my son. My husband works swing shifts, without any warning, so I would run into a lot of issues there. I don't want to get done with my program, and not be able to find a job bc I can't find a day shift position. If I go the FNP route, I am not sure of those settings either....any ideas, or suggestions?? HELP!!
I am just a little frustrated because my director just keeps telling me that I will start off on midnights. I don't think this is necessarily true. I was planning on staying in critical care, but now I am considering something different. we will see I guess!
That brings me to another question. If I do my clinicals in critical care, can I take a job as an ACNP somewhere else in the hospital? Or am I pretty much pigeonholed based on my clinical rotations?
Hi WalkieTalkie. I am sure you can find a night job! Those will definitely be out there for ACNPs!
DNPstudent, I'm not sure why your director is saying you will start off working midnights (although I'm sure this is good news to WalkieTalkie), because you will have options. As far as feeling pigeonholed based on your clinical rotations, you will still be able to work in another specialty/area if you later choose. Because your degree will be in acute care, which is rather general as you inquired before, that should avoid some pigeonhole problems. But do give some thought to where to do your rotations. I do suggest that if you have an area you think you might be interested in working in other than critical care, you do a rotation there. The best time to try new things and experience different environments is during school. Did you work in critical care as an RN? That will already show you have some experience there, so there is less pressing need to make all rotations there. Your clinical rotations will help you sell yourself to a future employer, particularly if you didn't work in that environment as a nurse.
Hello NP to PhD...Yes, my background is CT ICU, and OR. I think I need to do some shadowing to see what else I can do. I love the idea of staying in a cardiology based setting, but I really think that there is so much more out there that I am not looking at...My OR background for example could probably be a big help if I decide to get into a practice with a surgeon. I think I just need to get a good look at what is out there and go from there. I was so set on staying in critical care, that I didn't think about a bigger picture. Now I am starting to see that there is a vast variety of areas I can work!
I am just a little frustrated because my director just keeps telling me that I will start off on midnights. I don't think this is necessarily true. I was planning on staying in critical care, but now I am considering something different. we will see I guess!
Every local job market will be different. There are definitely daytime jobs out there. All of our hospitalist ACNPs work 4-10's during the day. One of the critical care NPs just left to work a 9-5 cardiology clinic job.
The issue of nights is going to continue to come up. As hospitals (especially academic medical centers) move toward a 24-7 model and resident hours are curtailed, there will be an increased need for people to work off shifts. Whether thats your particular cup of tea or not is going to depend. The other area that critical care directors are grappling is experience. The people most willing to work nights are the young and the new grads. Unfortunately this is the population that is least able to work alone at night. Overall there are jobs out there. The more flexible that you can be the easier it is going to be to find a job.
The NPs at my hospital work 24 hour shifts, so you get both days and nights:) Also, pre-op uses NPs to do the inital anesthesia assessment before surgery. Those are M-F day shift positions.
corbon
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I'm applying to an ACNP school in the Fall. I'm glad this question came up. It gave me an idea of what to expect.