Additional Benefits of being a Nurse Practitioner

[Royal_RN, BSN, RN]

I am fresh out of nursing school, but I know I want to further my education at some point in the next few years. As I research NP jobs, duties, responsibilities, and perks, I would like to hear directly from all types of NPs - inpatient especially (that is what I think I am interested in).

What other perks besides increased pay do your employers offer? I'm used to hearing about incentives for new graduate RNs (tuition reimbursement, differentials, sign-on bonus, etc.) but didn't know if that carries over once you move up the totem pole so to speak.

[DrCOVID, DNP]

The older I get, the less important money is... but yes you can make a lot more money. Those NP that say they can't are getting swindled or the RN that makes NP money is working a ton of OT. Mostly, my cohort wants to become NPs because inpatient floor nursing is torturous. I was back-stabbed many times in my 8 years of inpatient nursing, not to mention horrible nurse "leaders." Quality of life is just enough to sell it and the biggest perk to me. I could do this job well into my 90s if I were still alive. I just hope I would stay up to date on current practice guidelines and keep reading, unlike some other crusty nurses/providers. Oh yea, and always be open to precept.

Anyway, you can be your own boss, have your own business, and yea there are things like pay increases/tuition forgiveness... but most of all I only have to deal with one person at a time and I can focus on them. I will never forget the day my boss counseled me because I had a patient complain he didn't get a doughnut cushion when I had 7 patients, and I had to prioritize passing meds on 6 other people and other surgical issues.