Any NPs miss nursing?

Editorial Team / Admin · Jul 13, 2009

Great question!!

I have never regretted becoming APN. I quite honestly did not like bedside nursing.

As for identifying more with physician or nurse? I think that may be an even call somewhat leaning to the former. And, that is just because of the responsibility with my patient care - dx and tx.

But, great question, ghillbert.

Trauma Columnist · Jul 13, 2009

YEs, I miss bedside nursing. I was an ER nurse for 10 years,worked a year in ICU and 2 years in LTC before becoming an APN. I still do nursing things for my patients. If they are vomiting, bleeding or whatever, if I'm the one at the bedside I take care of the immediate issue.

I identify more with the nurses because I feel its important that we advocate for the bedside nurse.

Editorial Team / Admin · Jul 13, 2009

YEs, I miss bedside nursing. I was an ER nurse for 10 years,worked a year in ICU and 2 years in LTC before becoming an APN. I still do nursing things for my patients. If they are vomiting, bleeding or whatever, if I'm the one at the bedside I take care of the immediate issue.
I identify more with the nurses because I feel its important that we advocate for the bedside nurse.

Goodness, traumaRUS, your answer made me feel horrible. LOL!!

Seriously, I am an advocate for the nurse; strong advocate. But, clinical (read, bedside) nursing was not my forte' (although I was good at it and did it for many years). I found my niche' as APN and Nurse Educator.

Trauma Columnist · Jul 13, 2009

Oh Siri dear you know I didn't mean to do that! Not at all. I just miss bedside nursing because of some political stuff that is going on now in the practice.

Editorial Team / Admin · Jul 13, 2009

Oh, I know. But, it did make me reflect upon how my answer could have been taken rather poorly.

So, thanks for allowing me to clarify my reply.

globalRN · Jul 13, 2009

i don't miss inpatient bedside nursing, i always preferred ambulatory care nursing.

As a NP, I feel like a hybrid...most of my current work is medical care with some nursing twists.

JDCitizen · Jul 13, 2009

I was just wondering - I like the actual "nursing" stuff, although of course after several years, anything gets old...
Anyone who stepped up and became an APN regret it? Or miss "nursing"?

I think nursing is so much more than beside nursing so I will approach this thread from a different angle:

I have never left nursing: I practice as a nurse every time I have contact with my patients, staff and/or family members.

As an APN: I have helped turn a patient, helped a patient to the bathroom, helped with ROM exercises, started IVs, etc... I do it to help the patient and I do it to assess the patient. Assessment when a patient doesn't think they are being assessed can sometimes yield valuable information.

Every "nurse" out there does more than fill a niche they are professionals who get the job done. We have FNPs, CRNAs, ANPs, PNPs, OR nurses, ER nurses, Med-Surg nurses, Oncology nurses, Orthopedic nurses, Office nurses, School nurses, Home health nurses, etc, etc. One field and we have the patient covered from before life (prenatal) to death (forensics). We are all working/doing a different flavor of nursing but we are still nurses all the same. We are all nurses working in a specialty of choice who at one time developed our careers from a generalist nursing program.

I am not in another field because I have and advanced nursing degree. I am not at the top of my field because I have an advanced nursing degree. The nurses who are at the top of their field are those who have obtained the knowledge and skills needed and use/share their knowledge and skills to help their patients, family, colleagues, fellow staff members, etc... The nurses at the top of their field do not stop learning or helping....

We are all nurses and I hope we all will always remember that.

Do you identify more with the physicians or the nurses once you're an APN?

That is a hard question to answer. I have seen/read bad things from the medical community and the nursing community in reference NPs. One can read various threads on this site and other sites to come to an understanding that for some we are off in our own little world or it's us against them. I think there is a stigma of not quite a doctor but no longer a nurse... I know how I perceive myself but self perception does not always agree with others perceptions.

elkpark · Jul 13, 2009

I think nursing is so much more than beside nursing so I will approach this thread from a different angle:
I have never left nursing: I practice as a nurse every time I have contact with my patients, staff and/or family members.
As an APN: I have helped turn a patient, helped a patient to the bathroom, helped with ROM exercises, started IVs, etc... I do it to help the patient and I do it to assess the patient. Assessment when a patient doesn't think they are being assessed can sometimes yield valuable information.
Every "nurse" out there does more than fill a niche they are professionals who get the job done. We have FNPs, CRNAs, ANPs, PNPs, OR nurses, ER nurses, Med-Surg nurses, Oncology nurses, Orthopedic nurses, Office nurses, School nurses, Home health nurses, etc, etc. One field and we have the patient covered from before life (prenatal) to death (forensics). We are all working/doing a different flavor of nursing but we are still nurses all the same. We are all nurses working in a specialty of choice who at one time developed our careers from a generalist nursing program.
I am not in another field because I have and advanced nursing degree. I am not at the top of my field because I have an advanced nursing degree. The nurses who are at the top of their field are those who have obtained the knowledge and skills needed and use/share their knowledge and skills to help their patients, family, colleagues, fellow staff members, etc... The nurses at the top of their field do not stop learning or helping....
We are all nurses and I hope we all will always remember that.
That is a hard question to answer. I have seen/read bad things from the medical community and the nursing community in reference NPs. One can read various threads on this site and other sites to come to an understanding that for some we are off in our own little world or it's us against them. I think there is a stigma of not quite a doctor but no longer a nurse... I know how I perceive myself but self perception does not always agree with others perceptions.

I am a psych CNS, not an NP, but agree with all of this. While I don't miss "bedside" nursing, I am a NURSE, practicing NURSING.

TPfan24 · Jul 13, 2009

At times I do miss my former nursing positions.. I worked in assisted living for 16 years and remember the rewarding and hectic accomplishment of comforting a resident, supporting family members and making sure meds were ordered and everyone on my shift was all set. I have a family member in assisted living now and recognize the teamwork of the staff and interaction with the residents. i actually like giving my relative her meds and oraganizing them for the week. I miss the camaraderie of the nurses and LNA's I used to work with.

In one of my NP positions, I am the only healthcare worker there. My other position involves other staff that I enjoy conversing and consulting with. I do not however regret becoming an NP, just miss the the type of nursing I did and the staff.

allnurses Guide · Jul 14, 2009

Interesting, thanks guys :). It is interesting to me because a) I'm studying to be an APN at the moment, and b) Advanced practice nursing is very new in Australia, so I have little past experience interacting with the roles.

JDCitizen · Jul 14, 2009

Interesting, thanks guys :). It is interesting to me because a) I'm studying to be an APN at the moment, and b) Advanced practice nursing is very new in Australia, so I have little past experience interacting with the roles.

Please keep us updated:

Roles APNs play in Australia; Requirements, job descriptions, restrictions, salaries, etc.)....

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