Any NPs miss being an RN?

lmti41 · Apr 22, 2017

Hands down the respect I receive for being an NP is much better. I was a clinical nurse specialist prior to returning to school and obtaining a post masters NP. The title has changed everything for me. I loved being an RN and a CNS but this adds a layer of knowledge and skill that makes my work worthwhile.

2bNotAnotherMaleNurse7 · Apr 22, 2017

I definitley miss working 3 nights a week

Skippingtowork · Apr 23, 2017

I've been an NP for 12 years, and I can say I love being an NP, but as I near retirement I am planning to go back to being an RN on the floor. I do NOT love the paperwork involved with being an NP, I work 8-10 hour days and go home to 3-4 hours more paperwork. I want to get back to doing my 8 hours and going home to some free time. And when I do actually retire I want to be working in a place that will let me stay per diem, where I can work if I feel like it (or not.) You can't really be a per diem NP. But would I do it over and become a NP - yes.

I am curious about your long days and hours at home with paperwork. Are you based in a hospital or clinic? Why are you dealing with so much paperwork? How much do you have to do yourself? I didn't have this problem in my specialty, but I'm switching focus, so I'd like to stay away from that scene. Any tips would be appreciated.

LadysSolo · Apr 23, 2017

I travel to nursing homes and see patients there. I have a scribe a few days/week, but I still have to read the notes (at least I feel I do if I am signing them, although she is excellent I DO find typos) and sign them off and bill them out. Some days I have home visits and I have to see a certain # of patients/day to "deserve" a scribe for that day. I see between 16 and 40 patients/day, and if no scribe, with travel time and typing my notes it makes a 12-13 hour day. When I see 40, even with a scribe I am on the road 10 hours, and reading notes and signing off and billing takes at least 8 more hours depending on complexity, much longer if they are new consults. Then if I am covering for someone on vacation too, all bets are off. I may have to travel 2 hours one way to cover another provider's patient. And I am on call for my patients 24/7/365.

Trauma Columnist · Apr 23, 2017

Ugh LadySolo.

I too travel (100-200 miles/day) and my days too are getting longer and longer. What started out as 4 10's has morphed into 4 12's, 4 13's, etc...

Bumex, DNP, NP · Apr 25, 2017

Hands down- I love being a NP more than being a RN. I have had great respect as a RN, but even more as a NP. I don't miss the chaos of being a telemetry nurse in a low resource facility- and I love the calmness of being a provider in both the primary and acute care settings. I get many people find primary care to be taxing due to time constraints, but my staff nursing experiences have been chaotic, so to me the stress of being a NP is nothing compared to the stress of being a RN.

Bumex, DNP, NP · Apr 25, 2017

I agree with the statement by caliotter3 to a certain degree- I believe many individuals are infatuated with the idea of being an APRN without ever considering that they would be happy as a RN. I know more than a handful of individuals that came to this realization whilst in school to become an APRN. Several dropped out and returned to the bedside where they love to work, others decided to finish. Several of those individuals stayed in the APRN world and a few returned to bedside nursing even with the APRN credentials. People forget that it is more than acceptable, but rather a specific and honorable calling to be a bedside nurse. Being an APRN is necessarily a 'better' profession, rather a different role. I believe that there are many good NP jobs out there, but the real question is- what is the right fit for you?

cbxo · Apr 25, 2017

Thank you all for your feedback! One thing that draws me to the RN role is the diversity and flexibility of working in different environments (flight nursing, school nursing, travel nursing, ER, NICU, summer camp nursing, etc.). That's not to say I plan on jumping around and doing everything, but it seems like if I ever felt bored or burnt out in one department, I'd have the flexibility as an RN to move into a new field and continue to learn. Do any of you feel limited at all in your role as an NP?

gettingbsn2msn, MSN, RN · Apr 25, 2017

I really loved being a travel RN. I learned so much and met so many awesome people. I could write a book with all my stories. BUT, I am older now (56) and practicing as a NP. Most of my patients today are my age so, yes, I am enjoying my life now as well. I will also add that I was also 50 years old and in a NP brick and mortar program.

Bumex, DNP, NP · Apr 25, 2017

I live in a state where there is collaborative practice- that coupled with me being a newbie NP gives me some limitations to my practice (granted I am getting more responsibility on a weekly basis). My collaborating physician is treating me like a medical resident- which she should. I still have a good amount to learn. However, some of the more experienced APRNs may feel like they are given much more freedom. It really depends on experience and relationship of the MD/DO and the APRN if you live in a collaborative or state with massive restrictions on APRN practice.

Trauma Columnist · Apr 26, 2017

I have only had two APRN jobs: one for 11 years in nephrology and then I've moonlighted in the ER for about a year.

At this point in my career I would like more variety - I do feel I'm getting stagnant but taking steps to get out of that feeling.

IsabelK · Apr 30, 2017

I'm still an RN.

If you're asking if I miss bedside nursing or being a unit manager, nope....Love what I'm doing now.