Anyone having MAJOR second thoughts?!

brandy1017, ASN, RN · Mar 2, 2012

If you've come this far and made the financial commitment to graduate with an FNP, don't stop now. At least take the boards. You haven't even tried to get a job yet! There was a reason you decided to do this, I'm assuming it was a combination of burnout and frustation with floor nursing and a desire for a better job with real autonomy and better working conditions.

You've got nothing to lose in finishing up and passing boards and then you have options. Sure you can stay doing what you're doing, but at least you have the option to try something new. Coworkers I know have networked to get jobs working for doctors, some are working for hospital systems in clinics or ER's. One person just told all the doctors she was going to be graduating soon and would they like to hire her and one doctor did hire her part-time while she finished her NP, giving her the freedom to quit the hospital job and no more mandatory overtime and all the problems that go along with hospital nursing!

You are so lucky that you have come so far, don't quit before you begin! Remind yourself why you pursued this in the first place, those same reasons and desires will still be there no matter what you decide. Many nurses are looking for a way out from the hospital grind, mistreatment and physical danger of bedside nursing wanting to use there brain and not their body! Wanting to be treated as professionals with respect and fair working conditions and that is a rare find in bedside nursing.

I hope you reconsider, graduate and pass your boards. Then think about the type of NP you want to be and start networking with doctors and nurses where you'd like to work. Use word of mouth and even send a letter with your resume out to doctors you'd like to work for. You have some info on the range of salaries and can use that as negotiating power to try to get the best salary possible, but even if the salary isn't ideal consider the chance to do something safer, less stressful and more enjoyable. Remember once you have experience you can always move on and negotiate a better salary. You always have the option of floor nursing as well, but I think it's better to keep your options open for maximum flexibility.

canchaser, BSN, RN · Mar 2, 2012

I'm with you OP.... I've only got to complete clinicals( 6 classes) and I'm done... Not sure I want to finish to make less money than I do now.. Sigh, have a husband who watched me not complete CRNA school and if I don't do this I think he will loose his mind as he has been putting off college so I can go. The target seems to get smaller with each graduating class as they take ridiculous low paying jobs:(

angel549 · Mar 3, 2012

Well I didn't go for this because of floor nursing burn out. I am mainly a cath lab / ICU nurse and love it! It was the next best step to take in my education path, and it just seemed like the right time. Fortunately for me in Florida, there is no mandatory overtime....unless you are an ARNP, lol! (I call not getting paid overtime mandatory overtime....) I do agree I am interested in using my mind, and that hospital nursing will eventually be very tiring. I have been a nurse for 16 years.

But I had consider how to respond to the statement "Wanting to be treated as professionals with respect and fair working conditions". I see less of that extended to ARNPs than floor nurses. Respect is fair payment for the level of experience and education we bring to the table, and equal reimbursement. That is NOT HAPPENING FOR ARNPs. Many new grads are settling for terrible, low paying, legally dangerous ARNP positions - just to get a job.

"...but even if the salary isn't ideal consider the chance to do something safer, less stressful and more enjoyable." Once again, my dilemma is that I refuse to settle for a low paying job with my level of education and experience :nono: I have worked VERY hard to become an ARNP. My base pay right now is $35 an hour. (That is before any evening, weekend shift differentials.) It is not about the money: I didn't start this program to be rich, lol. But if ARNPs knew how much the doctors / hospitals were profiting off of our work, they would think twice about accepting $75,000 a year - working 50 hrs a week! After graduation my finances now have student loan debt payments added to my monthly bills. Yes, I demand more.

I plan on finishing, and taking the boards. Interestingly enough, since my original post I have applied for an administrative job at the hospital I work for. $95,000 a year. 40 hrs a week. NO weekends, no holidays, NO CALL, full benefits, 6.5 weeks paid vacation yearly (due to my seniority at the hospital) My interview is soon, and the kicker?! Only a BSN required to apply for that job....... :confused: A cardiologist has offered me an ARNP job. He offered me $78,000 a year to be a cardiology ARNP. 2 weeks paid vacation, call twice a week, and every third weekend, health benefits, no 401K, and wants me there M-F 8-6. I haven't answered him yet, but the answer is going to be no thank you.

Aniva · Mar 4, 2012

I recommend taking the boards. You have the open option, so why not take advantage of it? You've already accomplished so much, so take it one step further. I guess everyone has to ask themselves whether they're happy with their jobs or not. I personally did not like the RN position/job. I absolutely love doing advanced practice nursing. My ideal place is in the community in a clinic vs. the hospital. Never want to work in a hospital (maybe except ER), but that's just my opinion. I have classmates who feel the exact opposite XD. In terms of pay, the area I want to go into may not be the most high paying (compared to CRNAs in the hospital), but I've been presented with really nice offers (salaries may be lower, but benefits are amazing). Getting paid to do what you really enjoy doing is a great feeling. So, if you're happier doing a different job that pays higher, go for it. If you really hate the world of nursing, I don't blame you for leaving.

JayMH1984 · Mar 8, 2012

Well I didn't go for this because of floor nursing burn out. I am mainly a cath lab / ICU nurse and love it! It was the next best step to take in my education path, and it just seemed like the right time. Fortunately for me in Florida, there is no mandatory overtime....unless you are an ARNP, lol! (I call not getting paid overtime mandatory overtime....) I do agree I am interested in using my mind, and that hospital nursing will eventually be very tiring. I have been a nurse for 16 years.
But I had consider how to respond to the statement "Wanting to be treated as professionals with respect and fair working conditions". I see less of that extended to ARNPs than floor nurses. Respect is fair payment for the level of experience and education we bring to the table, and equal reimbursement. That is NOT HAPPENING FOR ARNPs. Many new grads are settling for terrible, low paying, legally dangerous ARNP positions - just to get a job.
"...but even if the salary isn't ideal consider the chance to do something safer, less stressful and more enjoyable." Once again, my dilemma is that I refuse to settle for a low paying job with my level of education and experience I have worked VERY hard to become an ARNP. My base pay right now is $35 an hour. (That is before any evening, weekend shift differentials.) It is not about the money: I didn't start this program to be rich, lol. But if ARNPs knew how much the doctors / hospitals were profiting off of our work, they would think twice about accepting $75,000 a year - working 50 hrs a week! After graduation my finances now have student loan debt payments added to my monthly bills. Yes, I demand more.
I plan on finishing, and taking the boards. Interestingly enough, since my original post I have applied for an administrative job at the hospital I work for. $95,000 a year. 40 hrs a week. NO weekends, no holidays, NO CALL, full benefits, 6.5 weeks paid vacation yearly (due to my seniority at the hospital) My interview is soon, and the kicker?! Only a BSN required to apply for that job....... A cardiologist has offered me an ARNP job. He offered me $78,000 a year to be a cardiology ARNP. 2 weeks paid vacation, call twice a week, and every third weekend, health benefits, no 401K, and wants me there M-F 8-6. I haven't answered him yet, but the answer is going to be no thank you.

I know exactly how you feel. I am currently in a BSN to DNP program to become an Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. I have worked in health care for 10 years, the first half in health information management, and the last half in nursing. I absolutely love being a pediatric critical care nurse, and I would love to be a pediatric critical and acute care nurse practitioner. I am not opposed to relocating or anything like that, but I am opposed to taking a large pay cut, losing benefits, and working more hours, etc. just to have that "NP job". Salary negotiation is a big decision for NP's, and many will take lower salaries just to have that "NP job". Not me! The amount of reimbursement that physician practices and/or hospitals receive for NP services can be in the hundreds-of-thousands of dollars range - and even after paying support staff and over head costs, there should still be money at least in the $100-150K range left... and NP's are settling for jobs in the $60K range with less fringe benefits thank they got as RN's? No thank you! I will only work in a position in which the practice or company does for me what I do for them, and respects my education and experience. I applaud you for doing the same thing! Lucky for me, the company I work for is good to all RN's - staff nurses and NP's alike - but it took some time to get there. I have had friends over the years who have gone back to school, completed their education to become a PNP, and then been offered jobs at our company FOR A PAY CUT (sometimes up to $10/hr when looking at base pay and shift differentials, etc) - luckily every single one of them refused, but could you imagine if they didn't?

Keep your chin up... I think you are doing the right thing! A word of advice - put a business plan on paper, showing the cardiologist how much you will bring into his practice and how much you want of it, leaving the rest to him. It may work in your favor.

Good luck!

canchaser, BSN, RN · Sep 1, 2013

Omg, so glad I stuck it out.. Looking at an ED job that is going to give me a substantial raise and benefits are great:) stay with it!

fem · Jan 12, 2016

You wrote (a LONG time ago):

I casually mentioned an interest in a PRN NP job, and my professors told me basically "no one will hire a new grad NP PRN". Is this true?

Would love to hear what you actually did do. It was a few years ago since your post.

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