APRN - Is it worth it.....

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Specializes in Dialysis.

I'm a RN/BSN with 14 years experience and currently work in management (which is so tedious). I have been struggling with burn out and miss patient interaction. I really want to go back and became an Advanced Practice Nurse. However, I have no student loan debit, make 95,000 a year, have a great work schedule, in my forties, with small kids. I'm afraid that I won't find the job satisfaction I'm imagining, end up in major debt, and be no better of financially.

Any insight or any successful transition stories would be greatly appreciated.......

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I can share my experience and opinion, take from them what helps. I have been a nurse for 11 years, and in that time I have been extremely fortunate to have many different opportunities. Each one had different pros and cons. I have been a manager, ADON, clinical instructor, float RN, ED RN, and Med-surg RN. I started with an ADN and worked my way through BSN, MSN - education, and now have my post-graduate FNP. Unfortunately the last two degrees I am still paying for, and am unable to find work as an FNP new grad. The most money I ever made was as a manager, but I too missed the patient interaction. I would say if you are happy with your current living situation, perhaps try more patient interaction on your unit with daily rounding which would improve patient satisfaction scores and your staff's morale as well. I only worked one semester as a clinical instructor but the pay was so low I had to work two jobs to make ends meet which was exhausting. I am in Arizona and there are no jobs for new FNPs, even in remote areas at this time. I know this is probably true of a lot of areas due to covid, but it is SUPER depressing to be applying to everything and not even receive a call to interview, yet I know if I apply to nursing jobs I can work quite quickly.

I do not know if this was helpful, but I am currently doing a self-evaluation to try and figure out how to move forward myself and thought I would share.

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Specializes in Dialysis.
1 hour ago, YG FNP said:

I can share my experience and opinion, take from them what helps. I have been a nurse for 11 years, and in that time I have been extremely fortunate to have many different opportunities. Each one had different pros and cons. I have been a manager, ADON, clinical instructor, float RN, ED RN, and Med-surg RN. I started with an ADN and worked my way through BSN, MSN - education, and now have my post-graduate FNP. Unfortunately the last two degrees I am still paying for, and am unable to find work as an FNP new grad. The most money I ever made was as a manager, but I too missed the patient interaction. I would say if you are happy with your current living situation, perhaps try more patient interaction on your unit with daily rounding which would improve patient satisfaction scores and your staff's morale as well. I only worked one semester as a clinical instructor but the pay was so low I had to work two jobs to make ends meet which was exhausting. I am in Arizona and there are no jobs for new FNPs, even in remote areas at this time. I know this is probably true of a lot of areas due to covid, but it is SUPER depressing to be applying to everything and not even receive a call to interview, yet I know if I apply to nursing jobs I can work quite quickly.

I do not know if this was helpful, but I am currently doing a self-evaluation to try and figure out how to move forward myself and thought I would share.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Unfortunately, your experience is similar to so many of FNPs I know. It is sad because FNPs are truly the answer to the limited care so many Americans are facing. I know that I'd make a great APRN. However, I have a family and job/benefits/security matters.

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Specializes in psych/medical-surgical.

I find the provider role so much less stressful than being in a hospital or what you express about administration. Debt, sure especially depending on where you go. However, I can say there are a lot more options when you get the advanced degree. Since you want to care for patients being an APRN would let you do that.

I am almost a PMHNP, and I'm going to work with a local PMHNP that I met doing clinic/networking. She billed for 30k this month. I also know of an FNP that has her own business in south Texas, and doesn't concierge service for 125/month. I'm not sure how many clients she has though. If you have 100 clients, that's 12,500 a month for example and can work from pretty much where ever.

The biggest thing is you can be completely independent and have your own business as a provider. No boss, no one to answer to, you are in charge.

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Specializes in Neuro/Neurosurgery/General Surgery.

I encourage any RN who asks to get an NP. It's less emotionally and physically stressful, more fulfilling, more intellectually engaging, tons of people have your back (e.g. nurses, pharmacists, etc.), it generally pays better and you get more respect.

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Specializes in L&D, Epic IT.

Similar situation. I'm in a role I loathe, but I make 92k+/year, work from home, no weekends, no holidays, etc. My husband thinks I'm nuts for wanting to give that up, but I miss patient care and cannot wait to find something different. I want to get my NP, but same as you, I don't want crippling student loan debt (programs in my area are around 40k) only to come out of school and not be able to find a job. If I was fortunate enough to find a job, it would most certainly mean a pay cut to start. So, I don't know. I keep wavering!

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My MSN cost around 24 thousand. My work paid about 10 thousand of it and the rest I paid out of pocket. I love my job as a FNP. the first year was a bit stressful but working and being treated as a professional was/is amazing. I still am trying to decide if that is my "endgame" or if I will go to get my PMHNP. That is more because I feel a desire to meet a need of a particularly vulnerable population.

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Specializes in Dialysis.
14 hours ago, Rnis said:

My MSN cost around 24 thousand. My work paid about 10 thousand of it and the rest I paid out of pocket. I love my job as a FNP. the first year was a bit stressful but working and being treated as a professional was/is amazing. I still am trying to decide if that is my "endgame" or if I will go to get my PMHNP. That is more because I feel a desire to meet a need of a particularly vulnerable population.

Do you mind sharing where you went to school?

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8 hours ago, DialysisRN34 said:

Do you mind sharing where you went to school?

Concordia out of Mequon Wisconsin. It's been a few years, but they took students from across the country.

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