Best NP Specialties for Single Parents

prelift · May 23, 2017

Accounting.

What you ask isnt really available in the medical field unless you are like a dermatologist.

Plus the florida job market sucks

but it sounds like you want the easy path so i would go to some easy online for profit then work at CVS where they practice fake medicine and get paid for it

cjones89 · May 23, 2017

I sent you a PM. Please check it when you can.

PatMac10,RN, RN · May 25, 2017

Dermatology?

prelift · May 25, 2017

Since you sent me a PM, I will tell you what I actually would do since holding back advice from somebody who wants to make it in life is unethical.

1. take prereqs, micro, A and P, do well in them, put the time in to understand whats going on with the body and why.

2. apply to a good COMMUNITY COLLEGE nursing program. they are cheap, and you get the same license as a big school.

3. work as an ASN for a few years, pay all your debts, then get your BSN if want.

4. go to a good STATE SCHOOL for NP. make sure they find your preceptors and are NOT EXPENSIVE.

Just make sure to work a few years before NP school, build up some savings, get contacts, and experience, with experience being the least important of the three for success as an NP.

One step at a time with persistence should get your there. Pick schools based on cost and non profit status. Do not attend for profit schools (wikipedia seems pretty reliable for past/present lawsuits against for profit schools).

Since you are in florida, be willing to move if you want a good NP job though. Always keep the idea of staying an RN in the back of your head. The grass is not always greener as an NP as schools and media will have you think. The goal of colleges is to keep you in school as long as possible to get the most government funded tuition money out of each of us. Sometimes less is more in the long run, colleges do not have your best interests in mind. They are all businesses, and unfortunately they are relatively protected by the government so they do not have to adhere to all the regulations that certain businesses have to and may take advantage of students. Be cautious.

NurseLauraM · May 26, 2017

Not acute care. Not primary care unless you are in an area where people are generally very healthy (e.g. private practice in a rich suburb). In my experiencing the following might be worth exploring:

- Dermatology

- Weight loss clinic

- Retail health

- Allergy clinic

- Orthopedics

- Sleep clinic

aprnKate · May 26, 2017

pretty much retail clinic like CVS or walmart or something easy like that where you can set up your schedule.

MierKat · May 28, 2017

cjones - I have practical questions for you. I'm sure that there are a lot of successful single parents that are also successful NPs.

Are you applying to a direct-entry NP program or are you going to get your RN or BSN first? Do you already have a first bachelors degree in another field or are you starting from scratch (that is, do you have all the nursing school prerequisites completed)? Have you worked in healthcare and have you shadowed NPs?

If you are going to a direct-entry NP program, I really hope that you can take time to talk to some NPs in your community and make sure that the career is going to suit you before going to school for it. If you talk to NPs you may find out which specialty would be best for single moms/dads.

But from what I've seen, many of the NP specialties give flexibility, ability to work 8-5 and have regular day shifts, if that's what is best for you as a mom. You might be able to find these as an FNP or a psych NP - EDNP not so much. But it's too broad to give you an answer now without other info. Something like a Nurse/Midwife NP would be less predictable.

Good luck!

cjones89 · May 28, 2017

cjones - I have practical questions for you. I'm sure that there are a lot of successful single parents that are also successful NPs.
Are you applying to a direct-entry NP program or are you going to get your RN or BSN first? Do you already have a first bachelors degree in another field or are you starting from scratch (that is, do you have all the nursing school prerequisites completed)? Have you worked in healthcare and have you shadowed NPs?
If you are going to a direct-entry NP program, I really hope that you can take time to talk to some NPs in your community and make sure that the career is going to suit you before going to school for it. If you talk to NPs you may find out which specialty would be best for single moms/dads.
But from what I've seen, many of the NP specialties give flexibility, ability to work 8-5 and have regular day shifts, if that's what is best for you as a mom. You might be able to find these as an FNP or a psych NP - EDNP not so much. But it's too broad to give you an answer now without other info. Something like a Nurse/Midwife NP would be less predictable.
Good luck!

hello, thanks so much for your advise.

I do have a bachelors degree in political science. I also have a certificate of completion in Phlebotomy. I did look into the MDE programs but I do not meet the undergraduate GPA requirements. So I planned to just start at the community college level.

I have shadowed nurses and NPs before and loved it. I'm currently a teacher. I'm taking A&P 1&2 and Microbiology. Those are the classes I need. I'm willing to move as well. I will teach one more year to save half my income and then hopefully enter a program.

Oh, I know Columbia University does not have a minimum GPA for their MDE program. I will try there.

Dranger · May 28, 2017

Definitely not CRNA plus you need ICU experience....

MierKat · May 29, 2017

cjones - that sounds like a good plan. If you already have a prior bachelor's and you have the pre-reqs then a Direct entry program is the best way to maximize your time and get your degree while minimizing time out of the work force. I would talk to the NPs that you know to ask about potential specialties.

prelift · May 31, 2017

I would still advise PA school over NP school esp if you have a bachelors. the market in the 10 year stretch will be much more friendly to PA than NP. Just pick a cheap state school and again dodge the for profit bullets. Plus people are more likely to hire PA in specialties than NP (not always true butmore than often)