Best nursing specialty to work in for NP school

[ChronicSG]

Hello everyone, I am a Registered Nurse planning on returning to school for AG-ACNP. I merely wanted to ask what is a good specialty to work in when going back to school. I want to try to stay full time in my ICU but if not feasible, I would apply to somewhere that let's me work part time. My question for you though is if bedside nursing is truly the best place to stay that works with your schedule as a student NP or if other specialties like OR, IR, GI, Clinics, student health, etc would help me focus on school. Is it possible for them to even be detrimental based on the hours worked compared to a standard 12 hr shift?

More info on me, I'm a 24 year old guy with 2 years experience, minimal debt, still live at home to help keep my bills low and I'm single. I'm sure there are some of you out there that say I should get more experience before returning to school, but I don't want to move out and buy a home and then have to worry about paying for graduate level studies as well at a later time. I also don't want to be forced to get a DNP as MSN programs in FL are starting to dwindle. By the time I graduate though, I'll have close to 5 years experience as an RN so I feel now is a good time. Please give me your thoughts so I can better plan out the future. Thanks!

[nursemayj]

It really depends on the schedule you can get, I've only worked OR and I will say that when I worked OR in a small hospital the call made being in school rough. It was a lot but now I work in an outpatient surgery center and there's no call, no weekends, no holidays, and would be much better for going to school. Really anything that you are comfortable working and with minimal or no call is probably best. Ideal.

[Dodongo, APRN, NP]

I took a casual job in IR and it's working well. I get to choose my schedule so I work more certain weeks (the week off between quarters) and very little others (exams, clinicals, etc). But, if you can get a casual job in the ICU that would be fine as well. I just didn't want to ever have to work nights/weekends.

BTW I think 2 years is plenty. My ACNP program required 2 years ICU and I don't think you really need any more (I feel my couple extra years as a RN haven't directly enhanced my experience in NP school).

[ChronicSG]

Thanks for the responses guys. Those are all good options like you mentioned. Like one poster says, I really wanna try OR but the fact that theirs call sounds like it can get in the way of school but like they said, there's outpatient surgery centers that sound feasible as well. IR sounds good as well. Did any of you work part time while going to school? I was thinking maybe going part time and if I needed more shifts to go and do some OT. Compared to full time requiring me to do those extra shifts.