Best Specialty for an RN before becoming an FNP?

[Nimrodel]

Hi all,

I'm starting nursing school in the fall, and while I know it's early to be thinking about this, I'm trying to decide where I eventually want to go with it because I've got a planning obsession. I know for certain that my end goal is becoming an FNP, so I'm trying to decide where I want to work for the few years before that when I'm just a regular RN. I'm really interested in both public health and psychiatric nursing, but those are kind of unique subsets of nursing so I'm worried they wouldn't serve me well in the long run. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks :)

[Nimrodel, BSN, RN]

Yes, UCD is the program I'm looking at. I live in Sacramento so it's also one of the only ones in the area. Right now I'm working as a caregiver; I don't know if that would count towards the 1000 hours or not but it might be worth a try. I will definitely look into shadowing. Thank you!

[cocoa_puff]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think working as a caregiver would count toward your 1000 hours. Just from my personal experience, if you don't really want to work as an RN, I wouldn't recommend getting your BSN just to become a NP. There are a lot of "easier" (in terms of time commitment, emotional and physical drain, and frustration) majors for you to get your Bachelor's degree in for PA school. Just make sure you have all the prereqs for PA school included, and maybe get certified as an EMT to get more intensive healthcare experience.

[foggnm]

There is a huge demand for mid-level psych providers. You could probably get your school paid for if you go in to that specialty. If you goal is to be a provider, I'd say get nursing experience in whatever area you want to be a provider. Or get general nursing experience (med/surg, primary care, general medicine/family medicine). Don't rule out PA school either if you have no interest in being a nurse, it is a lot more medically focused than NP school. You will get clinical experience in your mid-level program, so really it doesn't matter where you get nursing experience because being a nurse is much different than being a provider. If I was in your shoes, I'd just bypass being a nurse altogether and focus on being a provider, so your diagnosing skills won't be hindered by all the bs they teach you in nursing school.

[LessValuableNinja]

Jules' advice on semantics was good. She wasn't demeaning RNs, rather suggesting you not use language that may be considered demeaning by people you'll have to work with. Keep in mind that in many environments, you will very much need their support.

That aside: ED, Acute minor illness/injury (IE Carenow). If you intend to ever work inpatient, my response varies a bit.

[LessValuableNinja]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think working as a caregiver would count toward your 1000 hours. Just from my personal experience, if you don't really want to work as an RN, I wouldn't recommend getting your BSN just to become a NP. There are a lot of "easier" (in terms of time commitment, emotional and physical drain, and frustration) majors for you to get your Bachelor's degree in for PA school. Just make sure you have all the prereqs for PA school included, and maybe get certified as an EMT to get more intensive healthcare experience.

It does not count towards your hours.

[AllUneedIsLove08]

I agree with others, just become a Physicians Assistant

[chacha82, ADN, BSN]

!!!!!!

[BostonFNP, APRN]

Focus on your school first, you have a long way to go, and in the end, any experience should be a help for you. For the most part, your RN work experience is what you make of it.

Like others, I would caution you, don't offer up to anyone that you only want to be an NP. There are people out there that will make your life miserable and much more difficult than it needs to be.

I disagree with others in that I would not go the PA route preferentially over NP.

[Nimrodel, BSN, RN]

Thank you everyone for the advice, I really appreciate it. I will definitely give the PA path more serious thought.

[Riburn3, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP]

ER experience is good for FNP's since you see a lot of everything. Basically anything in a hospital acute setting will have you missing out on the heavy primary care role FNP's play. If you know of a family practice clinic or internal medicine office practice that hires RN's, this will without a doubt be the very best experience since it is very likely you will be seeing what you will be doing after graduation.

As others have said, be careful what you tell people if you go into nursing. Having interviewed several people over the years back when I was a CVICU manager, people with your attitude that would be blunt about how they were only using the job for a year to leap into CRNA or NP school were immediately ruled out. Don't get me wrong, most nurses have aspirations above and beyond working at the bedside forever, and it's good to want to achieve something for yourself, but the way you express yourself and come across can make all the difference. If they ask you where you see yourself in 1, 3, or 5 years, think very carefully on how you answer. When you're a new nurse, its expensive to train you and lots of facilities are making solid efforts to crack down on 1 and done new grads.

[Nimrodel, BSN, RN]

Thank you; I appreciate having your perspective as a former manager, that's very helpful.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I personally think ED is a great place for RNs to learn the FNP trade. I'd watch the "just a regular RN" line. Although it might seem benign and I'm sure you didn't mean to be patronizing its definitely not going to win you any friends around these parts. Not so long ago it was required that we gained valuable experience as just a regular RN prior to thinking we had the skill set or knowledge to diagnose and prescribe. I personally think its disgraceful and will lead to significant problems in the future now that people are allowed to become a NP without a reasonable amount of RN experience.

I agree with this, and it's very well stated.