California NP Help & Advise

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I am having a very difficult time deciding if I should return to school, specifically for the FNP or AGPCNP program. I have two dependents, so quitting my current RN position and taking out student loans scare me a bit. I like my 4 10s shifts, no weekend, or holidays because I could focus on my family, errands, appointments, etc. As an NP, I would like to work in an outpatient setting, maybe in a specialty clinic (cardiac, GI, and so on). I am beyond grateful if any NPs working in CA could answer the questions below. Thank you very much!

1.      Of course it’s not all about the money, but because I have a lot of responsibilities, it is a very important factor to consider. I heard NPs do not get paid much more than RNs but have a lot more responsibilities, while some RNs can make more money than NPs; is this true?

2.      Do most NPs in outpatient work 8 hour shifts, 5 days a week? Do you know if there are 4 10s working as an NP in outpatient settings?  

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

1. If you're an RN with years of experience, starting NP pay may not be that much higher for you.  You will be started at the lower end of the salary since you don't have NP experience to speak of.  There are a few employers who will consider RN experience but that's not the norm.

2.  Our out-patient NP's work 10-hr days actually.  There are some that work 5-days a week but it's more of an exception.  Right now, many of them actually work from home and see patients via Zoom.

1
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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

California NPs are the highest-paid in the country.  A primary care NP can earn up to $150K per year with a few years experience.  Specialty NPs can earn significantly more.  I suggest you research NP pay in your preferred specialty and location, as pay varies widely by location within the state.  In general, the more desireable areas pay less, because so many people want to work and live there.  The San Diego County healthcare market sucks, as it is expensive to live there and the pay sucks, plus it is very hard to find a job there.  

You don't have to quit your job and go to NP school full time.  Plenty of RNs work and go to school part time.  Once your NP clinicals start, you may need to cut back your RN work hours and go part time.  I know NPs that did not take out any loans at all by working their way through school.

There are scholarships available at the federal and state level, as well as through schools and private organizations.  There are also loan repayment programs at the federal and state level.

NP school does not have to cost a fortune.  A reputable state college is quite reasonable.

There are plenty of NP jobs in outpatient that are 4 ten-hour days per week.  As a new grad NP, you may have to take a 5 day, 8 hour per day job, but that is how most of the population lives, so you can, too, for awhile.

There are some RNs that make as much as NPs, but most do not, unless they work a lot of overtime.  However, I would not become an NP just for the money.  It is a big adjustment, and only do it if you truly and passionately want to be a provider.

 

 

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8 hours ago, juan de la cruz said:

1. If you're an RN with years of experience, starting NP pay may not be that much higher for you.  You will be started at the lower end of the salary since you don't have NP experience to speak of.  There are a few employers who will consider RN experience but that's not the norm.

2.  Our out-patient NP's work 10-hr days actually.  There are some that work 5-days a week but it's more of an exception.  Right now, many of them actually work from home and see patients via Zoom.

Thank you very much!

8 hours ago, juan de la cruz said:

1. If you're an RN with years of experience, starting NP pay may not be that much higher for you.  You will be started at the lower end of the salary since you don't have NP experience to speak of.  There are a few employers who will consider RN experience but that's not the norm.

2.  Our out-patient NP's work 10-hr days actually.  There are some that work 5-days a week but it's more of an exception.  Right now, many of them actually work from home and see patients via Zoom.

Thank you very much!

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4 hours ago, FullGlass said:

California NPs are the highest-paid in the country.  A primary care NP can earn up to $150K per year with a few years experience.  Specialty NPs can earn significantly more.  I suggest you research NP pay in your preferred specialty and location, as pay varies widely by location within the state.  In general, the more desireable areas pay less, because so many people want to work and live there.  The San Diego County healthcare market sucks, as it is expensive to live there and the pay sucks, plus it is very hard to find a job there.  

You don't have to quit your job and go to NP school full time.  Plenty of RNs work and go to school part time.  Once your NP clinicals start, you may need to cut back your RN work hours and go part time.  I know NPs that did not take out any loans at all by working their way through school.

There are scholarships available at the federal and state level, as well as through schools and private organizations.  There are also loan repayment programs at the federal and state level.

NP school does not have to cost a fortune.  A reputable state college is quite reasonable.

There are plenty of NP jobs in outpatient that are 4 ten-hour days per week.  As a new grad NP, you may have to take a 5 day, 8 hour per day job, but that is how most of the population lives, so you can, too, for awhile.

There are some RNs that make as much as NPs, but most do not, unless they work a lot of overtime.  However, I would not become an NP just for the money.  It is a big adjustment, and only do it if you truly and passionately want to be a provider.

 

 

Thank you so much!

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On 1/2/2021 at 8:17 PM, kat_ said:

1.      Of course it’s not all about the money, but because I have a lot of responsibilities, it is a very important factor to consider. I heard NPs do not get paid much more than RNs but have a lot more responsibilities, while some RNs can make more money than NPs; is this true?

2.      Do most NPs in outpatient work 8 hour shifts, 5 days a week? Do you know if there are 4 10s working as an NP in outpatient settings?  

1. It depends on what you did as an RN and for how long. I still made more at my first NP job than at my RN job (I have only worked in California)

2. This depends on whether you're salary or hourly, and how many hours you work in a week. If you are salary, you could be allowed to work four 10s. I recently interviewed for an outpatient position that said they would allow for this. If you are hourly, however, in California overtime is taken into consideration daily, not weekly, so unless you're working a 32-hr-per-week position, you can anticipate five 8s. 

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