Clinic nurse to NP

[Mnm2017]

I’ve been a nurse for two years now but only in a cardiology clinic. I’m considering my masters and would like to go the NP route. Would it hurt me in end with not having any hospital experience?

[Power2020]

Depends on where you want to work...employers like you to have experience as RN so you obviously will be hired easily at a cardiology clinic as NP but if you want to work in the hospital as NP then yes it will hurt you not having experience in the hospital setting.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

And again it depends on your area and how you are able to market yourself. All of my RN experience was very acute ED and ICU. However, I was hired in a large nephrology practice because I marketed myself as being able to think on my feet, being independent and sure of my assessments and being able to tell sick from not sick.

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

You don't need hospital RN experience to be a primary care NP, and that includes outpatient specialties like cardiology.