Debating to start NP school

I like being a NP. Do not do it for the money though. I make more than a RN but not much more than a travel RN. I started my own gig in Jan but expenses will eat you alive.

I will add that I would love to have my DNP. But at my age not worth the money. Least costly was 16k. No thanks!

Lately I have been thinking on going back to school to become a FNP. However, there are things that are holding me back. I would like to know if any of you went through the same thing. I love my 3 12hr schedule, work sunday monday and tuesday and go away for 6 days without asking for time off. I am a travel nurse now and as many now the pay is pretty good . I ask myself , is it worth it to go to school for almost 3 years if I can almost earn the same as a travel nurse? What if i cannot find a job that offers me a good flexible schedule? Any suggestion or advises are greatly appreciated.

Only you can answer those questions... I miss the things you mention like 12 hr shifts with many days off during the week and travel nursing....the thing is you always seems to miss something about what you did before...the whole grass is always greener thing.

As an NP I have a different type of stress and more responsibilities but I am challenged everyday (sometimes that is not a good thing), i have more respect and if I want to take a two hour lunch - I can. No one monitors my hours, checks my work or is all up in my business like I had at bedside.

As an RN I miss leaving at the end of the shift and not being required to answer a phone or take call. there is good and bad in both...just depends on where your priorities take you...

I have been a bedside RN for 8 years. I am really burned out but I love bedside nursing. I want to advance my nursing career into becoming a FNP. I am burned out with management, not having weekends and holidays off, and I want to have a more flexible schedule. I just want to be happy. I know that being a FNP will be a different type of stress and more responsibility but I believe that I can handle it better then what I am going through now. I don't really care about the money. I care about helping my patients and living a good life.