Does it matter if you go to NP school in a different part of country than you want to work

[CR660]

Hi everyone,

I have been an RN for 3.5 years and want to go back for my FNP next September (1.5 yrs away). I am starting to look at schools on the West Coast. I currently live in the east coast and would plan to come back to this area after graduating to get a job and settle down. My question is whether it matters if I go to school and have clinicals in a different part of the country from where I plan to one day work? If I move for school I realize that I will not have an opportunity to network on the east coast during clinicals. However if I don't move for school, I worry that I will never be able to experience living in another part of the country- something I have always wanted to do!

Also, I currently work in an ICU at a prestigious hospital. Will this experience help me in landing an NP job later, or is it largely irrelevant?

To sum it up, I very much want to experience a new city for a couple of years, but not at the expense of my career. Any insight?

-C

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

In short, no. You can go to FNP school on the West Coast and get a job on the East Coast. But why? I don't understand why you view FNP school as the time to see another part of the country. By going to school in your own state, you may eligible for in-state tuition at public schools, as well as state resident tuition and loan programs. In addition, it will be easier to find a job on the East Coast if you go to school there, due to networking. The only exception to this is if you go to a well known, prestigious school with a national reputation. IMHO, you would be better served to go to school, get some experience, then apply for work in different parts of the country.

As a new grad, if you are willing to work in an underserved area, like smaller cities and towns, or rural areas, then you could definitely get a job pretty much anywhere.

Your RN ICU experience will be most helpful if you are working an Acute Care NP.

[Bumex, DNP, NP]

Remember that your clinical rotations are essentially job interviews. I was offered a job at all of my sites. If you are going to go to school elsewhere you are losing those opportunities. Can you still find a job? Of course. You are just missing out.

[djmatte, ADN, MSN, RN, NP]

I was going to endorse what many people here have indicated and I agree with them to some extent when you specifically stated your goal is to just move back to your starting point. But there is value to seeing new places and there-in new cultures/social groups. I look at other professions such as MDs and Pharm Ds as evidence. How many of those went to a school for their undergrad (nursing in our case), moved across the country to a school specifically for their graduate or doctorate levels, and even further on for specialized training? If you're young and not tied down, this is the ideal time to do that. Albeit I would make sure the school you choose has a solid clinical placement system because you will need that in a new place where your connections are limited. As a profession, we are very practical because many nurses are involved in careers/family life before we move to advance practice. If those weren't the case for me, I would probably keep my options much more open.

[kadphilly]

Go for it. You are young, aren't tied down. Other professions will relocate for graduate schools/ professional degrees, why not nurses? We often sell ourselves and our educational experiences short in this profession.

[aprnKate]

may depends on how the state defines your scope of practice. went to a TX school, TX has generally limited practice, can't own your own practice...I heard some other states allow NPs to do surgery (I saw some posts here a while back...and I didn't think it was possible)? not sure what states those are. In general the foundation is the same for the most part. I guess the only limiting factor would be is if you did your clinicals in a states where there are limitations then you may not be able to grasp the scope of an open practice state or much more liberal state towards NPs. Keep in mind, whatever state you do your clinicals with...you will most likely need to get a RN licnse in that state unless its Federal