floor nurse vs clinic nurse

[besugarfree]

I graduated in Dec '12 and have been working Cardiac/Telemetry nights since then. Nights is hard on my body (IDDM for 40 years) and my family (wife & 2 boys 10 & 13). I'd like to move to days, but I am not ready for the increased workload (and decreased paycheck) that switching to days would entail.

I had a mentor tell me to switch to my specialty as soon as possible. I'd like to eventually be an ANP working in Diabetes. Would working for an Endocrinology clinic be a smart move? How would the pay compare to what I make now? Should I wait to get more experience? I hate not being able to have regular exercise, but it's difficult to do, especially in the middle of a run of night shifts.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Rob.

[DoeRN]

Get a clinic position and possibly a PRN position to help supplement your income.

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[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Agree - your goal would appear to be associated with providing care & clinical management for persons with a chronic disease... not acute care. A clinic position would be very appropriate preparation since it would be similar to the setting in which you aspire to work. You would also learn more about the operational and administrative aspects of non-acute care by working in a clinic.

[lhflanurseNP, APRN]

Working in a clinic may give you better working conditions, but you will suffer a financial cut (more so than switching to days). Working in an Endo clinic is not going to help/hinder your application to NP school. The programs are general, unless you are going on for anesthesia/midwife. You can "specialize" with you NP afterwards. Good luck.