FNP...a bad career choice?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

So I will be starting my FNP program in August and everyday I browse indeed and other job sites for postings. I am a little concerned about the lack of job opportunities for FNPs. Even though I am going to a highly-rated stateU that will provide clinical sites, I am wondering if I should reconsider. I see tons of psych and neonatal NP postings. I have the NICU experience and some psych from med-surg. But the hours of an NNP are atrocious and I have an ongoing history of mental health illness, so I am wondering if psych is out.

Any other tracks to consider? Is FNP still a good choice? FNP with a post-masters in psych?

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

FNP demand varies greatly by location. There is plenty of demand for FNPs in certain parts of the country. And FNP can also work in specialty practices like cardiology, etc. Please don't do a PMHNP unless you are truly dedicated to psych.

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Specializes in Medsurg.

Just because you may relate to a patient on a situational level does not mean you can not be a good provider to said patient. If your heart is in it, go get it girl!

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Specializes in Psychiatric and emergency nursing.

I agree with the above posters. There are still many jobs out there for the FNP. The problem lies in that most of these jobs are in very rural areas where most people don't want to work. The major metropolitan areas are very saturated with FNPs, and PMHNPs are on their way to becoming "surplus outweighs demand" as well (I believe this to be due to most nurses having NO idea what practicing in psych really entails, sadly).
To echo the sentiments of @FullGlass, do not pursue psych unless you know it is what you really want to do. Psych has one of the highest rates for burnout, both for those that aren't really passionate about it, and those that are. As for your mental health condition, I have been diagnosed with MDD and am currently medicated and in therapy. You always need to be wary of how much information you divulge to all patients (but especially psych patients), but I believe in the right context and with the least amount of information provided as possible, this can help build and strengthen the therapeutic alliance between practitioner and patient.

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I'm more interested in which school provides clinical sites. Can you please tell me? If you don't want to post here please inbox it to me. Thanks.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

Here in the Western U.S., there is high demand for FNPs. In California, there is more competition for jobs in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, so it is harder to get a job in those locations the pay is lower relative to cost of living. However, the rest of the state has a shortage of all providers. That includes many large cities like Bakersfield, Fresno, Sacramento, Redding, Chico, etc. The pay there is also higher relative to cost of living. And yes, we also have a terrible shortage of providers in rural areas.

Working in a rural area doesn't have to mean being completely away from civilization. Many rural areas are within a one hour drive of a decent-sized city. For example, I live one hour from Redding, an area with 100,000 people and 1.5 hours from Chico, which also has about 100,000 people. Redding and Chico also have a lot of jobs for NPs, PAs, and MDs.

My advice to those considering an NP is to be willing to move if necessary to get a good job, especially their first NP job. An NP with some solid experience is in a much better position to get a job in a more competitive job market.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and emergency nursing.
44 minutes ago, NurseBlaq said:

I'm more interested in which school provides clinical sites. Can you please tell me? If you don't want to post here please inbox it to me. Thanks.

I'm not super knowledgeable on this subject, but I know the following do, or at least did at one point: University of Tennessee, Knoxville; University of Tennessee, Chattanooga; Georgetown, Vanderbilt, Duke, and I believe Yale.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).
2 hours ago, NurseBlaq said:

I'm more interested in which school provides clinical sites. Can you please tell me? If you don't want to post here please inbox it to me. Thanks.

You need to research this yourself. Go to the websites of the schools you are interested in, or call their Admissions Dept.

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33 minutes ago, FullGlass said:

You need to research this yourself. Go to the websites of the schools you are interested in, or call their Admissions Dept.

I did and some claim they do when in reality they don't so that's why I'm asking.

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.
45 minutes ago, NurseBlaq said:

I did and some claim they do when in reality they don't so that's why I'm asking.

Email the FNP Program Director (or whatever specialty you're interested in). Ask bluntly, "does your program 100% guarantee clinical placements?" Do not be intimated. I would even email the Dean. You are spending tens of thousands of dollars and you have absolute right to know before applying.

Sometimes you can get a clue in the NP Student Handbook, which you can find if you do a little digging.

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