FNP Oversaturation

Specialties NP

Updated:   Published

I am in school for FNP. I keep hearing that it will be hard to find a job because of how many people are doing FNP. This has got me thinking I should maybe switch specialites. Is this gonna be a real problem? I live in a rural area and don't mind working here.

djmatte said:
CRNA programs aren't accredited by the same bodies as np programs...

Exactly. So I'm not sure what this person is talking about. CRNA program accreditation is overseen by the COA. And CRNA programs are all the COA accredits. Unfortunately for NPs, there are multiple accrediting bodies that also accredit undergraduate / bachelor nursing programs. Why NPs don't demand and form our own accrediting body is beyond me

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djmatte said:
CRNA programs aren't accredited by the same bodies as np programs...

Oldmahubbard wasn't comparing CRNA and NP programs, she was contrasting them. Oldmahubbard is an NP and she called her own accreditation not "real". Just thought it was funny that she didn't recognize it. Or maybe she did and she just enjoys self-degradation.

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gvalue said:
Oldmahubbard wasn't comparing CRNA and NP programs, she was contrasting them. Oldmahubbard is an NP and she called her own accreditation not "real". Just thought it was funny that she didn't recognize it. Or maybe she did and she just enjoys self-degradation.

No. She was contrasting the programs (not the accreditation). She indicated the CRNA programs are actually worth their salt because their accrediting bodies actually hold them accountable. Unlike NP accreditation who will seemingly let any program in to simply bolster their numbers. Their programs are a far step above most NP programs out there.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
djmatte said:
Unlike NP accreditation who will seemingly let any program in to simply bolster their numbers.

Lol I initially read this as the universities will seemingly let any applicant into their NP programs to simply bolster their numbers but either way is accurate. :D

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Sadly, there is almost zero correlation between accreditation and competency in NP programs.

Apart from that, we have an apparent anti-vaxxer here, probably not any kind of a nurse, attempting to stir up a completely non-existent controversy.

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This has been a sobering thread to read through. I am currently in an AG-ACNP program (Norcal) and will graduate in June. Does anyone know (even anecdotally) how over-saturated that market is? Thanks.

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buttercup9 said:
This has been a sobering thread to read through. I am currently in an AG-ACNP program (Norcal) and will graduate in June. Does anyone know (even anecdotally) how over-saturated that market is? Thanks.

In most areas, the market is not oversaturated for ACNPs. Most of the big hospitals now know what an ACNP is, are are hiring them preferentially. Even going so far as making employed FNPs go back for their ACNP cert. And for the smaller hospitals, it's not hard to highlight the difference in training and education between ACNP and FNP to put yourself ahead of the pack.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).
buttercup9 said:
This has been a sobering thread to read through. I am currently in an AG-ACNP program (Norcal) and will graduate in June. Does anyone know (even anecdotally) how over-saturated that market is? Thanks.

NoCal is a big area. If you mean San Francisco, then there are lots of applicants in that job market. If you are willing to look at ALL of NoCal, there are plenty of good job opportunities.

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On 5/6/2018 at 3:06 PM, Dranger said:

As I have said before, one key solution is to raise the barrier of entry into NP schools. As of now there is literally 0 barrier besides a BSN.

Wrong. They also require you have a pulse ? (I know this thread is almost a year old, but I couldn't help myself).

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On 4/5/2018 at 4:02 PM, FullGlass said:

The FNP job market varies widely by location. I started my new grad NP job search in Nov and there were boatloads of FNP jobs going begging in the Western US, especially in rural areas. I now work in a rural FQHC and we are always looking for NPs and MDs who are willing to live and work here. The cost of living is low and the pay is excellent - the same or more than in the big cities (I live in California). I had offers from all over the San Joaquin Valley, mountains of California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Montana, etc. Washington, Hawaii, Alaska, also have many opportunities and a shortage of all primary care providers. If you are willing to work in a rural area, you should have no trouble finding a good job in the Western U.S. I can't speak for the rest of the US

do you have to be bilingual?

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

do you have to be bilingual?

No, an NP does not have to bilingual. However, it is a huge advantage. It isn't that hard to learn a little medical spanish. Even a little spanish is helpful.

There are a few positions that require bilingual NPs, but that is not common. I've watched with interest as some of those positions just never get filled, and the requirement then changes to "bilingual preferred." LOL

I would advise any future NP to learn medical spanish if possible.

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