For APRNs: What's your lifestyle like?

[prelift]

I play nice in real life and spout painful truths on forums. Never argue in real life, just let people think what they want, could care less if they run themselves into a poop hole. Im on a 1 month vacation rotation so besides working on my lousy research project what else do I have to do besides troll and study some.

Have had a few nurses spout bitterness about me going back to med school from being an APN, but I just turn my head the other way and talk to my preceptor. Many of the nurses arent like that but the ones that are get the cold shoulder because luckily their opinion doesnt go into my reference letter bag. A large percent of the nurses who arent going back to NP school actually agreee that med school is a much better education and that alot of NPs are pathetic (not all). I mean they have some whos orders get laughed at all the time in the hospital so they know who sucks.

But here on AN these is a nice strong set of "man im better than doctor" np and nurses that need their chains rattled. i am here to do just that and it is entertaining.

You would be right that it would be bad to act all pious in real life though ha.

on the flip side, some of those contemplating on going to sad for profit online NP assembly line schools might second guess their choice after reading satire.

[gmjohnson6]

@travelNP APRN when you say outpatient do you mean primary care? Im wondering how work I should expect to take home with me once I graduate, and hopefully start working as a FNP at a private practice

[Riburn3, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP]

To the OP, all the things you mentioned are possible with a nurses salary, let alone an NP salary. Before I ever started as a NP, my wife (who is also an RN) and I were able to travel abroad at least once (but usually twice) a year, and lived in a very nice house and drove nice cars. Obviously your market situation in terms of jobs and real estate will impact this heavily, but RN's can live very nice lifestyles. The only real difference between most RN and NP jobs is the hours and scheduling. Pay is obviously different, but again, market is a huge factor.

As an RN I would work 50+ hours a week to knock on the 6 figure door, all on night shift. As an NP I have a regular fulltime dayjob where I work 30-40 hours a week depending on how busy we are, and then do another 5-10 or so hours a week working for another physician doing some rehab facility rounds. I typically am at work at 8am, and am home by 6pm (often earlier). The NP work is much less strenuous, I can come and go as I please throughout the day (which is convenient if I or my daughter has an appointment or something), and the money is considerably better.

[aprnKate]

Did some traveling and that's still I have to say, the best gig so far. Now transitioning to a perm position that I like for traveling that has a chance of paying for higher education if I wanted to pursue it. Long story short, my salary has varies from high 5 to 6 figures but nothing beats when you can control your time off which is the reason I did traveling for a while. Decent vacation time is dependent on your workplace and what you negotiate; paid or not paid. I did not have paid vacation while traveling but it did not matter to me because i got paid more and I got to call how many days I went vacation and also got holidays off if I wanted. Perm job - i had to request for it and also got paid. So for the past, 6 months to 1 year, I saw 12-14 patients a day mostly internal med/peds - got to take my time on them; hiked on weekends, wednesdays - band practice (I play the sax), 2 thursdays I have knitting club. Occassional dinners with my Doc/NP/PA/Pharmacist colleagues which is also nice. I never had time for any of these things when I was a RN or in school. Its also rare that I stay past 5 or 6p for charting. I have a house in TX but traveled in AZ. Now will be perm in AZ near the four corners, the company i work for his paying for my moving costs - kinda like a military move.

[Null]

OP, I think all of what you want is obtainable as an NP. However, your standard of vacation, nice home, and income might differ from mine. Much of this also depends on the specific job, location, and cost of living.

[googs]

This is the best post I've ever read!!!

[googs]

first I wake up in the morning, drink my red bull then look into the mirror while I wear my glistening un earned white coat and say to myself "I AM BETTER THAN DOCTORS I AM BETTER THAN DOCTORS." Next I drive my 15 series BMW to work, where I work at the best hospital in the world where NPs lead everything and the doctors mop the floor. Next I greet the door man and he parks my car for me and even waxes the entire thing. Afterward he pays me 50 bucks for the privilege of touching my vehicle. I walk onto the floor and the Staff doctors and nurses all bow down and roll out a read carpet for me and bring me my MoonDollar coffee, which I take shaken, not stirred. I then go so my patients who are all highly educated and tip me for the excellent quality work I do. It is the best work ever because Florence Nightingale tells me it is. Next the CEO of the hospital invites me to play a game of golf with him for the rest of the afternoon since my work day is only 5 hours long and twice weekly. He personally hands me my paycheck of 50000 per week since I am just that good. When I get home I go on SDN and allnurses and tell people how the world would be better since nurses are >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> everything else in the world and how the moon would lose orbit and crash into earth if we did not exist.

I speak at conferences for pharm companies and also sit on the board at medical schools so I can teach them how to mop the floors better with their laughable education compared to nursing. I am also politically active on wall street and like to take erotic flights to other countries and moose hunt in the desert while eating vegamite sandwiches.

I have the best like ever cuz I went to some online for profit school and posted discussion posts with my classmates for 3 years and followed around some NP at CVS and now the whole world bows down to me.

It was the best deal ever

I also play chess on weekends and beat gary Kasparov on a daily basis since he does not have my nurse knowledge and is inferior to me.

This is the best post I've ever read!!