I read a recent post regarding new graduates who cannot find work jumping on the NP bandwagon.
At work the other day, a new grad co-worker (less than 5 months experience) launched into a bitter tirade against a well known school for having the gall to expect her to have 2 years experience, have been involved in EBP, Committees and to have precepted before being allowed to even apply to join their ACNP program.....
Mind you, this nurse can barely handle her assignment... what makes her think that the NP is going to be an easy way out of floor nursing.... The courses take time and dedication and contrary to popular belief, graduation and subsequent employment are not a given..
I disagree with your perspective. Perhaps, for this nurse it is not time to be an NP, but that is not true of all new graduate nurses. The RN role and the NP role are COMPLETELY different. Being an RN on the floor for a few years is probably helpful but I don't think it makes one NP better than another... Yes some NPs don't feel prepared out of school, they can easily sign up for an internship and hang out with an MD or another NP before they begin to practice independently. Floor nursing isn't for some people.
Saying a GN shouldn't become an NP until they have x years of experience is like saying a CNA shouldn't be an RN until x years of experience... except this makes MORE sense because the CNA and RN have much more in common than the NP and the RN.
Sometimes I think that the nurses who discourage GN so much from being NPs are jealous because they are jealous that the twenty-something GN has the drive to become an NP, while the 45 year old nurse with 44 years of nursing experience (sarcasm) is still stuck at the bedside and can't imagine going back to school... Just an observation.... I'm jealous of my 22 year old friend who only has a few months until she's an FNP... It's okay to be jealous, but resist the totally natural urge to rain on their parade.
My perspective is that in the absence of a residency program, acute care RN experience can take its place. It's not AS good as a residency, but it will do.
The CNA-RN vs RN-NP similarity argument is absurd.
And please....stop with the "You're just jealous" nonsense! It sounds so immature.
I think everything should have a controlled peer reviewed study! Seriously, there are some things that are logically obvious that turn out to be incorrect, which is why I always try and base my decisions on studies, if they are available. From science training I tend to accept the null if there is no evidence. All rules have exceptions though.
Ok, fine. I'm not going to continue to argue this point because I don't think we will ever agree on this.
In my opinion, NPs are educated to be collaborative providers, be that with MDs, DOs, or other experienced NPs. I would never recommend a novice NP move directly into autonomous practice. I have advocate many times on the importance of support network for novice NPs.
I'm glad you wouldn't recommend autonomous practice for a novice NP. However, a big part of the problem that I and others are pointing out is that there is no standardization. So, if a straight-from-school novice NP works in a state that does not require a collaborative agreement, she COULD be legally autonomous from day one. There is nothing in place to prevent that.
24 is young. You are just too young to know it. Your fertility doesn't dry up at your 29th birthday.
Consider overpopulation and the cost of raising four children.. Two cost a fortune. How do you plan on raising them if you are out of the home all day at work? Nannies don't teach your values.
The best NPs I've ever worked with were crusty old bats who worked hard to hone their knowledge, spent years up in the Arctic as the only healthcare providers. I'd trust them more than some new GPs.
As someone raised by a working mother, I somewhat resent what this post implies. Do full-time working moms not raise their own children? Mine sure did, and I remember her more than all of the daycare workers.
As for overpopulation: myth. In some parts of the world, in the poorer areas, there is overpopulation. But in the U.S.? Not even the influx of immigrants can keep the population up. The new generation is not large enough to support the Baby Boomers and Silver Birds.
24 is young, yes, and 27 is not "old", but in fertility years, it isn't "young" either. Consider this: average American girl gets her first period at age 12. At about 36, the risk of birth defects climbs significantly, and by age forty, a woman's fertility deteriorates astronomically. That leaves little wiggle room for a woman who wants to finish all over her formal education before having children.
Did you not ask if I wanted more listed? The answer is still yes.
So you can't even answer if you read any if them?
Here are several more, can't wait to hear your thoughts:
Lenz, E. R., Mundinger, M. O. N., Kane, R. L., Hopkins, S. C., & Lin, S. X. (2004). Primary care outcomes in patients treated by nurse practitioners or physicians: two-year follow-up. Medical Care Research and Review, 61(3), 332-351.
Wilson, I. B., Landon, B. E., Hirschhorn, L. R., McInnes, K., Ding, L., Marsden, P. V., & Cleary, P. D. (2005). Quality of HIV care provided by nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and physicians. Annals of Internal Medicine, 143(10), 729-736.
Roblin, D. W., Becker, E. R., Adams, E. K., Howard, D. H., & Roberts, M. H. (2004). Patient satisfaction with primary care: does type of practitioner matter?. Medical care, 42(6), 579-590.
Newhouse, R. P., Stanik-Hutt, J., White, K. M., Johantgen, M., Bass, E. B., Zangaro, G., ... & Weiner, J. P. (2011). Advanced practice nurse outcomes 1990-2008: a systematic review. Nursing Economics, 29(5), 1-21.
So if a straight-from-school novice NP works in a state that does not require a collaborative agreement, she COULD be legally autonomous from day one. There is nothing in place to prevent that.[/quote']
In almost every state APRNs are required to pass a national certifying body board exam for competency for entry to practice. It's a speed bump but at least it is there.
So if a straight-from-school novice NP works in a state that does not require a collaborative agreement, she COULD be legally autonomous from day one. There is nothing in place to prevent that.[/quote']
In almost every state APRNs are required to pass a national certifying body board exam for competency for entry to practice. It's a speed bump but at least it is there.
Yes, but one exam compared to the USMLE steps? Yet another major difference between the two providers' requirements.
Well there are USMLE exams in three steps. NPs have the NCLEX and the NP boards. But as I said before, I would advocate for step-based exams for NPs as well.
Well there are USMLE exams in three steps. NPs have the NCLEX and the NP boards. But as I said before, I would advocate for step-based exams for NPs as well.
PI wouldn't equate NCLEX-RN and the NP boards as two tests compared to the USMLE's three. The USMLE is a continuum for the same role, while the NCLEX and NP boards are for two different roles.
PI wouldn't equate NCLEX-RN and the NP boards as two tests compared to the USMLE's three. The USMLE is a continuum for the same role while the NCLEX and NP boards are for two different roles.[/quote']
Neither exam is equatable to the USMLE exam (save for one very advanced NP exam which was based on the step 3). They are both simply minimum entry-to-practice exams for nurses. Again. Speed bumps not a solution.
dudette10, MSN, RN
3,530 Posts
My perspective is that in the absence of a residency program, acute care RN experience can take its place. It's not AS good as a residency, but it will do.
The CNA-RN vs RN-NP similarity argument is absurd.
And please....stop with the "You're just jealous" nonsense! It sounds so immature.