Help, Please! Diversification not Specialization.

[RNJohnny23]

I've been an RN w/ BSN for almost 10 years now. I've worked in Surgery, specifically Cardiothoracic and Neuro, as well as all the other specialties. When I say "Surgery" I mean the whole Peri-operative experience, including preop and PACU. I've assisted Anesthesia and scrubbed. I've worked in IR, placed PICC lines, performed thousands of conscious/moderate sedations, and assisted with paracentesis, thoracentesis lung and liver biopsies, etc. I have run the C-arm when the Rad Tech was either unavailable or too "distracted" to do so. And I love it all and I love learning new skills. My worst fear is that I'll become bored!

Even though I love doing these things, none of these skills are visible on my badge. If you see NP, CNS, or CRNA, you know that these people function with an expanded role. The brass ring for me would be CRNA, but there are no schools in my state (IN) and I have a family, so moving is not an option (so says my wife, LOL). I started a Master's, but the available options for study and the way I would be utilized after completion are not for me. I like to "do" and MSN's seem to be used mostly administratively. I don't scrub enough to maintain a RNFA (and I wouldn't be compensated for it anyway) and I have no desire to work in an office as an NP. I'm frustrated with trying to decide what the next phase of my career will be or, rather, how to collect all the things I can do now into some credential that is MINE--independent of a hospital organization--that doesn't require me to obtain and maintain 3 or 4 different certifications, for which I will never be compensated.

Any info or advice is appreciated--even if you have to tell me to just get a big box of tissues and cry it out

[PMFB-RN, RN]

I've been an RN w/ BSN for almost 10 years now. I've worked in Surgery, specifically Cardiothoracic and Neuro, as well as all the other specialties. When I say "Surgery" I mean the whole Peri-operative experience, including preop and PACU. I've assisted Anesthesia and scrubbed. I've worked in IR, placed PICC lines, performed thousands of conscious/moderate sedations, and assisted with paracentesis, thoracentesis lung and liver biopsies, etc. I have run the C-arm when the Rad Tech was either unavailable or too "distracted" to do so. And I love it all and I love learning new skills. My worst fear is that I'll become bored!

Even though I love doing these things, none of these skills are visible on my badge. If you see NP, CNS, or CRNA, you know that these people function with an expanded role. The brass ring for me would be CRNA, but there are no schools in my state (IN) and I have a family, so moving is not an option (so says my wife, LOL). I started a Master's, but the available options for study and the way I would be utilized after completion are not for me. I like to "do" and MSN's seem to be used mostly administratively. I don't scrub enough to maintain a RNFA (and I wouldn't be compensated for it anyway) and I have no desire to work in an office as an NP. I'm frustrated with trying to decide what the next phase of my career will be or, rather, how to collect all the things I can do now into some credential that is MINE--independent of a hospital organization--that doesn't require me to obtain and maintain 3 or 4 different certifications, for which I will never be compensated.

Any info or advice is appreciated--even if you have to tell me to just get a big box of tissues and cry it out

*** I feel you man. I was kind of in the same boat except for me it was ICU & ER rather than surgery. I applied for and was offered a job in critical transport and LOVED IT! About as much autonomy as any non-advanced practice RN can have, respect, and chance to really help many people, and just plain fun. Only problem is that the pay sucked. I started looking around and was offered m current job as a full time Rapid Response RN. It is lots of fun, not quite as much as transport, but fun, lot's of respect and autonomy, everybody loves you cause you are only there when they need help the most. Best of all the pay is excellent, well over 100K/year here in the Midwest.

My other suggestion is acute care NP. Several hospitals here use them in ICU and sort of permanent residents, or hospitalists.

Good luck!