I am a RN who is considering applying to a MSN program to start Fall 2014. However, I cannot figure out what specialty I want to do.
I love trauma/critical care and always considered acute care NP. However, I don't want to work nights/evenings/weekends/holidays for the rest of my life and it can be difficult to find a Mon-Fri daytime job as a ACNP.
So I thought about doing FNP since that's outpatient. But it limits me to family medicine. No real option for specialty offices. But it does let me do adults and kids.
I always wondered what type of NP specialty offices want (such as a cardiologist) but then I found myself getting frustrated that so often these patients are partially to blame for their health issues and ignore the education you give them.
So then I thought I'd be interested in working with kids. But PNP (either acute or primary) is very limiting and I know several that have a hard time finding jobs. So then I was back to FNP since you are a lot more marketable but will a pediatric office hire a FNP?
I have an interest in women's health and thought about doing the dual nurse midwife / women's health NP in my town. However, I'm not sure I'd like looking at THAT part of a women day in and day out and it would make me sad that I wouldn't have anything to do with the baby once it is born.
But I don't want to do neonatal NP - too sad and not enough baby snuggling. Post partum bores me to death.
I have worked in psych and have no interest in it.
So how does one figure out what specialty to pick?