How much RN experience?

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I am strongly leaning towards getting my masters degree and either becoming an NP or CNS. I have about 5 years RN experience now, 1 year in the ED. I'm trying to make at least 2 years in the ED prior to entering a masters program. I worry about being competitive for jobs in CA after school with too little RN experience. I'm afraid to take on a large debt and have to either go back to working as an RN again or leaving the area. I want to stay in CA. I make good money as an RN (over 100K), but getting my NP would bump me up at least 20K per year. That is worth it to me, plus I want to get away from some of the physical stress of working as an RN.

Would anyone recommend hanging in a few more years to get 7 years as an RN? Any thoughts? Thank you in advance.

Do I understand you correctly in that the students you are describing had some actual RN experience? If so that makes sense and I definitely don't think years and years are required but definitely enough time to see and become comfortable with the sixth sense most of use get regarding different presentations and different medication reactions.

I'd have to agree that even 2 years of solid full time experience, especially in the specialty is enough for someone sharp. My biggest concerns and personal experience involve those with either zero RN or zero Psych experience who are not able to pick up on the subtleties of diagnosing and prescribing. For those who go on to work in the outpatient areas they often remain weak because there are no checks and balances they are largely prescribing in a silo...until their patient decompensates ends up on my inpatient unit with a ridiculous medication regimen and inaccurate diagnoses.

I would agree with that analysis. I work in primary care pediatrics, and what I see students struggle the most with is child development. For instance the difference developmentally between a 6 month old and a 9 month old. Experience CAN help with that, but so can being a parent. The NP program that I attended (Ivy League) almost 20 years ago does accept direct entry for primary care specialities, but expects a 2 year or so experience in your specialty for all acute care tracks. Primary care is vastly different from inpatient nursing and in my experience in precepting, years of experience as an RN really don't help with that cross over into primary care. And yours truly was only a year out of school when I started my PNP. I worked throughout my program, so I had three years experience by the time I graduated.

I will comment on the FNP students that I have precepted for their Peds rotation. The vast majority of them had absolutley no experience in pediatrics prior to precepting them. There years of experience with adults did not cross over well to kids. For instance, a 12 year old with chest pain most likely does not have a cardiac etiology. Some took to the pediatric difference right away like pros, and some struggled the whole time. Again, it was more those with critical thinking skills, because their experience had no bearing.

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

Something that did stick out to me is the thought that you'd only make $20,000 a year more as a NP. Are you sure thats accurate? I would not take on the cost of a graduate degree and increase in responsibility/liability for a mere $20,000 a year, especially because you will like lose at least that much income each year you are in school. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I've heard that you can actually make more as an experienced RN in CA than as an NP. I don't know the exact numbers, and its only something I've heard without sources to back it up. But if your career satisfaction and enjoyment will increase, the money can still be worth it, IMO. Definitely a trade off though, if true.

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Specializes in Med-Tele; ED; ICU.

I know two nurses who work FT at the bedside to earn a living and PT as NPs "for fun."

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
I've heard that you can actually make more as an experienced RN in CA than as an NP. I don't know the exact numbers, and its only something I've heard without sources to back it up. But if your career satisfaction and enjoyment will increase, the money can still be worth it, IMO. Definitely a trade off though, if true.

I've heard that also and then thats what I'd be doing because I have no interest in the increased liability or responsibility without a significant increase in pay. I'm sure others will disagree in this day and age of work:life balance but yeahhhhhNO.

I intend to be fairly compensated for the job I do and no job is enjoyable or satisfying enough for me to get ripped off by employers who won't fairly compensate me for my skill set.

I know two nurses who work FT at the bedside to earn a living and PT as NPs "for fun."

For once I am speechless, lol. :)

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There is not a work-life balance as an NP, at least in my experience. In the company I work for we are on-call 24/7/365, and in addition to the hours spent seeing patients, I add another 20-30 hours/week charting, depending on complexity of the patient. All for no more money. This is why in about 3 years I am going back to the bedside, I want to have a life and work my 8 hours and go home.

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Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.
There is not a work-life balance as an NP, at least in my experience. In the company I work for we are on-call 24/7/365, and in addition to the hours spent seeing patients, I add another 20-30 hours/week charting, depending on complexity of the patient. All for no more money. This is why in about 3 years I am going back to the bedside, I want to have a life and work my 8 hours and go home.

Are you an FNP outpatient or private practice? I was considering doing acute care. I definitely don't want to be working all the time or on call. That is crazy.

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Adult NP working for a private practice.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
There is not a work-life balance as an NP, at least in my experience. In the company I work for we are on-call 24/7/365, and in addition to the hours spent seeing patients, I add another 20-30 hours/week charting, depending on complexity of the patient. All for no more money. This is why in about 3 years I am going back to the bedside, I want to have a life and work my 8 hours and go home.

You seem rather sharp and have significant experience so it is a shame it has come to this. Your state's NP organization needs to band together and demand appropriate wages.

I'd agree that there is little work/life balance in being a NP at least with regard to my inpatient gigs anyway. This isn't a problem for me mostly because I'm making just shy of 3xs what you make and I personally value that enough to deal with the off hours stuff although when I'm formally on call I'm compensated.

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Specializes in Med-Tele; ED; ICU.
For once I am speechless, lol. :)

I'm honored to have been the first!;-)

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I've heard that you can actually make more as an experienced RN in CA than as an NP. I don't know the exact numbers, and its only something I've heard without sources to back it up. But if your career satisfaction and enjoyment will increase, the money can still be worth it, IMO. Definitely a trade off though, if true.

Two things - an experienced RN may earn less than a NEW NP in California (mainly due to unions in CA raising the wages across the board for RNs even in non-union shops) but an EXPERIENCED NP may outstrip experienced RN wages as the NP gets more experience. Also unless an RN moves up (into management or other roles), RNs will eventually top out on the wage scale, RNs are limited in positions and RNs at the bedside may, over time, get injured and want to have more options and/or leave the bedside. NPs can set up their own clinics in some places, can be self-employed if they want. Much more flexible in some ways than an RN alone. So I agree with Julius Seizure.

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@kadphilly hi! I’d love to hear more about your experience. I’m a fresh new grad RN. I will be starting NP school in the fall when I officially have one full year of RN experience under my belt. I am extremely nervous to be the one to order tests and procedures and medications but I know 100% know this is what I want to pursue. Did you feel less prepared in regards to knowing what tests to order and what procedures to order? 

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