ID NP Market

Trauma Columnist · Mar 2, 2015

The NPs that I know that work in ID work as NPs not epidemiology. They see pts in the hospital and office. May I ask why you are becoming an NP if you don't want to work as an NP?

Work2Live · Mar 2, 2015

Thank you for the response, TraumaRUs. Perhaps my original post was not clear. I am a nurse, but, because I earned a MPH and I have an interest in infectious diseases, I currently work as a nurse epidemiologist for a local health department. If I pursue the NP, I would like to specialize in ID. I do not want to be a generalist. Therefore, I am wondering how long one must practice before feeling confident about transitioning to a specialty. I recognize that is different for everyone.

midwestFNP · Mar 2, 2015

If I were you I would look at going into a research position-perhaps working in clinical trials?

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Mar 4, 2015

I think what the previous posters are telling you (and I'm sure you know this based on your post), is that working as an NP in ID is a clinical practice role that involves treating individuals with infectious diseases. Entry into any type of NP role requires graduating from an NP program (FNP, ANP, or ACNP). I think it doesn't matter which NP track you pick as long as you are able to spend enough time in clinicals in the ID patient population. Try to seek programs that allow you to do this to provide you as much exposure to the field. That in addition to your knowledge of infectious disease surveillance as a nurse epidemiologist and your connections to providers who are specialists in infectious disease will help make you an attractive candidate for an ID NP position.

core0 · Mar 4, 2015

I think what the previous posters are telling you (and I'm sure you know this based on your post), is that working as an NP in ID is a clinical practice role that involves treating individuals with infectious diseases. Entry into any type of NP role requires graduating from an NP program (FNP, ANP, or ACNP). I think it doesn't matter which NP track you pick as long as you are able to spend enough time in clinicals in the ID patient population. Try to seek programs that allow you to do this to provide you as much exposure to the field. That in addition to your knowledge of infectious disease surveillance as a nurse epidemiologist and your connections to providers who are specialists in infectious disease will help make you an attractive candidate for an ID NP position.

I would add always have a plan B. What if you can't get a job as an ID NP? Would you be satisfied with something else. If not you may spend a lot of money for a job that isn't there. ID is a very narrow niche where jobs are few and far between. There are specific areas such as HIV treatment that may use a lot of NPs or PAs but for general ID, its a lot rarer. I work with one of the largest academic ID departments in the country and they only recently added APPs to their workforce. They now have two PAs working with them but are still working out the kinks. Finally, if you really want to do a specialty, you need to be able to move. Limited geography and a small specialty makes things almost impossible.

Work2Live · Mar 4, 2015

Thank you for your input, juan de la cruz and core0. I really appreciate it. As I mentioned in my original post, I have no desire to see patients with a variety of diagnoses (i.e. CHF in one room and COPD exacerbation in the next). I think that other members misconstrue that comment to mean that I dislike patients and, as a result, I should be sitting in a cube somewhere. I really enjoy interacting with patients, but, after eight years as a nurse, I have realized that I do not want to spend twelve hours with patients. Considering that a lot of my bedside experience has been in orthopedics and that I am a certified orthopedic nurse, perhaps I should consider that specialty too. I am at a crossroads in my career at this time. I am struggling with what I want to do versus where my experience and education have been. I recognize that I will have to work full-time for a year or two before I feel confident in my skills, but my goal is to work either as a contracted NP or part-time. I have a very supportive partner and, fortunately, at a higher hourly rate (as compared to the bedside), I do not need to work full-time.