Income woes - take a new job?

Published

I'm a new FNP, have a position that I really enjoy. Started 6 weeks ago.

Major issue is income. I need to work 30hrs/wk to meet my bills. I took this job at 24hrs/wk knowing it would be tight.

Discussion with the physician owner during the interview about more hours/incentives in a few months. Today I saw 1 pt, more hours are not on the horizon.

I'm pretty bored. Co workers are nice but I'm not going to learn very much, no mentorship. Not very mentally stimulating. No way to know that before I started. I had 3 offers initially.

Pros- very low stress, close to home, positive atmosphere.

Then I found out I don't get paid holidays when I didn't get paid for Thanksgiving. Won't get paid for Christmas Day or New Years Day. (I work monday/wednesday/thursday). Makes the money situation even tighter.

Got an email from a friend of a friend for a position in oncology - my passion & the only specialty I would consider. Private practice contracted to a large hospital system. Did the interview as a courtesy but it sounds like a good fit & am shadowing on Friday.

I would work 4 days/week. Pay would be same per hour or more. Longer commute (10 minutes vs 30 minutes). No call & 6 weekend rounds/year (manager said it's usually less than 4 hours/day). I would learn a lot, but it would be specialized vs primary care. I did work inpatient oncology so I feel confident that I would like it & I know what I am getting into.

Advice from those who have been down this road? I have plenty of time to decide after the shadow & I can have additional shadow days.

I trust the friend that it's a good situation. Friend is an RN (not with oncology) & her husband is an MD who collaborates daily with the oncology group.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Hmmm...six weeks into a job. Were you promised more hours/pay? I would say this situation isn't going to work for you and change jobs now before anymore time/effort is invested.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Follow your instincts and move on now within the probationary period (if there is one). You already recognize it will not work and sticking around to "see" if things get better is probably not the best thing to do if you just wind up leaving in a few months anyway. Cut your losses now, justify it with any future employer as "not the right fit" or "didn't meet employment needs" if you list them on your CV. Many people are often plagued with guilt to stick around and "wait" when they should just follow their instincts. Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I would also recommend knowing the nuances of the contract before you accept this time around.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Hmmm...six weeks into a job. Were you promised more hours/pay? I would say this situation isn't going to work for you and change jobs now before anymore time/effort is invested.

I hear what you are saying. I am feeling a bit of the same way, don't get more invested than I already am.

During the interview process we discussed that their practice was growing and that the provider that took over for a part time provider 4 months ago had a full time case load in 4 months. I can't see my caseload growing that quickly and I now know the other new provider took over some of the MDs caseload so that provider had a full time caseload more quickly than I will. I think it will take 8-12 months for my caseload to warrant a 4-5 day week.

I am a straight hourly employee at 24 hours/week and I did ask for more money in the negotiation and I was clear that I really needed 30 hours a week if he was not going to increase the per hour rate to make things work out for me. He came up $ 1.50/hr and I asked for $6.50/hr. I partly took the job because I could start immediately and I really needed the income with the holidays and student loan repayment looming.

The lack of holiday pay makes the issue more critical as I will also not get paid for Memorial day, Labor Day in addition to the current holidays. In the 4 weeks that I have been paid, I've averaged 22.8 hours/week and I have stayed longer that my 'hours' a couple of days to get to that. My major expenses are repaying my student loans and I have a child who will go to college next year (in-state, nothing fancy).

I do not get any benefits except for 401k & malpractice, I get 4 weeks of PTO pro-rated to my hours which I think is fair. I was planning to take the 2 days that I work Christmas week off but now I am reconsidering as they would be unpaid. I can't take any PTO until I've been there 90 days.

And while my feelings should not get in the way, I feel like I'm quite a bargain without health insurance and I'm already billing for exams and procedures that I implemented - that they didn't even really know about. Their primary care practice is new and I am helping to build it. The MD is a specialist but the rest of the office is primary care and urgent care. I will not do urgent care here, it's crazy busy and stressful. The office has 3 providers and 13 full time employees plus the MD and his wife.

If I get the other offer I will definitely ask the current MD to match the offer. I would be happy to stay if the pay was more competitive.

I have been very careful not to 'cost' my current employer anything, I haven't applied for DEA or asked for any reimbursement for credentialing, etc.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Follow your instincts and move on now within the probationary period (if there is one). You already recognize it will not work and sticking around to "see" if things get better is probably not the best thing to do if you just wind up leaving in a few months anyway. Cut your losses now, justify it with any future employer as "not the right fit" or "didn't meet employment needs" if you list them on your CV. Many people are often plagued with guilt to stick around and "wait" when they should just follow their instincts. Good luck!

Thank you. I am definitely a trust your gut person but I needed the reminder. I insisted on shadowing for every position I interviewed with and that helped to eliminate a few.

I'm not that concerned about my resume, I can pretty comfortably say that oncology is my passion. I have been a pretty long term employee in my previous life and I don't expect to change again for at least 5 years but you never know.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My contract just states that I am an hourly employee and the rate. It does not specify the number of hours. I think the MD does want my practice to grow as it ultimately increases his income but I can see that it will grow much more slowly than I anticipated based on my conversations during the interview process.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I would also recommend knowing the nuances of the contract before you accept this time around.

My contract just states that I am an hourly employee and the rate. It does not specify the number of hours. I think the MD does want my practice to grow as it ultimately increases his income but I can see that it will grow much more slowly than I anticipated based on my conversations during the interview process.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Occupational Health; Adult ICU.

Yikes! Five pound bags of sugar are now four pounds and one pound packages of hot dogs are now 12 ounces and 40 hour nursing jobs have moved to 24 hours (or less). A FNP too, OMG, I'm frankly a bit shocked that you can't go out and pick up another day's work. But then in the "must read topics" I see a "Job search for new grad NP's. And I have a mere ADN, no wonder I'm having a hard time finding a job.

"Americans owe over $1.45 trillion in student loan debt, spread out among about 44 million borrowers. That's about $620 billion more than the total U.S. credit card debt. In fact, the average Class of 2016 graduate has $37,172 in student loan debt, up six percent from last year."

You're in an awful place! Enough income to have to pay a big student loan debt but not quite enough to live comfortably. I'd say that America is falling apart but I think that needs to be put in the past tense.

I hope you find another day's work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You took the best opportunity available at the time. Find a better one and take it!!! You didn't go through the rigors of studying to be an NP for a 1/2 time job. This is just a business decision. Nobody wants to live on 1/2 their income potential. If this Doc is so certain that your practice will grow and he (in turn) will make more money off you then he not you should look at that like an investment and front the costs. Move on this guy wants to have his cake & eat it too and that mindset will not change.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
You took the best opportunity available at the time. Find a better one and take it!!! You didn't go through the rigors of studying to be an NP for a 1/2 time job. This is just a business decision. Nobody wants to live on 1/2 their income potential. If this Doc is so certain that your practice will grow and he (in turn) will make more money off you then he not you should look at that like an investment and front the costs. Move on this guy wants to have his cake & eat it too and that mindset will not change.

I get what you are saying and agree the OP should move on but also feel there should be some ownership. OP took a part time offer, didn't understand the contract and now is complaining about the lack of hours and pay. These kind of moves burn bridges. I'm guessing the update will include they didn't consider the implications of an hour a day commute.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It's a job. If she didn't fit into that practice's plans she'd be out of there tomorrow. Also what did this Doc think was going to happen? When you offer a half-time job you better make darn sure the candidate you select wants a half-time position or NPs will go through there like you know what through a Goose. Doc's Practice. Doc's Choice. Doc's Problem. He should get off his wallet and pay this NP if he wants to keep her. She owes this employer and that practice's patients a full days honest work and two weeks notice when she leaves. That's all

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion