Members are discussing negotiating salaries as new Nurse Practitioners, the importance of building relationships with physicians, the value of sharing salary information for negotiation, the impact of pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree on earning potential, and the reputation of certain online schools for nurse practitioner programs. Additionally, members are seeking advice on transitioning to a career as an NP, the differences between working in a community clinic versus a hospital, and the potential for career advancement in the field.
My reasons why I question going for a Nurse Practitioner license.
Working with some seasoned nurses in the ER over the last couple of years, they make more than starting NP's do.
Two doctors and a nurse who did recruit and hiring for a couple of years all stated that it was not worth it.
If I don't jump on the bandwagon right away...the rumors of the dreaded 2015 DNP may come true
The Drawbacks:
Increased liability without enough pay
Overworked and underpaid for their work. In our ER, the PA's do most of the work while the physicians kick back
PA's are preferred in hospital settings (which is my major interest...though I'm sure an office setting will be great later in life)
Again...financial. They did not agree that 2.5 years of schooling was worth a mediocre increase in salary (even long term). They collectively felt that working a 4th 12hr shift each week was better than spending another 2.5 years an lots of money for an NP degree.
The Positives:
Increased autonomy
I can do a full time NP program and still work
There are 2 great NP programs near me (TWU and UTA)
I believe I can get in without to much hassle
In state tuition is affordable
Self satisfaction
I understand that financial compensation is not all there is to a job though it is a necessity. Increased autonomy is very important to me and the main reason I would like an advanced practice degree. Med school would be great, but being hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and taking 4 years off is not appealing to me.
So to the current NP's...
Would you NOT get your degree if you had to do it again?
Was it worth it more than just personal satisfaction?
Interesting thread! I personally chose psych NP because I love psych but I do not love working nights and weekends and holidays. I also liked the idea of working with clients all over the spectrum of mental illness, not just the sickest of the sick who are inpatient. I loved seeing all of the variety in outpatient during my internship. And around here we have 15-20min f/u appts generally but can make 30-40 min occasionally for very complex and acute patients. Community mental health, as I am sure community primary care, can be brutal though! People can be very sick and have a lot of trouble with compliance. I haven't started working as a NP yet but I do believe that I made the right choice for myself and my family.
Specializes in Peds Med/Surg; Peds Skilled Nursing.
I graduate this winter from my NP program and i think it is worth it. The pay increase will be nice but my reason for going back to school was to get away from staff nursing. I work in peds and sometimes i take of 300lbs plus adolescents and young adults in diapers and also bigger kids that pee and poop in their beds because they don't feel like getting up to use the bathroom when they are more than capable...i have been a nurse for 7 years and i knew 2 years in that i didn't want to do that forever, not to mention the short staffing, ignorant and irate parents that think they have no parenteral responsibilities once their infant is admitted to the hospital and rather play video games/watch a game at the bedside than pick up there screaming infant who needs to be changed and/or fed; night shifts, holidays, mandatory overtime, nursing management, etc
I love being an NP. I work in MA and I really have so much freedom to practice how I think best. ? I enjoyed being a staff nurse too years ago...but there is a lot more independence and autonomy to enjoy as an NP.
Specializes in Mental Health; Medical-Surgical/Trauma.
BlueDevil,DNP said:
Interesting thread. Short answer, yes, it is absolutely worth it. I have an independent practice with complete autonomy. I work 3/4 time and earn in the neighborhood of $140K. I make my own hours, come and go as I please.
I personally hate my psych patients, lol. I groan when I see chief complain "depression" or anxiety." I can not stand needy whiners. I'd rather do a DRE any day! Let's get it over with, you go on your way and we do not ever speak of it again, right? I do not want to have to see you and hear about your sucky life and stupid imaginary problems every month for the next year. (Google the Bob Newhart youtube video "Stop It") In that sense, psych NP would be highly preferable to FNP because I suspect most of Zen's patients have genuine behavioral health problems vs. just a failure to cope with normal life challenges, which is mostly what I see labeled as "anxiety" and "depression." Suck it up Buttercup. Get some exercise, get some perspective. A prescription is not going to fix what ails you.
I do get yelled at occasionally, but here is the thing: I am there to treat a medical condition, no to pander to them or enable them. When people are inappropriate, I get up and walk out. The visit is over and I won't see them again.
I do see a variety of fascinating things and meet a lot of very interesting people, most of whom are very pleasant. I really love seeing patients that do what they are supposed to do and whom make good progress toward goals. I don't like seeing people that don't follow directions/advice, make no lifestyle changes. I usually cut them loose after a year of no progress. They need to find someone that inspires them to make healthy life change, if I can't I'm not the right provider for them. I 'm not going to just keep writing scripts for the same conditions if they won't even try to do anything for themselves. Besides, they get tired of hearing me harp on the same things and are ready to be done with me too, lol.
29/30 days work pass by pleasantly and without unexpected complications. Most of my grief comes from insurance companies. The words "prior authorization" sometimes make my blood boil, lol. My least favorite part of the job is paperwork. I can't stand filling out FMLA paperwork and endless forms for nursing homes, home health, physical therapists, etc, but at least I can bill for it. I take a half day a week to do nothing else and I don't enjoy that day very much, but it must be done. I usually treat myself to a nice lunch to give myself something to look forward to that day.
I like 75% of my patients, my career trajectory, , my day to day office life, my colleagues and my salary. I'd do it all again.
Psych NP does not sound too bad provided one does not have to deal with too much hassle from insurance providers. I say this as a new RN starting out in psych.
Also, I think it's admirable that you don't keep patients who just aren't willing to make the necessary changes in order to improve their health. I'm sure there are many other providers who would gladly hold on to those patients, and just keep prescribing them medications.
I myself is caught in the rut in trying to make the biggest decision of my life. I recently got in UIC's BSN-DNP AGNP program and was planning to turn it down. There was a big pit in stomach when I found out my education would cost $100k and I still have loans of 60k from my BSN degree. So does anyone still think it would be worth it? If I was going to pay 160k to be a NP with a DNP...it makes me feel stupid for not going to med school in the first place with that kind of debt. I chose nursing so I can live life and not have spent all my years in my 20s at school especially with all that debt. I want to make sure I able to afford a family and a house one day instead of struggling. But like everyone, I want autonomy and be able to independently plan their care. I don't know if I should pass this up or just go to a school that's more affordable. Then what are my chances again in getting in a NP school? I just don't want to regret my decision in passing this up. Any suggestions??? is it worth that debt to chose over than life(I.e.wedding, future family, house)? In addition, I also just recently got my CA license so my decision was to just transfer over there and then go to school there but I feel like Id be spending the same for just masters and I feel like I keep delaying my education. I just want to be an NP before 30. Any good advice???
I am glad that you posted this 8mpg. I myself is caught in the rut in trying to make the biggest decision of my life. I recently got in UIC's BSN-DNP AGNP program and was planning to turn it down. There was a big pit in stomach when I found out my education would cost $100k and I still have loans of 60k from my bsn degree. So does anyone still think it would be worth it? If I was going to pay 160k to be a np with a dnp...it makes me feel stupid for not going to med school in the first place with that kind of debt. I chose nursing so I can live life and not have spent all my years in my 20s at school especially with all that debt. I want to make sure I able to afford a family and a house one day instead of struggling. But like everyone, I want autonomy and be able to independently plan their care. I don't know if I should pass this up or just go to a school that's more affordable. Then what are my chances again in getting in a np school? I just don't want to regret my decision in passing this up. Any suggestions??? is it worth that debt to chose over than life(I.e.wedding, future family, house)? In addition, I also just recently got my CA license so my decision was to just transfer over there and then go to school there but I feel like Id be spending the same for just masters and I feel like I keep delaying my education. I just want to be an NP before 30. Any good advice???
Good lord! $100k? I can't ever imagine coughing out that kind of money to be an NP. While i think the DNP is nice, is it really worth all the extra money when it doesn't entitle you to any additional scope of practice? I'll be graduating in December with my MSN-FNP, with the total cost for my degree running $18k, and I have worked throughout the process, meaning I haven't taken out a single loan. $100k sounds silly.
$18k is well below what I found available for me, but $100k is way more than anything I found for MSN or DNP. Having said that, my first thought was $60k for a BSN??? My wife and I both graduated with far less than that combined, and we thought we had taken out too much in loans!
UTEP. Public school in Texas. Just about any public school in Texas will have you in and out for under $30k for in state residents. Even UTEP out of state isn't much more than $30k.
Specializes in NICU, Pediatrics, Nursing Education.
I would have not gone to school for my Masters if it had been $100k! NO! There are people that do it, I even work with a few. It boils down to what you really want... but for me I am terrified of debt. Also, I think it's a good idea to look for public universities that have hospitals you can work at with a tuition discount. I did this and my Masters education cost me about $7k including books and fees.
I would have not gone to school for my Masters if it had been $100k! NO! There are people that do it, I even work with a few. It boils down to what you really want... but for me I am terrified of debt. Also, I think it's a good idea to look for public universities that have hospitals you can work at with a tuition discount. I did this and my Masters education cost me about $7k including books and fees.
Thank you! Nothing wrong with going to a nice public university with a good local reputation. The cost of my tuition and books is 18k. My hospital has assisted me with 5k of that cost, meaning my MSN-FNP is costing me 13k. This December I will be graduating debt free, and a friend of mine I know going to Georgetown will have over 70k in debt. Granted she didn't have to find preceptors and I did, but I'll take the 70k in savings to do a little of the leg work myself.
I do not want to have to see you and hear about your sucky life and stupid imaginary problems every month for the next year. (Google the Bob Newhart youtube video "Stop It") In that sense, psych NP would be highly preferable to FNP because I suspect most of Zen's patients have genuine behavioral health problems vs. just a failure to cope with normal life challenges, which is mostly what I see labeled as "anxiety" and "depression." Suck it up Buttercup. Get some exercise, get some perspective. A prescription is not going to fix what ails you.
Chaoticdreams33, MSN, RN
299 Posts
Interesting thread! I personally chose psych NP because I love psych but I do not love working nights and weekends and holidays. I also liked the idea of working with clients all over the spectrum of mental illness, not just the sickest of the sick who are inpatient. I loved seeing all of the variety in outpatient during my internship. And around here we have 15-20min f/u appts generally but can make 30-40 min occasionally for very complex and acute patients. Community mental health, as I am sure community primary care, can be brutal though! People can be very sick and have a lot of trouble with compliance. I haven't started working as a NP yet but I do believe that I made the right choice for myself and my family.