Is FNP school worth it

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I just started clincal for my FNP and I hate it. There is limited time spent with patients and a work/life balance seems impossible. My preceptor works 7:30-6 Monday-Friday, the practice closes at 5pm, then she charts some on Saturday. I have a four year old and I don't want to be away from her all the time. I am debating dropping out but I have 91,000 in student loans from ASN, BSN, and now part of my MSN. I'm also debating switching to public health or education. Any advice is appreciated.

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Specializes in Medsurg.

It all depends on why you are wanting to be a FNP. Is it financial? Wanting professional growth?

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Specializes in NICU.

I have several coworkers that got their FNP, but gave up looking for an FNP job. All they could get were Minute Clinics in Walgreens/CVS. A couple of coworkers got jobs as FNPs, but are coming back to the unit because they have more flexibility as a bedside nurse.  

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Specializes in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

Your experience in your clinic is pretty much the life of most NPs in the clinic setting. Considering you hate it, maybe you should reconsider going for FNP.  There are non M-F clinic jobs out there as an FNP, but they are not common. Contract work, which is what I do, is great if scheduling for your personal life is important for you. The pay is generally higher (no benefits) and some contractors allow you to self schedule; however, having been in this contract field for 8 months, I do have to say it can be inconsistent at times. Not scheduled to see patients = no pay.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

Please do not rush to judgment based on one clinical rotation and one preceptor.  What you are describing is really not typical of most primary care positions.  

Most PCPs work Mon-Fri 8 am to 5 pm or they will do 4 ten-hour days.  There is generally no weekend or on call work, or relatively little on call.

I do not understand why your preceptor is working such long hours.  An efficient provider charts as they go, so they should be done charting by the end of the work day, or maybe up to 30 minutes after the end of the work day.  I've seen some very inefficient NPs, which is unfortunate for them, but that is on them.

There are many different options for an FNP, not just typical primary care.  Some jobs seem more stressful and seem to require longer hours than others.  That is just life.  

My first NP job was in an FQHC primary care clinic.  The providers worked either 8-5 M-F or some did 4 10-hour days.  No one worked a lot of overtime.  Efficient providers that charted as they went were generally done working by 5:30 pm.  As a new grad, it took me longer, but by the one year mark I was generally done by 5:30.  Very seldom did I need to chart on weekends - it was usually for a more complicated case because I also wanted to do some research.  As a new grad, I was stressed out, but that decreased with time as I became more knowledgeable.  None of the other experienced providers found the job particularly stressful overall.

One of the NPs was a workaholic, so he worked 4 10-hour days, then he had a 2nd job as an ER nurse working 2-12 hour shifts on the weekend!  

Some NPs also only work part-time.

That said, being an NP isn't for everyone.  

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