Is an FNP worth it?

[Eeramsey, BSN, RN]

I want to get my bachelor's with out a doubt. I am wondering if getting my FNP license would be worth it. I heard the boards are tremendously hard and there is a big risk for getting sued. I want a job that makes a good salary though. I don't want to go to school for years and years just to fail the boards to become an FNP. I don't want to regret stopping school either and settling for my BSN.

[kakamegamama]

You don't have to stop at your BSN....however, getting several years experience will help you to avoid some of the potential pitfalls of advanced practice. Yes, the NP boards are tough, but worth it. A NP delivers a different kind of care than a R.N. does--diagnoses, treats, manages patient care. In some states independently, in others with physician supervision. Mid level provider vs. bed side/clinic/whatever nurse a BSN would be.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

Don't become an FNP for money.

[RiskManager]

Speaking as the person who does risk management and malpractice claims for a living, it is my opinion that FNP do not have a significant risk of being sued. Not nearly to the extent of a nurse midwife or nurse anesthetist.

[guest769224]

Speaking as the person who does risk management and malpractice claims for a living, it is my opinion that FNP do not have a significant risk of being sued. Not nearly to the extent of a nurse midwife or nurse anesthetist.

Would you mind elaborating if it's not too much to ask?

[RiskManager]

Would you mind elaborating if it's not too much to ask?

In medical malpractice cases, the most expensive cases are those involving death or a profound permanent neurological impairment as a result of treatment. If you practice in a specialty in which these patient outcomes are prone to occur, your malpractice insurance premium will be correspondingly higher than a specialty in which such outcomes rarely, if ever, occur.

In my post above, I called out OB and anesthesia as two specialties that have a higher risk of these patient outcomes: children born with a permanent neurological or neuromuscular deficit, allegedly as a result of negligent prenatal care, or more commonly something happening during labor and delivery; and anesthetic catastrophes resulting in death or a permanent neurological deficit due to asphyxia. So the insurance premiums for a nurse midwife or nurse anesthetist reflect this.

Compare this to a primary care provider in which you still have the risk of poor outcomes, but death or a profound permanent neurological impairment is relatively rare. The insurance premium for a primary care provider reflects this.

[Buyer beware, BSN]

OP: One thing at a time. Although I think the NP thing has been oversold and used as a hugh cashcow by many unscrupulous educational players, it only matters what you think when the time comes. As with any educational endeavour, tread cautiously and know what you're getting into.