Is NP the right track?

[jollie]

i am a recent new grad that landed and amazing job as a labor and delivery nurse in san diego at a very prestigious hospital. i have been working there for over 6 months and am currently finishing my masters degree as a direct entry nursing student (previous b.s in chemistry). i decided last month to continue on my education track as a fnp student which requires me to go back to school full time for 1 year in august. i am feeling bad about having to leave my job after only being there a year; however not until recently did i realize how much i dislike floor nursing. i am craving the adrenaline of research based medicine and the desire to diagnose and heal through preventative medicine. i find it very frustrating to have patients that are 9 months into their care and lack some of the educational opportunities i would have liked to introduce them to. i would like to hear from my internet colleagues about the areas an np can dive into and am hoping this is the right track for me...i know i am experiencing the new grad nursing blues and want to be able to separate my emotions from the decisions i make pertaining to my career path. any help and words of advice would be greatly appreciated.

[MERCEDES674, MSN, RN]

I have been a nurse for five years and I totally understand where you are coming from. I hate floor nursing. I did L and D for a while and then began to hate that too. lol... I am currently in a FNP program because I wanted to do basically the same things that you mentioned. If you really hate it now, it doesn't get much better as time goes on. I am now able to tolerate floor nursing because I'm an agency nurse and I know that if I don't want to go then I don't have to. FNP is the best choice that I could have made. Don't quit your job go part time or PRN after your year is up.

[jollie]

Thanks for your response,

I am hoping my manager has a PRN position for me...there seems to be a lot of politics surrounding nursing positions and the money allocated for each unit. Are you able to work and keep up with the NP clinical hours?? I am interested in hearing about your experience. Thanks again for the feedback!

[danceluver]

@jollie

May i ask which direct entry program you graduated from? I am looking into USD and am wondering if that is a good program, or anything close that would help get a job possibly in SD (did you do a rotation here at this hospital)---i would, if i have time work as an RN during my direct entry program, work in LD than any other specialty and it seems hospitals in SD are hiring? Were you just lucky? Any tips, greatly appreciated how you got the job a new grad! How long was your RN program? Sorry for all the questions, but right now you are in my future ideal situation :)