Is this realistic?

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I started nursing school and got my BSN with the intention of getting my family nurse practitioner degree. The idea of working with people of different ages and getting to know them while diagnosing their ailments sounded pretty great. Right now I have two young children and am enjoying working part-time and having plenty of time to spend with them and nurture them. I have plans to have at least one more child. I started taking classes to get my MSN before the baby was born and I am trying to decide whether to go back. Ideally, I'd like to work about 3 days a week after I graduate to have plenty of time to spend with the kids. I've heard the NP's work their butts off. It is realistic for me think that I can find a NP job I can work part-time at or am I better off sticking with a regular nursing job and saving the $$ I would spend on grad school?

Thanks, this is a big dilemma for me right now!

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There are tons of part time positions available. Don't let this stop you.

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I'm in a similar dilemma. I have four children but I want to have one or two more, and I'm getting old. I also want to be established in a good profession with plenty of flexibility, excellent pay and opportunity for leisure time so I can enjoy my children.

It may be a pipe dream, but I am hoping to find that with being a NP.

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Glad to know I'm not the only one! Good luck to you, I hope you find what you're looking for. (And me too.)

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I started nursing school and got my BSN with the intention of getting my family nurse practitioner degree. The idea of working with people of different ages and getting to know them while diagnosing their ailments sounded pretty great. Right now I have two young children and am enjoying working part-time and having plenty of time to spend with them and nurture them. I have plans to have at least one more child. I started taking classes to get my MSN before the baby was born and I am trying to decide whether to go back. Ideally, I'd like to work about 3 days a week after I graduate to have plenty of time to spend with the kids. I've heard the NP's work their butts off. It is realistic for me think that I can find a NP job I can work part-time at or am I better off sticking with a regular nursing job and saving the $$ I would spend on grad school?

Thanks, this is a big dilemma for me right now!

If you live in a large city, then you could always work PRN at an urgent care clinic. Are there any walk-in clinics in your area? They usually pay anywhere from $45-$55 per hour.

You really can't compare regular "nursing" to what NP's do...yes I know it's supposed to be all nursing, but it's not even close! We diagnose, order tests, prescribe medication, etc and these are things that an RN could never do. Frankly, I was tired of being a nurse and I wanted something more and I found it!

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Not an NP yet, but I've encountered several NPs who have negotiated a part-time schedule. Female MDs are doing this a LOT so why not NPs? One of my friends will tell you flat out that she doesn't have a glamorous job, but it pays really well and she makes her own schedule. She works with a derm. MD and she sees his nursing home patients. She drops her kids off at school, makes some rounds and then is able to pick them up. It's a tradeoff for sure, but I would think one that would be welcome for a lot of us mom/NPs.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Nursing Education.
I started nursing school and got my BSN with the intention of getting my family nurse practitioner degree. The idea of working with people of different ages and getting to know them while diagnosing their ailments sounded pretty great. Right now I have two young children and am enjoying working part-time and having plenty of time to spend with them and nurture them. I have plans to have at least one more child. I started taking classes to get my MSN before the baby was born and I am trying to decide whether to go back. Ideally, I'd like to work about 3 days a week after I graduate to have plenty of time to spend with the kids. I've heard the NP's work their butts off. It is realistic for me think that I can find a NP job I can work part-time at or am I better off sticking with a regular nursing job and saving the $$ I would spend on grad school?

Thanks, this is a big dilemma for me right now!

there's tons of part time and half day work available. i say go for it.

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Specializes in PNP, CDE, Integrative Pain Management.

A couple of my FNP friends work for the chain clinics in pharmacies. (CVS and Walgreen's have them). They make a great salary, and work 1,2 or 3 12 hour shifts per week. The women I know both left their subspecialty fields for the opportunity to have this kind of shift work when they had babies.

At the peds hospital where I work, they even have a few NPs working weekend option - every single weekend, but M-F off, premium pay, etc. I'm sure there are many part-time options.

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