Jobless FNP

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Feb 13, 2018

Bellevue is not rural, but suburban and average home cost is about 700k. Just thought you should know.

ms_sgr, BSN, NP · Feb 13, 2018

You misread my post. I stated that I'm relocating to a rural area (that is 1.5 hours outside of Seattle) and that I saw a job on indeed for a position in Bellevue. I'm aware that Bellevue is not in a rural area, and you don't have to live where you work. I was just giving options for locating a job.

Lane Therrell FNP, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 13, 2018

Have you looked into positions at remote rural health clinics... for example, those run by Indian Health Service? If you are willing to work in a remote rural location, often you will have fantastic opportunities to practice to the full extent of your licensure. Who knows? You may be able to find a number of these types of clinics within a relatively close proximity to Las Vegas.

Also, I didn't see volunteering as a job-search strategy mentioned in this thread. Consider finding a place nearby that interests you (maybe a cancer center, children's hospital, hospice, etc.) and volunteer there on a part-time basis. This type of networking would allow you to explore an area of interest while allowing influential people to get to know you personally. It's certainly worth a try to get your foot in the door at someplace you could potentially see yourself working, while also building your resume.

alex1214 · Feb 16, 2018

Something is better then nothing. I would take the job with a good that's going to make that 1 or 2 years of experience seem easy. You have to start somewhere. Good luck!!!

Slgreen47 · Feb 17, 2018

I was unaware of how difficult it would be to find an NP job as well. I am located in central OK, I feel like I have put in applications around the state with no success. I too have done interviews with no return or follow up calls. It is very frustrating to see that I have spent so much money to obtain this degree, but not have the opportunity to utilize it. I am also hearing from those that are looking to hire they are wanting a minimum of 1 year of experience, my background is 10 years acute care, and I am still being looked over. I am in the process of looking out of state but reviewing the past several responses worries me that I will come to a dead end there as well. I have applied at VA medical centers and IHS areas; what I have noticed is a lot of the time the outcome is they hire internally. This makes no sense to even have the job posted if an internal candidate is going to be hired in the end. I'll continue to place applications and talking to physicians where I work until something turns up. Best of luck to you in your endeavors.

Dodongo, APRN, NP · Feb 17, 2018

I want to know the schools that everyone attended.

FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP · Feb 17, 2018

I was unaware of how difficult it would be to find an NP job as well. I am located in central OK, I feel like I have put in applications around the state with no success. I too have done interviews with no return or follow up calls. It is very frustrating to see that I have spent so much money to obtain this degree, but not have the opportunity to utilize it. I am also hearing from those that are looking to hire they are wanting a minimum of 1 year of experience, my background is 10 years acute care, and I am still being looked over. I am in the process of looking out of state but reviewing the past several responses worries me that I will come to a dead end there as well. I have applied at VA medical centers and IHS areas; what I have noticed is a lot of the time the outcome is they hire internally. This makes no sense to even have the job posted if an internal candidate is going to be hired in the end. I'll continue to place applications and talking to physicians where I work until something turns up. Best of luck to you in your endeavors.

Maybe the Oklahoma NP job market is saturated. Previously in this thread I posted a link to an article I wrote on new grad NP job search. There are loads of jobs, but you have to be willing to relocate. There lots of places in the Western US that are dying for NPs. Check out my article. I had no trouble finding a good job within 2 months of starting my job search, but I was willing to work just about anywhere.

Slgreen47 · Feb 17, 2018

I will definitely go back and review. Thank you!

Goldenfox · Feb 22, 2018

I graduated 1 year ago and still have not found a meaningful NP position. Just about every position that I have applied for, I have either gotten no response or a generic email stating that I am not a candidate for this position. I had no idea when I graduated that I would have such a difficult time finding an NP position. I was expecting to find a position within two months of graduating, but here it is a whole year and I am basically unemployed.

Despite the wonderful articles that you might read in NP magazines and websites, the NP job market is not like it was even a few years ago. There is a glut of NPs in most areas of the country right now. And the glut will get worse because there are many new grads coming out every year. I just read an article on the AANP website which says that there will not be enough NPs to keep up with the growing demand. Please! Also, there are some who keep posting comments that there are plenty of jobs out there, but nothing could be further from the truth---as you have discovered from your own personal experience. True there may be a lot of jobs listed on websites like Indeed, but I have been told by a recruiter friend of mine that most of those jobs are either duplicates or expired. The NP job market has become extremely competitive. Years ago, the corporations and recruiters used to go on college campuses to look for new grads to hire. Now they can pick and choose from the cream of the crop from the most experienced NPs. And many new grads are having a very difficult time even getting an interview. I'm not saying these things to discourage you, but to let other new grads know that it is important to begin networking and searching for your first job long before you graduate.

I lived and worked in Texas for eight years, but after graduation I relocated to Las Vegas to be closer to family. The job market doesn't seem to be better anywhere, just about all my classmates that I graduated with still living in Texas has not found positions yet.

The way the labor market is now it brings to light that NPs are no different from any other type of worker, in that, these days you will find that you have to go to where the jobs are. Though even moving, by itself, guarantees nothing. If the job is in an armpit area of the country where you're going to be miserable living, then would it be worth it? Its not necessarily that there are no jobs at all in your area, but for every position that opens up there are dozens of applicants and its likely that your CV will be just one of many in a pile. Sending a resume alone is not always enough anymore. You have to network, network, network as well.

I am currently working doing health risk assessments, however this is not a reliable source of income . You can make up to 2500 a week, but you can also make $200 a week depending on the time of year, cancellations and no patients to schedule.

Not that I am telling you what to do, but I wouldn't investment too much time into these health assessment jobs as a new grad NP. As you have observed, they are not a reliable source of income and they are often a huge waste of time. Also, they won't impress anyone who looks at your resume. Better to keep working as an RN while you conduct your search.

I did get a job offer at a private pain management clinic with an offer of 125,000 per year, no health insurance, paid CME, Paid time off, 6 paid holidays, and two weeks vacation the first year. I did shadow the physician for a couple hours and the demographic Of patients seem very difficult to deal with, and I am also expected to see up to 38 patients ppd. This is a Monday through Friday position 8 AM to 6 PM and some Saturdays. The worst part is that it requires a two year contract. I did accept the position with a heavy heart, because I am desperate to find something full-time. I was waiting on credentialing to be completed, but I have not heard from the physician so I think he changed his mind about hiring me. I refuse to call him because he has given me several start date so far and I keep calling to figure out what's the hold up and he keeps changing the start date.

Consider yourself lucky that this didn't work out. That doctor was trying to take advantage of you in a way that could have easily turned out very badly for you. The $125,000 might seem like a lot but it isn't really when you consider that you get no real benefits and you are expected to see almost 40 patients daily. If you're going to see that many patients a day then that doctor could easily add several tens of thousands of dollars to your pay and still be making bank off of you. As a new grad, it is unrealistic that you are going to see 38 patients a day. This would mean rotating approximately 5 patients an hour. Even for a very experienced provider that is a challenge because its not just about seeing the patient and quickly writing a prescription, you need to actually do an assessment to make sure that what you are prescribing is appropriate now even if the patient has had it before---especially when you're writing for a lot of narcotics (as in a pain clinic). The state regulators and the feds have gotten VERY strict with stuff. And you also have to allocate time for documentation. I'm sure that that doctor knows that 38 patients would create a logistics issue--- but perhaps he, like most of them, cares only about the amount of money that he would be making off you. Yes, you want a job but don't accept one that puts you in a bad situation.

I did get a second job offer this week at another pain management clinic. I asked for 125,000 but he said he couldn't do that and offered 115,000, this job has absolutely no benefits except for paid holidays and two weeks vacation the first year. This office is very nice, it's in a nice part of town, Monday through Friday 8 to 430 with 30 minutes for lunch, and the demographic of patients seem to be much easier to deal with. There is no contract, but I am expected to see 40 patients a day, With 70% being medication refill. The physician appears to be very easy to get along with. I am really considering this position, because after a year I am ready to work. My plan is to stay for a year to get my experience, and then possibly do locum tenem.

I don't see how this job is really all that different from the one that was offered to you before, except that he's offering you $10,000 more. But, he's still asking you to see 40 patients per day---which means that at times you will be seeing more than 40. If you're seeing 40 patients and he's probably seeing about the same number or more, then this place sounds more like a pill mill than a real patient-focused operation. Be very careful!

This journey has been a very unpleasant one and I would like to hear any feedback or recommendations. BTW I am an FNP.

I am sorry that you have had this experience, but if I were in your situation I would keep working as an RN while I keep search for my first NP job. What I am hearing from some NPs now is that many of the offers they are getting are either low-paying, or come with no benefits, or some combination of both. Do not allow frustration or desperation to cause you to sell yourself short.

FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP · Mar 3, 2018

Despite the wonderful articles that you might read in NP magazines and websites, the NP job market is not like it was even a few years ago. There is a glut of NPs in most areas of the country right now. And the glut will get worse because there are many new grads coming out every year. I just read an article on the AANP website which says that there will not be enough NPs to keep up with the growing demand. Please! Also, there are some who keep posting comments that there are plenty of jobs out there, but nothing could be further from the truth---as you have discovered from your own personal experience. True there may be a lot of jobs listed on websites like Indeed, but I have been told by a recruiter friend of mine that most of those jobs are either duplicates or expired. The NP job market has become extremely competitive. Years ago, the corporations and recruiters used to go on college campuses to look for new grads to hire. Now they can pick and choose from the cream of the crop from the most experienced NPs. And many new grads are having a very difficult time even getting an interview. I'm not saying these things to discourage you, but to let other new grads know that it is important to begin networking and searching for your first job long before you graduate.
The way the labor market is now it brings to light that NPs are no different from any other type of worker, in that, these days you will find that you have to go to where the jobs are. Though even moving, by itself, guarantees nothing. If the job is in an armpit area of the country where you're going to be miserable living, then would it be worth it? Its not necessarily that there are no jobs at all in your area, but for every position that opens up there are dozens of applicants and its likely that your CV will be just one of many in a pile. Sending a resume alone is not always enough anymore. You have to network, network, network as well.
Not that I am telling you what to do, but I wouldn't investment too much time into these health assessment jobs as a new grad NP. As you have observed, they are not a reliable source of income and they are often a huge waste of time. Also, they won't impress anyone who looks at your resume. Better to keep working as an RN while you conduct your search.
Consider yourself lucky that this didn't work out. That doctor was trying to take advantage of you in a way that could have easily turned out very badly for you. The $125,000 might seem like a lot but it isn't really when you consider that you get no real benefits and you are expected to see almost 40 patients daily. If you're going to see that many patients a day then that doctor could easily add several tens of thousands of dollars to your pay and still be making bank off of you. As a new grad, it is unrealistic that you are going to see 38 patients a day. This would mean rotating approximately 5 patients an hour. Even for a very experienced provider that is a challenge because its not just about seeing the patient and quickly writing a prescription, you need to actually do an assessment to make sure that what you are prescribing is appropriate now even if the patient has had it before---especially when you're writing for a lot of narcotics (as in a pain clinic). The state regulators and the feds have gotten VERY strict with stuff. And you also have to allocate time for documentation. I'm sure that that doctor knows that 38 patients would create a logistics issue--- but perhaps he, like most of them, cares only about the amount of money that he would be making off you. Yes, you want a job but don't accept one that puts you in a bad situation.
I don't see how this job is really all that different from the one that was offered to you before, except that he's offering you $10,000 more. But, he's still asking you to see 40 patients per day---which means that at times you will be seeing more than 40. If you're seeing 40 patients and he's probably seeing about the same number or more, then this place sounds more like a pill mill than a real patient-focused operation. Be very careful!
I am sorry that you have had this experience, but if I were in your situation I would keep working as an RN while I keep search for my first NP job. What I am hearing from some NPs now is that many of the offers they are getting are either low-paying, or come with no benefits, or some combination of both. Do not allow frustration or desperation to cause you to sell yourself short.

With all due respect, you are incorrect. There is a great job market for new grad NPs, depending on the location. I'm a new grad NP and I got NINE job offers! But I was willing to go where the jobs are. Review my posts on job search for new grad NPs. In general, the Western US and rural areas are more than happy to hire new grad NPs. I've received PMs from new grad NPs who followed my advice and began to get interviews and offers very quickly.

guest769224 · Mar 3, 2018

That was an excellent response by Golden Fox about the reality of the situation. Thanks for telling it like it is and what many new grads should be aware of.

Goldenfox · Mar 3, 2018

With all due respect, you are incorrect. There is a great job market for new grad NPs, depending on the location. I'm a new grad NP and I got NINE job offers! But I was willing to go where the jobs are. Review my posts on job search for new grad NPs. In general, the Western US and rural areas are more than happy to hire new grad NPs. I've received PMs from new grad NPs who followed my advice and began to get interviews and offers very quickly.

You have repeatedly used your personal experience as an exemplar to describe what you believe getting a first NP job should be like. I'm very happy for you that things worked out well for you in your search for your first job. Of course, not everyone will have the same circumstances or luck that you had with your job search. There have been many threads on this forum posted by new grad NPs in different parts of the country who are having trouble finding jobs. Launching an NP career isn't simply just getting a job. The fit has to be right otherwise the NP is going to find himself/herself looking for another job not long afterwards. This is basically what I was trying to explain in my previous post. Imagine moving all the way across the country to accept a job only to find a few weeks in that you hate both the job and the location. People look for opportunities that suit their personal circumstances. Consider that not everybody can or wants to move to the Western USA or to live in a rural area.