Life after NP...

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Specializes in Cardiology.

Hi All,

After 1 year as a MA, 3 years as an RN and going on 3 years as an NP, I am considering the next move in my career. I know many may criticize the idea that i keep changing careers, but i am 31 with no strings, i figure this is the best time in my life to move around. I've done some deep soul searching and i think that i would like to move out of direct patient care. Or at least spend less time in direct care and more time doing my part to help improve the healthcare system (which is a complete and utter mess, i know.) I am thinking of moving into preventative health education, developing community health programs, health consulting, health policy.

I have a few reservations:

1. I am a specialty NP, I'm thinking hat any move from here may result in a significant pay cut, but can't prove this theory.

2. I am not sure where to start. who to talk to, who to reach out to, websites to help guide me.

3.I really don't want to go back to school on my own dime, I believe as a former bedside nurse and a as provider i have a place in other healthcare arenas without needing extra degrees, but again I can't prove this.

Any words of encouragement, advice, ideas, thoughts would be helpful. Thanks!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

MBA to affect change.

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Sounds like you want to be a CNS. If you want to teach and affect change, it's a good way to go...

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I wouldn't advocate a CNS route of education - I'm a CNS and so many certs continue to be cut, very difficult to maintain certification.

MBA/MHA because heathcare is a business. People on the front lines have very little power - the suits in the ivory towers and in Congress run our healthcare and thats where you need to be in order to effect change

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I wonder about this every thirty minutes or so. I'm a bit tired of routine clinical work, but I'm not in a season of life to return to school so I generally suck it up and keep slugging away at five jobs hoping to be without any at all debt.

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My favorite curiosity, epidemiology! Don’t ask me to explain, it just grabbed my interest.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
8 hours ago, caliotter3 said:

My favorite curiosity, epidemiology! Don’t ask me to explain, it just grabbed my interest.

Epidemiologic Intelligence Service? Kate Winslet's character in Contagion. Awesome movie ?

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Specializes in Cardiology.

So glad to know that I am not alone on this. I joined the public health association just to see whats out there. I saw a recent study that says obtaining an MPH doesn't equal increased pay if you enter public health with any other type of master's degree. Relief for me, i was dreading going back for MPH. May just go back for a certificate in public health just to get the basic aspects down.

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Hi!

I too am considering getting out of direct patient care to try my best to improve healthcare, ideally improving the lives of those of us that work in the field (I would love to go into management at a hospital). I worked for 10 years as an RN in various specialties, and loved it. Went to NP school (don't ask why, long story), and have done urgent care for a few years. I feel like I have seen the joy of nursing fade away over the years (I still work PRN as an RN). I would love to able to bring some of that back.

I will say I have found it a little difficult to find a way in to this arena. It seems to all be in who you know where I live. Can't decide if I should go ahead and go back for my post mater's certificate (more debt!), or wait and see if I can find a position where they will pay for it.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

When I speak of burn out, I don't explicitly mean I'm tired of rendering psychiatric care. Left to my own devices, I'm ok. Working *with* the healthcare system is what I'm tired of. I work a lot of jobs on top of a full-time position because it's easy to make money doing what I do. That certainly reduces ones innate drive to jump out of bed and rush to work to see another patient. However, if I could practice in whatever way I wanted I'd be ok. I loathe the bureaucracy because it fills the day with things that don't matter.

I like business. I like administration, but I don't think I want to be a healthcare administrator charged forced to swallow the pill and act fancy for TJC (when accreditation doesn't mean anything intellectually) and bargain for increased quality through processes that fail to improve outcomes and only wear out employees.

And to put it this way, I don't know what I want to do when I grow up (but I'm grown) so following Victor Frankl my purpose is to merely live and do that next thing that any thing that lies before me.

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I was just about to suggest that: healthcare policy.

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