Little experience as an RN

[trein]

Is it feasible to get a job as a FNP in an office/ clinic setting with only one year hospital experience? I worked in medsurg for a year and hated it. Now I am going to work in a cardiology office. I want to get my FNP but refuse to work in the hospital. Is this possible?

[nurseinstinct]

Hi SlyFoxRN, I am curious as to what outpatient RN positions you've held? I'm nearing one year as an outpatient Nurse Advocate at a Wellness facility. I would like to NP school and feel like we share the same outlook on hospital nurse.

[Dranger]

I don't see RN experience, especially acute care,being important for FNP but for ICU/inpatient I feel it is necessary. Anecdotally I have seen a difference. For those studies listed I am curious what NP specialties or practice settings they were looking at. I am assuming outpatient FNP and not specialized areas like ICU.

[Simplyroses]

I have 19 years experience in L&D, Maternity, and NICU. My ARNP specialty will be Nurse-Midwife. Yes, my RN background has helped tremendously. I am building upon previous knowledge and experience.

[chouxpastry]

I greatly appreciate those who have defended direct entry NPs on this thread as I am one myself. It saddens me a bit to read sweeping generalizations about direct entries and I want to offer my own POV:)...not everyone has the luxury of working as a nurse prior to becoming a NP. I absolutely loved my med-surg capstone rotation in nursing school, but graduated during a time when finding new grad RN work in the hospital was exceptionally difficult. Rather than let my school mode momentum fizzle, I decided to continue onto my master's. Once I began NP clinicals however, something clicked and I realized being a NP was my nursing niche (having the stature of a chihuahua but the mentality of a great dane generally does not work in my favor when I love being hands on for all of my patients). I currently work in an inpatient setting, and am doing well. I say this with much respect of those NPs with years of invaluable RN experience under their belts:)Hospitals tend to cast a more stringent eye towards their NPs than in the outpatient setting. Although I practice in a state with "collaborating relationships", the hospital where I am credentialed interchangeably treats PAs and NPs alike and places numerous limitations, including co-signatures for every admission, follow up, and discharge. Moreover, I am absolutely positive that if I ever exhibit continuous clinical incompetence, my supervising physicians will give me the boot!

With regards to the OP, I do believe that hospital experience for outpatient cardiology NP is incredibly beneficial but not a be all end all to being successful. Telemetry, CVICU, or interventional cardiology experience will be extremely helpful I imagine. If you see the "worst", it will help you to anticipate outcomes for stable patients in the outpatient setting. Of course there are certain cardiovascular diseases in which symptoms would generally not manifest into high acuity situations, e.g. infrequent exercise-induced PVCs, but those can certainly be learned! I have seen many listings for strictly outpatient cardiology NPs so yes, I think it's definitely possible to do outpatient only. I would familiarize myself with 12-lead EKG interpretation and to know it like the back of my hand!