I have a year in med-surg experience and next year, I will be starting school for a MSN degree. I decided that med-surg is probably not for me, and I will be doing the psych NP MSN program.
I would like to have more flexibility in my work hours, when I go back to school, and I will be trying to conceive in the near future. I do not anticipate going to school full-time, and I believe they allow 5 years to complete the program.
I'd like to hear opinions regarding how important is it, during that 2-5 years, that I work in a field that I would like to practice in, upon becoming an NP. I am not 100% sure that I will do psych, but even if I don't, I don't think I would want to do inpatient work.
I am finding that a lot of the jobs that are available, that are either per diem, or have scheduling flexibility, are in specialties like dialysis, wound care clinics, or other niche areas. Would I be doing myself a great disservice to work somewhere like this until I finish school? Although I probably won't go into any of these fields, they appear to be able to provide a lifestyle conducive to my school/family plans, and earnings sufficient to pay the bills.
