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Discussion

Needing advice about NP

Hello everyone! Just graduated from High School, and I've been debating for awhile now on what exactly I wanted to do. I thought about just becoming a MD, but I have since decided that I would like more personal direct patient care than most doctors are probably able to provide to every patient. General Practitioner doesn't really seem worth it for the additional schooling and tuition cost, as opposed to just becoming a NP.

I was curious though if I am even correct to assume all of these things. Will NP's be able to spend a little more time with patients? I've tried researching a lot of stuff myself online but it's hard to know what information is accurate. I had considered CRNA, I guess I still am in a way, but I assumed they probably don't have quite the personal relationship that a NP would have with a patient. Although they do make a bit more money, I would rather pick the one that I feel I would be best fit for, and would enjoy doing.

I think NP may be the specialty that I am looking for, just need some more reliable information to help me make my decision. How many hours do NP's generally work? I have read usually your typical 40 hour week, but I have also heard they're on call a lot and work many hours a week. I have read that they averagely start out around 75k, but will very quickly increase to a six figure income. Do they get paid by the hour or work on salary? Thank you in advice to anyone who replies, I appreciate any advice I can get :)

Featured Replies

  • Guides

Hi,

I think it's great that you have such a well thought out idea of what career you want to pursue at your age. Not many people do...even those much older than you. I hope I can give you some helpful information.

I am a new Family Nurse Practitioner. I chose this field cause I wanted to be a direct care provider and have some autonomy. I'm much older than you, and med school did not make sense for me financially. Also, I love the holistic focus of nursing. In the few months I've been working, my patients have told me numerous times how much they love seeing NPs. They often comment on how well we listen, and how we don't dictate to them, but try to include them in decisions regarding their care. I work in an urban health center in urgent care. Most of my patients are immigrants with low income levels. I love my schedule-I work four ten hour shifts and I am never on call. I work one Saturday a month and no holidays. I only see patients in the clinic-I don't do hospital rounds. I am salaried, and am paid somewhat less than most NPs in my area because I work at a federally funded non-profit center (but your figures are in the right ballpark). I have opportunities to earn bonuses which will bring me more on par with NPs working for private or for-profit practices. However, because I work with an underserved population, I am eligible for the National Health Service Loan Forgiveness program, which will wipe out $50,000 of my student loan debt. There are many different settings that an NP can work in, and they all bring different pay scales, schedules, and responsibilities.

Are you looking into 5 year BSN-MSN programs? That's the route I would go if I was starting out at your age.

Best of luck to you!

  • Author

Thank you for your post. :). I'm not really sure what you mean by a 5 year BSN-MSN program, the longest I could find was 3 years. I'm assuming the 5 year route would be so you could work while you went to school? I have been told that I should probably shadow some NP's, but as you said, NP's can work in so many different settings, I would have to shadow more than 1 probably xD. I guess I should focus on getting my RN first lol, but I've always been the kind of person that likes to plan things ahead.

  • Guides

The school I went to, Boston College, offers a program where you get your BSN in 4 years (like a regular BSN program), but then you stay an additional year and get your MSN. I think it involves taking a couple of extra courses in year 4, but then you can do all your NP coursework and clinicals the 5th year. I would guess that there are other schools out there that have similar programs.

  • Author

Oh okay, I misunderstood, sorry xD. I thought you meant 5 years just going from your BSN to your MSN. So if I were to work for a hospital, I would be doing rounds without the supervision of a doctor? Also, I was uncertain if I should do a RN to MSN program, simply because I heard that if you have to drop out or something to that nature, even if you had the requirements for your BSN, you would still only have your RN. Maybe you could help me clarify this? Thank you again for your help ^_^

first let me say how happy :yeah: I am to read your post, you seem very grounded and well prepared and I've just finished venting to hubby about a person much older than you who seems to have thought things through a LOT LESS than you have yet arrogantly believes she'll just get in doing the pre-reqs while ignoring much of my advice to her.

I did go through a BSN-MSN program and several classmates had to drop out. They still got their RN licenses though an at least one continues to work as a RN to this day (never went back to finish NP school).

Glad you're so forward-thinking.

I would point out that it's pretty common for NPs to work a while as an RN before starting NP school. Or work as RN as they're going to NP school. So I would think about how well I'd like working as an RN before considering NP school.

I would also point out that a lot can change during college and later years. I started out as an engineering major, then switched to biology and worked in that field for a number of years before becoming an RN. That's not true of everyone but is common enough that I'd encourage you to keep an open mind.

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