I am wondering if anyone here has finished NP school but decided not to practice as an NP...
I have just finished an FNP program at a top-rated school. During the FNP program, I just felt like I did not love what I was doing and always felt like I didn't know enough. While my classmates seemed so confident, I always felt uneasy and anxious.
I have been on multiple interviews now (women's health, primary care offices, specialty clinics i.e. pain, dialysis) and I can't imagine myself working on my own and seeing my own patients. I know that there is some on the job training involved but the clinics all seem to expect their NPs (even new grad ones) to know what they are doing.
I have also interviewed for an RN position and have been offered the job - it's a Clinic RN Case Manager position which is what I was doing previous to NP school. I know I can do it and I would feel comfortable doing it... I want to take it but I also feel like such a failure accepting the RN job!
has anyone else completed the NP program and decided not to practice voluntarily (not because they couldn't find a job)?
Thanks for any insight, experiences anyone can share
Bologna with a capital B!!!! Maybe the $$$ online programs with video lecture, streaming where you can ask questions, but many or better yet most online programs are "read, write, submit"!! My two best friends went to med school my wife is in NP school no and I mean no comparison at all.
I'll have to get my wife to chime in.........she dreams of med school or even PA school this nursing theory is driving her freaking nuts. Where are the clinical hours and sciences to actually understand the disease??
You do have a lot of passion but that doesn't trump reality. Check out research on distance education. I'm assuming you'll believe that research if you are a hard believer in evidence-based medicine. There are good and bad distance education and brick and mortar schools. There are students who need to sit in a classroom and ask questions that they could have known if they had read the course materials. Then there are students who know how to obtain knowledge, just like they will have to do in the real world when they graduate. You have 2 best friends who went to medical school? What does that mean? I've had medical school friends and physicians all through my 40 yr career. What does that have to do with anything? I've got graduate degrees in both traditional and distance education formats. I've been an assistant professor in a school of nursing. My wife has 40 yrs in education. Tell your wife that ALL professions are theory driven and maybe she will have a greater appreciation for theory and how it will translate to her clinical practice. I swear, everyone wants to be a trade school graduate. They don't even know how to spell "theory." You want to understand the disease? I want to understand the patient's experiences. I have a young patient with 7 different diseases, lupus, celiac disease, etc, etc, some of which I barely know how to spell. Saw her yesterday for her 2 nd visit and she is much better. And no, I'm not even half way trying to understand her disease. Try looking in the other end of the microscope. But, you do have passion.
Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.
No offense but you are not even an RN are you? You have never attended a NP program, much less an online program. So where do you get your information?
The online NP programs ARE online video and yes, (gasp) we can even ask questions. The place you really learn is not in the class room anyway. Your clinical time is by far the most important. I went for 3 1/2 years my first time of face to face class room, 8 hrs a day. Did I learn what I needed? Yep.
The second time I went the online route. It was an absolutely excellent experience. We even had "black boards" and could see the professor writing on them, oh my.
The 3rd time was also online. Same experience as the first, video class rooms and yep, we can even talk to each other. Please note that these are from major universities.
So instead of telling us how your "best" friends and your wife who is also not an NP feels, please attend an online NP school then gives us some facts.
Just a short note on the PA school vs NP school. I would also like a generic medicalist NP program like the PA is set up as. It seems we might be heading there.
I have found that there really is no difference in the PAs and FNPS that I have worked with extensively. It is the person, not the initials after your name. I've seen good and bad in both groups and also the physician group btw.
Bologna with a capital B!!!! Maybe the $$$ online programs with video lecture, streaming where you can ask questions, but many or better yet most online programs are "read, write, submit"!! My two best friends went to med school my wife is in NP school no and I mean no comparison at all.
I'll have to get my wife to chime in.........she dreams of med school or even PA school this nursing theory is driving her freaking nuts. Where are the clinical hours and sciences to actually understand the disease??
I had a big rebuttal typed, but erred to take the high road. The threads will continue being posted about new graduates feeling under prepared, asking why do I need to know so much theory, where are the sciences or clinical hours there are many threads our there already dealing with this.
Let's all hope this dime a dozen online school trend stops and applicant standards are raised, so not just anyone can become a NP.
Maybe the generalist model or some form of it will be instituted in the future that would definitely be a good thing. I'll repeat a top notch good online program with solid preceptors, videochat, etc will provide a great education it's the countless online programs out there that do not and that's where the problem lies. For every 1 good experience you can find 1 bad experience you don't see that in PA/MD school....you can't even work while at either!!!! What does that tell you..
Best of luck to you!! I'm glad you went to a great NP school there needs to be more of them and less of the "buy a degree" types that seem to be everywhere.
We'll just agree to disagree and leave it at that.
You can certainly disagree but I'm coming from a place of knowledge and experience, plus as most people here already know, I'm outstanding in my field, a legend in my own mind.
Maybe the generalist model or some form of it will be instituted in the future that would definitely be a good thing. I'll repeat a top notch good online program with solid preceptors, videochat, etc will provide a great education it's the countless online programs out there that do not and that's where the problem lies. For every 1 good experience you can find 1 bad experience you don't see that in PA/MD school....you can't even work while at either!!!! What does that tell you..
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Here's my experience as well as what physicians have told me. In fact my physician preceptor at a Marine base in Okinawa told me, "Don't let your schooling get in the way of your learning." I think he got that from Mark Twain. If I had been in a traditional school I probably wouldn't have been able to get the experiences I received. I remember laughing once because he told me my physical exams didn't have to be so comprehensive for the "real world."I perfected my PE technique watching videos off of medical school sites!
Now back to your comment. Going to school all day, cramming, being brain dead, and stressed out is not conducive to learning. What I was able to do with my laid back program was to research every last fact about my patient's condition and retain much more than those stressed out people going to school 40 hrs a week who probably forgot half of what they learned. That's what it tells me! Are ya learning anything here?
I think the key is a solid orientation. Mine was approx 5 months - it took forever to get the credentialing done at the hospitals.
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traumaRUs, how were you able to work before being credentialed? Did you get a graduate license? I'm wondering what I'm going to do inbetween the time of passing boards and waiting to be fully credentialed. Were you technically hired as an RN? I know the credentialing will take a long time and I'm really going to want to start working.
Sorry to get off the original subject...this is actually quite the opposite I guess. I'm definitely freaked out and not feeling completely prepared though! My potential employer has told me he doesn't expect me to be "where he wants me" for at least a year, phew! That was a relief to know he's that understanding of my new-ness. OP, I'd hunt down an employer like this- you've put so much hard work in!
I haven't graduated yet but I will in August. I also am having those feelings of uncertainty. I have days when I really question whether NP school was the right decision for me. I have been an ICU nurse for 10 years and loved it for the most part but I just feel scared to death the majority of the time that I am in clinicals.
I have told myself that I need to embrace the discomfort and anxiety that I am faced with in clinicals. I know that I can't grow without these experiences. And to be honest, I do have good days. I am just constantly worried about what I won't know. I think you should pursue an NP position and at least see how it works out for you. I wish you the best of luck! Keep us updated on what you decide.
zenman
1 Article; 2,806 Posts
You do have a lot of passion but that doesn't trump reality. Check out research on distance education. I'm assuming you'll believe that research if you are a hard believer in evidence-based medicine. There are good and bad distance education and brick and mortar schools. There are students who need to sit in a classroom and ask questions that they could have known if they had read the course materials. Then there are students who know how to obtain knowledge, just like they will have to do in the real world when they graduate. You have 2 best friends who went to medical school? What does that mean? I've had medical school friends and physicians all through my 40 yr career. What does that have to do with anything? I've got graduate degrees in both traditional and distance education formats. I've been an assistant professor in a school of nursing. My wife has 40 yrs in education. Tell your wife that ALL professions are theory driven and maybe she will have a greater appreciation for theory and how it will translate to her clinical practice. I swear, everyone wants to be a trade school graduate. They don't even know how to spell "theory." You want to understand the disease? I want to understand the patient's experiences. I have a young patient with 7 different diseases, lupus, celiac disease, etc, etc, some of which I barely know how to spell. Saw her yesterday for her 2 nd visit and she is much better. And no, I'm not even half way trying to understand her disease. Try looking in the other end of the microscope. But, you do have passion.