NP

Guest1144461 · Jun 9, 2020

1 hour ago, girlwithnoname said:
I've been debating to go back for NP for a while now, it's always been in the back of my mind. Some nurses more experienced than me said that they make more than NPs and there really isn't a point in going back to school. I also have a lot of loans so I'm not sure if its worth it. Also, I've heard the jobs are saturated now and its hard to find practicums. Do you agree?

Yes I agree. This is especially true in suburban/rural areas where every other nurse on the floor is in NP school. If you are willing to move to a rural or small town area you might have a better shot.

Yeah practicums are hard to find because no hospital or clinic wants to take the productivity hit especially when many NP students are at meaningless online school. DO you think a local hospital is going to find a slot for med student from the city med school or the rando NP student going to a online school based on the other side of the country? What other medical profession makes the STUDENTS find their clinicals? The answer is none. NP education is overall poor and downright embarrassing when physicians other folks ask about it.

The NP ship has sailed. If you care about a fat check, NP isn't the way to go. You have to REALLY like the job

babyNP., APRN · Jun 9, 2020

I would argue that it depends on what kind of NP you want to be. PMHNP has a shortage and pays well, for example.

It’s true that if you wait a long time to become a NP you may not make much more $$ but not if you’re only a few years in. I made about $75k as a RN in the NICU in 2014 and my first job as a NNP I got paid $95k. Now my base salary is $160k, much more than I’d ever make as a RN.

But there’s also lifestyle to consider as well. I’m less stressed out as a provider than as a nurse. This may seem ironic, but in the provider role I’m cushioned from the daily stresses of being “on” with parents my entire shift (I love talking with parents but some parents can be a bit draining and spending 30 minutes with one set is different than spending 12 hours with them), don’t have to ask permission to go to the bathroom, and it’s nice to have my own office to have some downtime. Plus I get much better parking and my paid time off is at the top of the accrual scale versus if I was a nurse I’d have to wait 10 years to get to that accrual.

As far as the school goes, you need to do your research and go to a reputable school. I chose a brick and mortar one that fully arranged my clinical sites. I think it’s downright criminal that schools take student money and then don’t set up clinical sites for them.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 9, 2020

I agree with both posters above. In general, your friend was right for the most part. However, there are some exceptions -- and some factors that vary depending on where you live, what type of school you choose, what specific specialty you choose, etc.

For example, I work in a children's hospital. I know some people who had years of NICU, PICU, or peds experience who had their preceptorships all lined up with physicians they already knew before going back to school. Some even had jobs lined up with those same physicians before starting school. A few even had their educations paid for by the hospital because of their need for more NNP's and acute care PNP's !

That's a very different situation than a nurse without a lot of experience who doesn't have any established relationships with physicians who starts school on her own to become an FNP or PNP. We have an over-supply of those in our community and those people often have trouble finding preceptors and/or jobs after graduation.

But the situation might be very different in another region -- a region without a lot of young staff nurses all going to schools trying to earn the same degree.

MikeFNPC, MSN · Jun 10, 2020

I make far more than any RN I know, and work about 50% of what they do. When I was an RN (over 20 years), I couldn't even come close to what I started at as an NP. And, this is the case with every NP I know.

Guest1144461 · Jun 11, 2020

On 6/9/2020 at 8:21 PM, MikeFNPC said:
I make far more than any RN I know, and work about 50% of what they do. When I was an RN (over 20 years), I couldn't even come close to what I started at as an NP. And, this is the case with every NP I know.

It REALLY depends on the union and where you live. A NP starting where I live makes 105K, I made this as a nurse with 6 years experience and very little OT

AnonPandaNurse · Jun 11, 2020

New NP grad here! I'm applying for NP positions now, and there is NOTHING out there. Sorry to discourage you, but it's true... So much saturation from schools pumping out NPs left and right and admitting everyone who walks through the door. Do NOT go to NP school - it is a waste of time and money!

umbdude, MSN, APRN · Jun 11, 2020

6 minutes ago, AnonPandaNurse said:
New NP grad here! I'm applying for NP positions now, and there is NOTHING out there. Sorry to discourage you, but it's true... So much saturation from schools pumping out NPs left and right and admitting everyone who walks through the door. Do NOT go to NP school - it is a waste of time and money!

Just curious what your specialty is and how many jobs have you applied to?

AnonPandaNurse · Jun 11, 2020

FNP, applied to over 50 jobs by now. Willing to go anywhere in the country. If you have any tips or know any openings, please share.

umbdude, MSN, APRN · Jun 11, 2020

On 6/9/2020 at 2:21 AM, babyNP. said:
PMHNP has a shortage and pays well, for example.

This isn't entirely true anymore. Jobs are there, but the number of PMHNP test-takers tripled between 2016-2019 and number of PMHNP-BC doubled during same period (per ANCC). My area doesn't have a shortage and it's not easy to find jobs, and I'm hearing the same from those in larger cities. I am a new grad psych NP have been aggressively looking.

There are insanely few barriers to becoming a PMHNP (low-to-no GPA requirement, no psych RN experience needed, easy ANCC board exam) and diploma mills can pump out hundreds of students each semester. The word (about pay) has gotten out and I have little doubt that psych will saturate more broadly in the next ~5 years.

umbdude, MSN, APRN · Jun 11, 2020

30 minutes ago, AnonPandaNurse said:
FNP, applied to over 50 jobs by now. Willing to go anywhere in the country. If you have any tips or know any openings, please share.

Sorry I don't have any special wisdom. But if you are able to move, just keep applying and be patient, and know the shortage areas. Covid hits primary care clinics particularly hard. It's frustrating for sure.

babyNP., APRN · Jun 11, 2020

9 minutes ago, umbdude said:
This isn't entirely true anymore. Jobs are there, but the number of PMHNP test-takers tripled between 2016-2019 and number of PMHNP-BC doubled during same period (per ANCC). My area doesn't have a shortage and it's not easy to find jobs, and I'm hearing the same from those in larger cities. I am a new grad psych NP have been aggressively looking.
There are insanely few barriers to becoming a PMHNP (low-to-no GPA requirement, no psych RN experience needed, easy ANCC board exam) and diploma mills can pump out hundreds of students each semester. The word (about pay) has gotten out and I have little doubt that psych will saturate more broadly in the next ~5 years.

Thanks for sharing. I guess my field is the lone holdout? Although the board exams don't require NICU experience, all of the schools that offer neonatal NP programs do and nearly all require at least 2 years experience (I have a spreadsheet that I created looking at this).