NP vs CNS vs Nurse Educator

Trauma Columnist · Jun 19, 2008

I sound like a broken record but here goes: I think the FNP is the way to go because:

1. It gets you the MSN which you need to teach.

2. Is an APN role where you choose from a variety of jobs.

3. Has the widest scope of practice so that you can care for pts from birth to grave.

That said, do your research about your ares: if you get an FNP is it going to open the doors you want opened? Do you have any idea what type of job (other than teaching) that you want to do. Also, in order to keep your NP certificate active, you do have to complete XXX amount of clinical work and if you are teaching full-time is that going to be doable for you.

jlcole45 · Jun 19, 2008

I was thinking I would work full time as a Np in primary care - a doc's office, clinic or at the local hospital. I would probably teach part time - I hate to say it - but the pay stinks as a nurse educator at least at the community college level. I make more now as an staff Rn then the staring salary as a full time nursing instructor.

The shortage for Nurse educators in basic RN programs will never be resolved until they bring the pay up to what other MSN's are making.

Trauma Columnist · Jun 19, 2008

Yes indeed - exactly why I don't teach - who can take a paycut when gas $4.19/gallon and housing values are falling?

maddienurse · Jun 21, 2008

I am an NP (14 years) and I am leaving office practice to finish my MSN and get into education! (I got my NP before you needed to have an MSN to do it..)

Offices use you as a "mini"'doctor. at half the MD salary.You will see too many patients in a day.you will have on call responsibilities, have to make pt. call backs during your lunch "break" and you will work at LEAST 5 days a week. Many offices offer extended hours and you may have to work weekends and evenings. Managed care has caused private practice to become a "mill" of seeing as many pts. as possible to cover overhead.

I am also not a spring chicken. Not interested int the private practice route anymore.

I am willing to enter the world of education with perhaps a different pace, and focus, and a salary cut. I also strongly believe it is time for some of us seasoned nurses to mentor the young 'uns! I wish that we could teach after we have ,oh, say 20 years experience! But the Master's is a necessity today.So--MSN it is for me.

I would say you are dreaming if you think you could keep up the pace of private practice as an NP AND teach! I do not believe this is humany possible!

Whatever your choice: I say try to shadow someone in each role for a day or two and make a decision after you see a typical "day in the life.."

GOOD LUCK!

jlcole45 · Jun 23, 2008

Well I must admit I'm not interested in working under more stress then what I have now, nor am I interested in working 60 hrs a week (been there done that).

JDCitizen · Jun 30, 2008

Hi all I am planning on going back to school after 17 years of practice as an RN. One of the reasons I want to do this is because I want more autonomy, and I want to teach patients, co workers, and students.
At first I was going to get my MSN with an education emphasis and teach at the local college and within our hospital system. But then I started to think that I might be limiting myself. Perhaps I should spend the extra time in school now (I'm no spring chicken) and go for a FNP or ANP - and then I will have the opportunity to practice and teach. It just seems the NP route
offers more career choices.
Thoughts? Comments? Experiences?

I will be more than happy to help teach when they come through but that it: No dedicated teaching job for me. The only person who gets up earlier than the student and is still at school/clinical when the student leaves is the instructor.

jlcole45 · Jul 10, 2010

Well here I am 2 years later and I plan on pursuing the teaching track. It's my natural tendency. I have taken the first year of the NP program and am currently on a sabbatical to have time to think and to get caught up on bills (had a financial crisis earlier this year).

The first year of NP school was very informative and scary as you know what! To think that I would be diagnosing and treating - terrifying! I am an excellent staff nurse and mentor to less experienced staff. And at this point in my career I don't want to start all over again from scratch - I want to build on what I all ready am and what I love to do - which is teach.

I am currently working as a clinical manager on a tele unit which I am some what enjoying - I love being on the floor working with the staff and patients but like many who read this - I hate some of the administrative stuff that I have to do - meetings, FTEs, pt sat scores, etc. But it pays well and I will learn a lot over the next couple of years.

My plans are to return to MSN school in January and change tracks to educator - finish my MSN and work at my current job until I find a full time teaching job.

dojo2 · Jul 16, 2010

If you enjoy teaching then college level is a great way to go. I worked for 81/2 years in secondary ed and taught health occupations courses to high school students. I found it very rewarding, but had always wanted to be an NP. I finished this year and left teaching in 09. I miss some of the kids, but have no desire to teach at this point. If you really want a pay cut teach secondary ed in the Southeast. It is a real shock when you come from a nursing salary. I took a $10,000 a year pay cut when I left nursing full time to teach... but I did it for family reasons. If you enjoy education you should find great fulfillment in post secondary education.