NP vs. RN job satisfaction

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Hello all,

I'm about to start my FNP program in 1 week and I was wondering if you guys enjoy being a NP compare to a RN. I have been a RN for two years now and by the time I'm done with my program I should have 5 years RN experience, do you think that's enough to become a NP? I have always wanted to be a NP since nursing school and hopefully the job safisfaction as a NP will be better compare to a RN.

Thank you in advance for all your feedback!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I loved being an ER RN...I like being an APN.

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I like being an NP waaayyy more than when I was working as an RN. Though I think this is more a reflection of my RN working conditions. Whenever I have a rough day as an NP, I think - well, at least I get to sit down and eat my lunch in peace.

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.

I think that satisfaction has to come from inside as much as it comes from the outside. The grass isn't always greener. Do you know what I mean? I think you need to sit down and really think about why you want to be an NP - do you really understand the role? And also look at why you didn't like being a RN. If it was related to say taking care of sick patients then I would argue that nursing might not be right for you. Do you see where I am going with this?

Interestingly, I was a year into my FNP schooling after having been an RN for more then 20 years (ICU, ED) and I discovered that I really like mentoring new staff and that I am good at it as a house supervisor. So now school is on hold while I try my hand at being a Nurse Manager.

If I decide that I like administration (and I never thought I would be in this place in my career) then I might change my MSN focus to administration or even education. My reasons for pursuing a NP included wanting more autonomy, enjoying patient contact, providing myself with a challenge, and to make a better salary. I actually liked being a bed side nurse but as I became more experienced I found that I could touch more patients and co workers in a higher profile position.

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I can understand what you are asking. As I can relate. Right now I have been an ICU nurse for 2 years. While I enjoy taking care of sick pts (love multiple gtts, vented pts, crashings pts, and runnning codes) I also hate some of the politics that go into nursing. There is nothing worse than being tripled with 2 stable pts and one critically ill pt, then having to transfer out your 2 stable pts and admitt a new pt from the ER and complete the oodles amount of paperwork that go with that admission and all the orders. Sometimes I feel like I need to clone myself bc it is impossible to be at 5 places at once. Where I work at I am constantly "on demand" by the doctors, family, physical therapist, chaplain, occupational therapist, dietary, respiratory, lab, and oh yeah, the pt! Sometimes I just want to call TIME OUT! I need a break too, but even that isnt always gauranteed. I find mysef playing catch up with my charting on break or scarffing my food down before I get my next admit. I admit, most days are chaotic and when I have a day off my body aches and my back is killing me, and Im only 24! So yes to answer your question, I pray to God that being an NP will result in better job satisfaction. Dont get me wrong I love nursing but I feel we need an advocate because I believe we get the short end of the stick and it is not always fair!

I look forward to going back to school and one day becoming an NP. Do I plan to work in the hospital? H*ll no! I plan on working in an office M-F 8-5 weekends and holidays off. After working my behind off and then going back to school I feel that is very much so owed to me, and anyone who disagrees with me can beat it!

Another factor that I believe that may play a role in job satisfaction, is right now I work in a tertiary setting. By the time the pts come to me, they are already sick. They are already in ESRD, or CHF, or HTN, or DM. I want to work in a primary setting where I can focus on pt education and primary prevention. Pt education and primary prevention can be applied in any setting, womans health, pediatrics, community, and adults. I think taking care of "people" before they become "patients" will better improve our work place satisfaction!

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look forward to going back to school and one day becoming an NP. Do I plan to work in the hospital? H*ll no! I plan on working in an office M-F 8-5 weekends and holidays off. After working my behind off and then going back to school I feel that is very much so owed to me, and anyone who disagrees with me can beat it!

Another factor that I believe that may play a role in job satisfaction, is right now I work in a tertiary setting. By the time the pts come to me, they are already sick. They are already in ESRD, or CHF, or HTN, or DM. I want to work in a primary setting where I can focus on pt education and primary prevention. Pt education and primary prevention can be applied in any setting, womans health, pediatrics, community, and adults. I think taking care of "people" before they become "patients" will better improve our work place satisfaction!

This is exactly why I love being an NP! For years when I took care of a 50 y/o in full blown CHF b/c of 10 years of untreated hypertension I would wonder "who in the heck was taking care of this patient and did they REALLY communicate to him what was going on?" Sure, there are people who are going to do their own thing no matter what, but let me tell you I have some crazy high hypertensive patients and they are coming back q. 2 weeks until we get a stable BP...and they are doing GREAT! I love talking with my 35 y/o obese depressed women who are pre-hypertensive and pre-diabetic and laying it all out for them and coming up with a plan.

I start work around 9 and am busy until noon when the madness STOPS. The office doors CLOSE and I sit down and eat a nice lunch, check my email, chill out for 40 minutes and then finish my morning charts. I do not have to transfer 300 lb post-CABG patients to the bedside chair q 4 times a day; I am not pushing gurneys, lifting patients on bedpans, kneeling on the concrete floor of the ER desperately trying to get an IV in on the coding patient while simultaneously trashing my knees! I get to PEE multiple times DAILY! The working conditions don't even compare. I am a very fit 40 something who has always taken great care of her body but there is just no.way. I could continue doing 12 hr. shifts in the hospital.

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I think that satisfaction has to come from inside as much as it comes from the outside. The grass isn't always greener. Do you know what I mean? I think you need to sit down and really think about why you want to be an NP - do you really understand the role? And also look at why you didn't like being a RN. If it was related to say taking care of sick patients then I would argue that nursing might not be right for you. Do you see where I am going with this?

Interestingly, I was a year into my FNP schooling after having been an RN for more then 20 years (ICU, ED) and I discovered that I really like mentoring new staff and that I am good at it as a house supervisor. So now school is on hold while I try my hand at being a Nurse Manager.

If I decide that I like administration (and I never thought I would be in this place in my career) then I might change my MSN focus to administration or even education. My reasons for pursuing a NP included wanting more autonomy, enjoying patient contact, providing myself with a challenge, and to make a better salary. I actually liked being a bed side nurse but as I became more experienced I found that I could touch more patients and co workers in a higher profile position.

I hear ya! I've been in management for several years and it is absolutely my calling. I hate bedside nursing.I just graduated as an FNP. I literally hated clinicals but kept saying to myself "it will be better when I am seeing my own patients on my own". I hope thats true because I start a new job in about a month!

I also love teaching and thought about getting an MSN in education or administration, but my main goal was financial gain and that wouldn't have helped me much. So I am hoping once I start work on my own, I will like it better than in school. If not I'll just have to suck it up! I already had great hours as an RN in management so that was not an incentive for me but I almost doubled my salary with my FNP position so we will see!

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.
I hear ya! I've been in management for several years and it is absolutely my calling. I hate bedside nursing.I just graduated as an FNP. I literally hated clinicals but kept saying to myself "it will be better when I am seeing my own patients on my own". I hope thats true because I start a new job in about a month!

I also love teaching and thought about getting an MSN in education or administration, but my main goal was financial gain and that wouldn't have helped me much. So I am hoping once I start work on my own, I will like it better than in school. If not I'll just have to suck it up! I already had great hours as an RN in management so that was not an incentive for me but I almost doubled my salary with my FNP position so we will see!

At least in my area the money is there for administration, I am making a salary as a BSN manager that is comparable to a new FNP (not speciality), though a few years out it probably changes. The up side is that you do have your MSN (regardless of the focus) and so you can use it in many ways. If you find that being a NP is not for you can change back to administration or even teach. And it looks like with the new national health plans that more money will be put into nursing education which is great.

I know that I am an excellent, experienced bedside nurse and I am very good at teaching and mentoring less experienced nurses. I must admit that at this stage of the game I'm worried about starting over again as a NP - totally green and clueless (no offense). I really like being the experienced nurse who can figure out anything or at least knows who to ask, rather than being the new NP who knows very little - that would be very uncomfortable to me. It would take many years for me to be at the same level

of comfort and confidence in my skills and knowledge.

Good luck in your new position and let me know how you like it.

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This is exactly why I love being an NP! For years when I took care of a 50 y/o in full blown CHF b/c of 10 years of untreated hypertension I would wonder "who in the heck was taking care of this patient and did they REALLY communicate to him what was going on?" Sure, there are people who are going to do their own thing no matter what, but let me tell you I have some crazy high hypertensive patients and they are coming back q. 2 weeks until we get a stable BP...and they are doing GREAT! I love talking with my 35 y/o obese depressed women who are pre-hypertensive and pre-diabetic and laying it all out for them and coming up with a plan.

I start work around 9 and am busy until noon when the madness STOPS. The office doors CLOSE and I sit down and eat a nice lunch, check my email, chill out for 40 minutes and then finish my morning charts. I do not have to transfer 300 lb post-CABG patients to the bedside chair q 4 times a day; I am not pushing gurneys, lifting patients on bedpans, kneeling on the concrete floor of the ER desperately trying to get an IV in on the coding patient while simultaneously trashing my knees! I get to PEE multiple times DAILY! The working conditions don't even compare. I am a very fit 40 something who has always taken great care of her body but there is just no.way. I could continue doing 12 hr. shifts in the hospital.

Right ON. This is EXACTLY why I want to become an NP. I might frame this post and keep it on my bulletin board for encouragement during the tough times -- THANKS!!!

With nursing, you just cannot get a break to THINK. You are doing ten to 20 things at once. I don't feel this is even GOOD for my brain anymore! And it's not thinking about complicated stuff -- it's just coordination, mindless multi-tasking mixed with physically demanding body destroying gruntwork. This weekend I about pulled my neck out lifting some determined old 80 year old who couldn't accept the fact that he'd had a stroke and family members who were enabling his attitude. I just cannot do this past the age of 50. I will DIE if I do.

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Specializes in Emergency, MCCU, Surgical/ENT, Hep Trans.

I must also admit, I love being an ED nurse, but I don't think my body does. As my BMI increases, it seems my bod enjoys the NP time far more than the RN time. Now, I realize, I'm doing this to myself (40hrs RN ED+12-20hrs NP/week), but my contract is up in six months and I'll be free, free, free at last to join the family of my choice. You can guess what my plans are...

My brain seems to enjoy NP time as well. Something about the science, control, education, consensus & decision making...hmmm...sounds like "advanced practice." Did I mention theory? OH, I'm having PTSD. :eek:

Being serious for a moment, I can only say all this, b/c I've been a nurse for 20 years...pretty obvious what I prefer.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I loved being an ER RN. However, I went back to school (at 42) because I knew I would be working until I was 70 (now probably 80) and wanted options. Though my health is still excellent (I'm almost 52), I know there will come a time when I can't keep up.

However, I want to say though that as an APN, I still work way more than 40 hours/week plus I take call.

Jobs are still tight for APNs in many areas.

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For me, it's a no brainer. I went back to school so I could work better hours, M-F, have more autonomy, and better working conditions and boy, did it pay off!! By leaps and bounds to say the least. My work schedule is absolutely awesome. I work 4, 10 hours days, no call, no weekends, no nights and no holidays. I have 3+ weeks vacation time and plus personal days. I make my own hours and as long as the work gets done, I'm home free. My boss is great. No micro managing. I work at my own pace, as fast or as slow as I wish. I get to do whatever I want at lunch and take as long or as short of a lunch as I want. Yep, I can't say enough about it.

If I really had to be honest...I hated being an RN (most days), but I LOVE being an NP! And granted, we can all have our bad days at any job and I am not immune to that, but in no way do they compare to my time as a staff nurse, working 12+ hour shifts with literally no time to eat, drink, pee, or poop. Needless to say, my tummy, bladder and bowels have all been quite happy with my NP job. :)

Just have to be honest!

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