Nurse Practitioner Speciality And Job Limitations

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I am interested in becoming a nurse care practitioner; I am already in the healthcare field.

I have made several observations in my research thus far. Perhaps someone could lend me some advice and/or further insight.

Salary Related Obvservations

1) NP's that work in acute care tend to make more money.

2) NP's that specializes tend to make more money

2) Nurses that have doctorate degrees tend to earn a greater income.

Comments?

My question is, should I choose to become a nurse practitioner and moreover should I choose to pursue a speciality degree....say "oncology nursecare practitioner", tell me if I understand correctly, having this degree would allow me to practice in an oncology based setting because that is what I am trained in. However, my question is, does this speciality in training in fact limit me to aquiring a NP position in an oncology based setting, should I choose to go into a different nursing field. I am curious because i don't want to specialize in something and have it be the be all end all should I choose to get into a different area of nursing, say family practice for instance. This might seem like a stupid question but I have no idea since I am not in this field at all. I was wondering how this question applied to other areas, example....how many Clinical nurse specialists actually end up doing family practice, or midwifery or whatever. Does having that speciality training limit your job options????

Any advice would be appreciated -

Dbox.

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I am interested in becoming a nurse care practitioner; I am already in the healthcare field.

I have made several observations in my research thus far. Perhaps someone could lend me some advice and/or further insight.

Salary Related Obvservations

1) NP's that work in acute care tend to make more money.

2) NP's that specializes tend to make more money

2) Nurses that have doctorate degrees tend to earn a greater income.

Comments?

My question is, should I choose to become a nurse practitioner and moreover should I choose to pursue a speciality degree....say "oncology nursecare practitioner", tell me if I understand correctly, having this degree would allow me to practice in an oncology based setting because that is what I am trained in. However, my question is, does this speciality in training in fact limit me to aquiring a NP position in an oncology based setting, should I choose to go into a different nursing field. I am curious because i don't want to specialize in something and have it be the be all end all should I choose to get into a different area of nursing, say family practice for instance. This might seem like a stupid question but I have no idea since I am not in this field at all. I was wondering how this question applied to other areas, example....how many Clinical nurse specialists actually end up doing family practice, or midwifery or whatever. Does having that speciality training limit your job options????

Any advice would be appreciated -

Dbox.

If you want a hospital setting you can have FNP or ACNP. The other specialties will hold you captive, ie NNP only babies, PNP only kids, midwife only OB, etc. The midwife and NNP are the only ones I can think of that you need that degree track to do it. The rest you may do with FNP or ACNP.

Those salary comments are generally true although you can make a lot of money anywhere depending on your negotiating skills and revenue-generating ability.

Do what you want, and then focus on the money part. You can find money in any of the fields once you get into it. Good luck...

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As most of us seasoned nurses keep saying, find what you like first, then the money will come along. Don't go into a specialty with the idea that it pays more than another..........If you don't really like something, then you will not be happy doing it. Same for any area of nursing that you go into. Your ideas may change many times while you are in school, and even when you begin working...........

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I agree, follow what interests you. While it is true that specialist tracts may lock you in to a certain specialty, if you really wish to specialize, the generalist tracts won't always get you where you want to be. For example, if you want to deliver babies, you need to be a CNM. If you want to work in neonatal, you need to be an NNP. Don't try to follow the money. It can't make you happy if you are not doing what interests you.

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I agree, follow what interests you. While it is true that specialist tracts may lock you in to a certain specialty, if you really wish to specialize, the generalist tracts won't always get you where you want to be. For example, if you want to deliver babies, you need to be a CNM. If you want to work in neonatal, you need to be an FNP. Don't try to follow the money. It can't make you happy if you are not doing what interests you.

Ok thanks for the information -

What about getting into the oncology nurse care practitioner area....Would this lock me into this setting only, or would I be able to diversify myself and work in a family or adult nurse care practitioner setting.

Thanks -

Dbox

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If you want to work in neonatal, you need to be an FNP.

I think you meant NNP if you want to work in neonatal. I'm a FNP and am scared to even visit a NICU much less work there.

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Ok thanks for the information -

What about getting into the oncology nurse care practitioner area....Would this lock me into this setting only, or would I be able to diversify myself and work in a family or adult nurse care practitioner setting.

Thanks -

Dbox

This could be done with ANP, FNP or ACNP certifications. You're not locked into anything with these. There's no such thing as a ONP certification.

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I am a FNP working as a hematology NP.

IMHO. training in a specialty may limit you...a general background will give

you more options. I am moving back to an internal medicine position.

If I had trained in oncology that would not be feasible.

One can get certified as a AOCNP(advanced oncology certified NP) through the Oncology Nursing Society. I plan to take the exam since I have enough hours/time to qualify to sit.

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I think you meant NNP if you want to work in neonatal. I'm a FNP and am scared to even visit a NICU much less work there.

I did, thanks. :chuckle

That's what I get for PWE (posting while exhausted).

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Just a question...I though that a FNP was a Family Nurse Practitioner. But hematology was a specialization in medicine...so how can a FNP work as a physican in hematology. In that case , can FNPs work in sections like Neurology, Cardiology ,ER..etc?

Sorry for asking dumb questions...I'm a newby

Thanks

Nev :rolleyes:

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Just a question...I though that a FNP was a Family Nurse Practitioner. But hematology was a specialization in medicine...so how can a FNP work as a physican in hematology. In that case , can FNPs work in sections like Neurology, Cardiology ,ER..etc?

Sorry for asking dumb questions...I'm a newby

Thanks

Nev :rolleyes:

FNP=Family Nurse Practitioner, correct. But, you can work in just about any specialty as long as the specialist is willing to train you, as FNP or any other NP training as far as I'm concerned is worthless even in your family "specialty".

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