I'm a New Grad NP and I'm just pumping patients for 'the man'.

Specialties NP

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Will some new grad nurse practitioners chime in please? I just got out of school and now that I'm working, I'm just seeing patients, in / out, in /out, in / out (in hematology).

I do 1 cool workup and about once a day to once QOD, other than that I'm doing the same boring follow ups! Do other NP's feel the same way? Do I only feel like this because I'm in specialty? I graduated as an FNP and maybe school spoiled me with learning new, exiting things everyday.

Now that I'm in hematology I learn new things, but what I learn is all about the same (10!) diagnoses.

Good thought to bring up though... b/c im really happy working in emergency (even though management can be a bit.. umm sketchy at times)... I guess the question im asking myself is will the new job scope of an NP give me as much satisfaction as i get out of going crazy in the ED 4x a week :uhoh3: b/c im pretty sure it won't pay as well hehe. Thanks for bringing up this thread, it is nice to hear what new grads have to say about the job market/situation is atm.

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With 8 NPs competing for the same job, the hospitals can almost do a reverse auction on us (I've seen it done for Admin

Assistants at my private college) '$90k? You sir! $80k? Lady in the hat! $70k! You're hired!'

But I'm worried that my 'pumping patients' experience isn't the type of experience that will make my CV say, "Yes, I'm that good." I feel it says, "Yes, I took what I was able to get, but I beat 7 people to get it!"

EXACTLY my fear about advancing in nursing period- would love to hear thoughts about this...CLINICAL NURSES CAN END UP FRUSTRATED BY STAYING AT ONE LEVEL REGARDLESS OF ADVANCED SKILLS but NP's face the kind of situation you highlighted above; DO np'S END UP ONLY "PUMPING PATIENTS " FOR LESS $$$??

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EXACTLY my fear about advancing in nursing period- would love to hear thoughts about this...CLINICAL NURSES CAN END UP FRUSTRATED BY STAYING AT ONE LEVEL REGARDLESS OF ADVANCED SKILLS but NP's face the kind of situation you highlighted above; DO np'S END UP ONLY "PUMPING PATIENTS " FOR LESS $$$??

Pumping patients to me is doing follow ups all day. Yes it's necessary for chronic conditions (and others), but there is less 'thinking' involved than initial diagnosis. I don't plan to 'end up' like this, this is my 'novice' NP position. I need the experience for my CV.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I have been doing Med/Surg nursing in a hospital and will graduate on April 27th as a Family Nurse Practitioner. I had two options for employment. One with a primary care doc and one with a neurologist/pain management doc. Specialty makes more money and I will learn new skills. Primary seemed like just continuing the same old same old. Teaching is in my blood and I will eventually teach nursing students. I have to pay off my student loans first! So I will "pump them through for the man" and bang out those loans for a few years. Then who knows?

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I have been doing Med/Surg nursing in a hospital and will graduate on April 27th as a Family Nurse Practitioner. I had two options for employment. One with a primary care doc and one with a neurologist/pain management doc. Specialty makes more money and I will learn new skills. Primary seemed like just continuing the same old same old. Teaching is in my blood and I will eventually teach nursing students. I have to pay off my student loans first! So I will "pump them through for the man" and bang out those loans for a few years. Then who knows?

Yes specialty makes more money around here also (I think), I've been in hematology for almost a year and it feels like the 'same old same old'. You say you'll focus on Neuro/Pain for a 'few' years?

My concern for myself (and I haven't even hit the 1 yr mark yet) is that I'll lose some of the information I'm not using.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
Yes specialty makes more money around here also (I think), I've been in hematology for almost a year and it feels like the 'same old same old'. You say you'll focus on Neuro/Pain for a 'few' years?

My concern for myself (and I haven't even hit the 1 yr mark yet) is that I'll lose some of the information I'm not using.

Worrying about losing the information is a concern for me as well. I will be continuing to read up on the current meds and issues in order to keep up to date. We are responsible for maintaining our "memory banks"! I hope to hang in for the two year contract that I signed and learn a lot.

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Worrying about losing the information is a concern for me as well. I will be continuing to read up on the current meds and issues in order to keep up to date. We are responsible for maintaining our "memory banks"! I hope to hang in for the two year contract that I signed and learn a lot.

Save - What if you didn't have a 2 year contract? How long would you stay at your 'Entry Level NP' position.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I would probably stay for a year to start and if it wasn't something I wanted to continue to learn, move on to something else. I have a tendency to stay for long periods of time in one place because I get comfortable. I want to get lots of experience in different arenas, unlike I did as a regular nurse without "jumping around too much".

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

That's what I'm thinking too that a year is enough. If the fit isn't there, its time to move on. I too am someone who stays and stays unless I'm just miserable.

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