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Discussion

Pediatrics?

Hello. I am thinking about going into a pediatric nurse practitioner program. How is employment for NP's in this area of practice?

thanks for your answers in advance...

Featured Replies

i think it all depends on where you live, and what you want to do. i know a lot of pnps who are not working as pnps. can't tell you why. one, in particular has told me that she didn't like 'being a resident'. i've seen that in one of the places i worked (peds heme/onc). i think the others cannot find jobs, or jobs that suit them. i'm not sure if it's that the jobs are not what they expected, or are there no jobs???

  • Author

i would hope that there are jobs to be had!

do FNP's work with pediatrics in pediatric hospitals and offices?

  • Experts

I've worked in peds/NICU for many years in several different parts of the country -- and have lots of PNP friends. In some parts of the country, there is an over-supply of PNP's, lots of competition for the few jobs available, and low pay due to the laws of supply & demand. The ones that are available are the ones that pay the worst, require lots evening hours and weekends, etc. The best jobs are taken by those PNP's with experience.

On the other hand ... that is not true in every community. So, you need to check the status in your particular area.

Good luck,

llg

i was thinking about doing the PNP program, but I'm now strongly considering FNP or Acute Care NP b/c of the job situation. There are a lot of RN's who are actually PNP's that still work as RN's b/c of the lack of jobs.

  • Author

thats the thing... i really only want to do peds, however it seems like it would be a lot harder to find a job being a PNP.

i've been looking up jobs and they all want experienced PNP's. what about entry level PNP positions. they don't seem that easy to come by.

  • Experts

What is your current situation? How much peds nursing experience do you have, etc.? There are lots of different different types of jobs that PNP's sometimes take. With a little extra appropriate education and/or experience you might be able to get one of those jobs -- even if it is not exactly the one you are envisioning.

For example, one of my PNP friends works as a school nurse. Another works doing home visits for newborns. A few teach undergraduate clinical courses for nursing students. I know several who work as "assistants" for pediatricians -- helping coordinate the care of their more complex and/or hospitalized patients, NOT doing primary care in their offices. (These folks are in role that is a cross between a primary care role and and in-patient CNS role.)

The roles I mentioned above all require some education and/or experience in addition to the basic PNP preparation -- a few elective courses in nursing education, several years in-patient peds experience, experience as a unit-level educator or manager, etc. But if you have that in your background and/or are willing to get those experiences, you options as a PN expand tremedously.

The people who seem to have the most trouble finding an advanced practice job are those with just 1 or 2 years as a peds staff nurse who get the PNP's and expect to land a really plum job. In fact, just last week I acted as a mentor to a new PNP graduate in that position. After reviewing her resume with me, she came to see that she that she lacked the experience she needed for the advanced positions she had hoped her new degree would get her. Fortunately, I was able to guide her towards a job more suitable for her limited background -- one that will give her valuable experience that can lead her to something better in just a couple of years.

llg

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