Percentage of Nurse Practitioners per specialty...?

adpiRN · Sep 12, 2010

I have also heard that general Family NPs are not in very high demand, either.

Really? I always thought FNPs were in very high demand. Just what I heard from nurses I work with who got their NPs and were job hunting.

nminodob · Sep 12, 2010

I always understood that an advanced degree "opened doors" for you - but what I have seen in my limited experience is that the more you specialize, the fewer your opportunities. I work on a stepdown unit and I have had the dream of getting my NP at some point. Unfortunately, I work alongside several masters prepared nurses who have not been able to leave floor nursing because of limited opportunities, and this has made me rethink the burden of assuming all that debt, plus fitting classes into my work schedule. One FNP I work with also has a part time clinic position, but I still see her on the floor regularly. Another nurse, this one with a masters in International Medicine (whatever that is), also leads clinicals here in the hospital for my old alma mater, a private university. She has told me that her salary as a clinical professor is a bit more than her RN pay, but that she only does clinicals part time and still does floor nursing. Another nurse I know took a position at a rehabilitation hospital, but returned because he complained he was primarily an administrator there, and the hours kept getting longer and longer. I guess if administration is your thing, a masters is the way to go, not necessarily a FNP.

The County Hospital I work in has limited positions open for NPs - I just searched the city website and found only 2 at this time.

Perhaps it is different in other areas - I would love to hear from other nurses out there about their experience.

morphed · Sep 12, 2010

Go to your state's website. Mine has a list of the exact number of each type of nurse within my state.

core0 · Sep 12, 2010

Is there a website that breaks down the percentage of Nurse Practitioners in each specialty/field?...whether it be for a city or state?...or even nationwide. I'm wondering, of all NPs, how many specialize in Oncology, Psych, Neonatal, Women's Health, Acute Care, etc. Wanted to see a breakdown. Anyone know where I can find this? I have been searching google and trying to find it.
From your knowledge, which NP seems to be in the highest demand? Women's Health seems like a fun specialty, but I have heard that they are in very low demand, unless they specialize in OB/GYN, as well..or something of the likes. I have also heard that general Family NPs are not in very high demand, either.
I am interested in becoming a Geriatric or Oncology NP, and curious to know what the outlook is, in comparison to other NP specialties/fields. I was VERY interested in Psych, but kind of stepped back from it because I wasn't sure of the outlook for it.
Thanks:nurse:

There are two sources for this. One is the National Survey Sample of Registered Nurses:

http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/rnsurvey04/3.htm#cns

Specifically you want this (Tables 14 and 15):

http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/rnsurvey04/appendixa.htm

The 2008 survey has been done but not yet fully analyzed:

2008 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses

The other place to look is Advance which does an NP survey every couple of years:

http://nurse-practitioners-and-physician-assistants.advanceweb.com/SharedResources/Downloads/2010/010410/NP_SalarySurvey_Table8.pdf

David Carpenter, PA-C

zenman · Sep 13, 2010

. I was VERY interested in Psych, but kind of stepped back from it because I wasn't sure of the outlook for it.
Thanks:nurse:

Two wars, the world is going to heck, and you wonder about the need for psych NP's?