Please advise..New NP in urgent care as a sole provider

[whomiskim]

Hi. I am about to graduate soon. I am FNP track, and looking for a job. I really really want to work 12 hour shift, and urgent care seems to be only place that I could do that (I don't like to work in a hospital). Plus I want to take care of all the population. It is fun. My another goal is helping children who is in crisis nursery (I have long story). I don't have any peds background. All my experience was adult.

But..It seems like I get to work by myself after short orientation in urgent care. I like to LEARN.I care about learning rather than making money at this point. I feel like I can learn more by working in a physician's office rather than working in urgent care by myself because I can have more feedback from my collaborated physician. Plus I can ask questions to him whenever I want to (Please tell me if I am wrong because I don't know!!).

I am new. How am I supposed to learn if I am a sole provider. I guess I can call my collaborated physician by phone. But that doesn't seem enough. It doesn't seem safe to me.

Please help me.. If I can get learn more in the physician's office as new NP, I will do that for a few years even if I hate to work M-F. If I can learn as much as I could in physician's office, I really really want to work in urgent care.

[PG2018]

You're on your own. Ultimate learning experience. I'm in a solo shop too. Wouldn't have it any other way.

[SnowShoeRN]

I think this depends on your comfort level. Are you comfortable seeing patients entirely on your own? Will you be getting peds clinical hours? Are you comfortable taking care of peds patients without any clinical hours, yet? How much of a self-starter are you? Working alone gives you an incredible opportunity to learn provided to work well that way.

If you're comfortable caring for people on your own, then I say go for it. However, if you learn best with feedback and f you feel like you need to get more experience with a mentor relationship before you can see patients without any physical back-up, then take the job with the MD.

Best of luck with your choice.

[whomiskim]

Totally agree...Thank you so much

[CSWGIRL]

I agree-- it totally depends on ur comfort level. Btw, have you looked into working at cvs minute clinic. They offer shifts that are ~10 hours. (3-4 days a week). you are a sole provider at the clinic and you do handle payments, but i think as a new grad it may be a good opportunity.