Hey everyone! I am a new graduate FNP. SO conflicted on what job to take. Which would you choose???
1) Bigger well known company, AWESOME benefits, $92k a year (with yearly raise), 3 day workweek (12 hour day), Pediatric patients only. 30-44 patients a day!
2) new family practice/urgent care. Small clinic. all ages. $110-125k, no health insurance/401k benefits. M-F 9-5. Approx 5-10 patients a day.
My concerns are
a) does the prestige of your employer matter for FNPs? Is the name on your resume worth having SO many patients in a day as a new grad, even if it's just 3 glorious days a week ?
B) I have NEVER worked a M-F job. I know I will hate it. BUT seeing 5 to 10 patients will give me SO MUCH breathing room to learn and assess!
I have insurance right now through my husband's job. The bigger job has everything, benefits wise, although the smaller clinic has vacation, CME, malpractice, licensing fees covered, etc.
The new clinic may not last. Or, on the flip side, it may grow exponentially and within a year have you running around like the proverbial chicken without a head. There's no way to be sure. I guess I'm old school--lots of patients, lots of variety, you will get a much broader experience; fewer patients, long leisurely days, you will get a much more in depth experience. Which do you feel would benefit you more--variety and volume, or in-depth, in-detail dissection of each case (which you will have time for)?
Excellent points and what I would prepare for if I were the OP and had worked the new clinic from the ground up and it booms is to request a huge raise, to the highest in the area, when this happens and the OP has earned their stripes as an excellent member of the team. If the OP is realistically able to deliver like a Rock Star they should demand a salary to match. If not well then I guess taking what you can get is a necessity.
Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
*I* would not go for the job involving just pediatrics, because I don't "do" pediatrics. And because the number of patients, to me, would be horribly grinding​.
I did work a M-F office job and lasted nine months. Had to get back to hours I could choose, so I could be off when 'everyone else' was working. Having my commute and time-off aligned with the majority of M-F 9-5'ers was STULTIFYING and IRRITATING!
However, I believe the higher pay-scale for the clinic job with fewer patients would certainly be worth tolerating for a while :).
What do you think/feel about the people at each option? As I'm sure you are well aware, your coworkers can make or break your day! I graduate in May with my MSN/FNP after 20 years with the same hospital system. My clinical experiences in other systems was eye opening, I saw the good and the bad. I'm with you, the thought of working 5 days a week is foreign to me, however my clinical time has also shown me how nice it is to be off work by 5 (or even 3) and still have time in my day for,...life :). The thought of never working Christmas or Thanksgiving again is also appealing. I might be a bit leery of no vacation time. What happens when you need to make it to a doctors appt before 5? Or when will you have your hair/nails done? What happens when you want to take the family to Disney World, do you just not get a pay check that week?
Have you spoken with other NP's in your area about negotiating a contract? I recently had an NP friend who had to negotiate having a nurse to work with her! I would have just assumed that there would be a nurse/MA to room my patients, get VS, C/O etc. Also education expenses can add up, and if they aren't paying them or paying your time off to go it could become a significant expense for you.
Just some things to think about. Best of luck to you! Let us know how this works out,...I may need your advice in May! :)
*I* would not go for the job involving just pediatrics, because I don't "do" pediatrics. And because the number of patients, to me, would be horribly grinding​.
I did work a M-F office job and lasted nine months. Had to get back to hours I could choose, so I could be off when 'everyone else' was working. Having my commute and time-off aligned with the majority of M-F 9-5'ers was STULTIFYING and IRRITATING!
However, I believe the higher pay-scale for the clinic job with fewer patients would certainly be worth tolerating for a while :).
^^^ right??? that's what i"m saying... even if it's just for that year of needed experience
What do you think/feel about the people at each option? As I'm sure you are well aware, your coworkers can make or break your day! I graduate in May with my MSN/FNP after 20 years with the same hospital system. My clinical experiences in other systems was eye opening, I saw the good and the bad. I'm with you, the thought of working 5 days a week is foreign to me, however my clinical time has also shown me how nice it is to be off work by 5 (or even 3) and still have time in my day for,...life :). The thought of never working Christmas or Thanksgiving again is also appealing. I might be a bit leery of no vacation time. What happens when you need to make it to a doctors appt before 5? Or when will you have your hair/nails done? What happens when you want to take the family to Disney World, do you just not get a pay check that week?
Have you spoken with other NP's in your area about negotiating a contract? I recently had an NP friend who had to negotiate having a nurse to work with her! I would have just assumed that there would be a nurse/MA to room my patients, get VS, C/O etc. Also education expenses can add up, and if they aren't paying them or paying your time off to go it could become a significant expense for you.
Just some things to think about. Best of luck to you! Let us know how this works out,...I may need your advice in May! :)
Good luck to you!!! At the 1st option, I did my clinical rotation there, but in the OB department. I loved the OB department and I got to tour and see the Pedi area. the people there are very nice, I never met anyone who had a bad attitude. and each provider is assigned 2 MAs.
The 2nd Option has SUPER SWEET people too!!!! I automatically get 2 MAs, as well.
But yall have me wondering about the smaller clinic closing... what is the likelihood of that happening? I have a feeling it should at least remain open for the next year at least, since it's new...
Update: so I didn't get the job at the bigger company. But I was offered a position at the smaller clinic!!!!! In a way, I am glad I wasn't forced to choose. They will be changing the hours of operation at the smaller clinic to 12 hour shifts. And I DO NOT have to work weekends or holidays!! I am very happy. Thanks you all!!!
UPDATE: So, some "financial hardships" came about with the smaller clinic, and they had to rescind their offer. They decided to tell me the night before I was supposed to start! How classy... Anyway, I was very upset. BUT today, I was just offered another position as a Neuro FNP in a large rehab facility. Very happy with my new offer. Salary, full benefits, and it's a part of a larger system, so at least it's legit. I'm satisfied.
Iknowwha2du
91 Posts
FYI go ahead and double the number of patients, most places tell you a low end number to get you to agree.