LadyIce

I am a former OR scrub nurse/circulator. I am also an advanced practice first assist. I am board certified as an adult acute CNS and I am back in school for adult-geri acute NP. I attended NIFA for the APRNFA program. I am continually working on my technique to be the best. The nice thing for the surgeon is, while I am closing, he or she can be doing something else. I can write post op orders and also round on the post op patient. This may vary depending on what state you are in. But, if you want to learn about the OR, then perioperative nursing with AORN standards is ideal.

Stay there and work through the transition with the option, in writing, that if it does not work out for you and the new specialist, you will be given a stellar letter of recommendation. Who knows, it might even work out better.

I get calls from recruiters everyday for Peds/NICU positions. I am afraid of pediatrics. If you have a passion for Peds, you could consider becoming an ACP NP or a Neonatal NP. You would be able to help a lot of patients. If you did FNP, you could see peds for primary care. But, acute care is a whole different story. I would check out schools that offer the ACPNP.

I applied for a job in PA as a CNS. Then, I learned that in PA, CNS APRNs have no prescriptive authority. I am planning to get an NP certification so that I will be dual-boarded and have more options. I would advise anyone considering becoming a CNS, to also get boarded as an NP. The CNS role has not been well defended and that is a shame. I love research and advanced patient care. That is why I became a CNS. I did not want to do primary care. But now, Primary care FNPs are working as intensivists and hospitalists. So, I am going back for an adult-geri acute NP certification.

I used the NP books for my review. You many want to get Leik or Fitzgerald for clinical content and use your Hamric for the CNS piece. I passed adult acute CNS on the first try. Also, go to the ANCC website and look at their resources. I hope this helps. Have you logged onto facebook? There is a CNS support group for boards.

I was wait listed for med school. I became a nurse and APRN after working in pharmaceutical and med device sales. I do not regret it. I know some NPs who became MDs, but I don't want to do it now. I love being able to continue to learn, continue to pick up certifications and to have time for my passions: ballet, piano, gardening.

Try Chamberlain, they may consider you on a case by case basis.

I understand what you are going through. I am going back for another NP certificate. I never understood why nurses had so many initials. But, that is the beauty of nursing. I know some of my friends who work in the ER are going back for NP ER Certificates, because they were FNPs but ended up in the ER. I also understand that some hospitals who hire FNPs are going to want acute certifications so I am going back for an adult-geri acute NP certificate.