RN_amie_06

Hello all! I graduated in 2014 from FNP school, and shortly after received my AANP certification. Long story short, I worked as an NP for about five years, wasn't sure it was for me, and went into nursing management in the hospital. Now that my re-certification date is nearing, I am left wondering if I may want to get back into the realm of NP. Looking back, I think my issue with being an NP was the situations in which I was put, not the job itself. I am due to recertify with AANP early next year, and due to not having been in practice, I will have to re-cert by exam. My question is, has anyone else done this, and what was your approach/success? I feel like the knowledge is still there, but am so stressed about taking the exam again! I plan to get some review books, maybe take an online review course, and do some practice tests. Just wondering if anyone else has had my experience! Thanks in advance!

Hi! I didn’t mean for it to sound like you should stay on the floor any longer, I’m sorry if it sounded like that ? I too only had about six months of floor nursing before I went to the OR. I would definitely start persuing open OR positions!

Oh my gosh this sounds like my dream job! Sorry my post is no help, just wanted to throw that out there ?

Hi there! Don't lose hope just yet! I have been an OR nurse for most of my nursing career, and I too had a calling for it before I got out of nursing school. I never wanted to work at the bedside. While I made the most of it, and looking back know it taught me a lot, it was just not for me. I also had considered CRNA, and left the OR for a year to go to the ICU for experience...hated every minute of it and went right back to circulating. The OR makes me happy, I don't know how to explain it to other people. It is one patient at a time, this is true. But, there is a very fast pace in the OR as far as turnover times between cases and such, so you definitely have to be prepared for that. I don't find the charting to be too much. I work for HCA and use Meditech, it takes me about 10 minutes to chart a case. Then, I am free during the case to watch and learn, and of course circulate the case ? We have a lot of fun in the OR, but that can vary depending on the staff! As far as call, I have worked in hospitals with various call situations. If you work at a level 1 hospital, there is in house coverage 24/7. While you will still have call, it may not be as often or as strenuous. I have worked in rural hospitals where we had two teams, and did one week on, one week off (not called in often at all). In a typical hospital (for me), I had weekend call about once every six weekends. And shifts usually stagger, there may be the option to work 7-3, 9-5, 7-5, 12-12, etc... Again, OR environments vary greatly. I did travel nursing and can vouch for that! But if you find yourself a good one, and most importantly a great group, it is an awesome place to work in my opinion!

Hi! I too am considering getting out of direct patient care to try my best to improve healthcare, ideally improving the lives of those of us that work in the field (I would love to go into management at a hospital). I worked for 10 years as an RN in various specialties, and loved it. Went to NP school (don't ask why, long story), and have done urgent care for a few years. I feel like I have seen the joy of nursing fade away over the years (I still work PRN as an RN). I would love to able to bring some of that back. I will say I have found it a little difficult to find a way in to this arena. It seems to all be in who you know where I live. Can't decide if I should go ahead and go back for my post mater's certificate (more debt!), or wait and see if I can find a position where they will pay for it.

So I am in a very similar situation, I'll try to keep it short ? Worked as full time RN, decided to go to NP school, graduated and went to work, yay! Did it for about two years and get totally burnt out. Decided to go back to nursing and did travel nursing. Made the same money (sometimes better), and loved it most of the time. Had experiences I never would have. Then I guilted myself back into NP, and am currently working as an NP in urgent care. I am already wondering why ? While I think it's awesome to go back to school, I don't suggest doing for the reasons I did (I never remember having a super strong drive to be an NP, but was wanting to advance my nursing career and it seemed like the most logical option at the time).

I know I'm late to this post, but just joined... I am glad to hear that I am not the only person that has seen this as a possible issue in the coming years. I went to NP school at the same college I got my BSN. While I do think it was a good program, I think it was largely what the student made of it. All classes were online, we had to find our own preceptors for clinicals (which was a heck of a chore in itself). I honestly didn't really feel like my teachers were that worried about our success as NPs, and I wonder if that is part of why I constantly worry/doubt myself. I have been an NP in practice for two years. I do wonder if I should just go another direction with my nursing career.