CoryRN

Western salaries seem to be a bit higher. My first job was for a community health center and starting salary was only $60,00 but there was loan repayment to account for. After 3-4 years of experience it seems many folks are making 80-90000 per year and many in the 6 figure range. When negotiating I always try to bring stats with me from the NP organizations to support salary averages. I think 75000 is a very reasonable salary to ask for but obviously there is more to consider. Call, benefits, vacation, hours of patient contact per week, CME etc should be negotiated as part of the total package.

I hope you didn't take me too seriously when I said stay away. My comments were more directed at cost of living increases related to real estate price increases from the influx of people from more expensive markets. It has affected our home prices. We are still fairly affordable, so if you are going to come, sooner is probably better than later. Also, Eastern Idaho and Boise are very different places. The Rush Limbaugh Mormon comments may be true for Eastern Idaho, but they certainly do not apply to those of us who live in Boise. We are not especially diverse in Boise, and yes, there are still a lot of Mormons. But there are a lot of Catholics, Baptists, Athiests, etc, etc, etc. Secondly, there are people of color here and they are treated very well. There is definitely not the underlying racist tensions that exist in some southern states. I have lived in those states and have seen it first hand. Consider Boise for what we have to offer. There are both city things and outdoors things to do. We need good healthcare providers, come for a visit. email me if you would like and I will give you any information you may want. I think if you can see Boise, you would love it! But keep it kind of quiet, we are still a bit of a secret nationally. CoryRN

We have too many people moving to Boise, please stay away!! We like people to like Boise but we don't need anymore people moving here!! Okay, if you must move here, St. Lukes and St. Als are both very good hospitals. The nurses I know make in the 20s/hr. It is true, Mercy doesn't have the best reputation, but the clinical time I did there almost 10 years ago was fine. I am an NP and I do send some of my patients to specialists who work out of Mercy. No complaints so far. As far as places to live, those of us who live in the Boise area are led to believe that Caldwell is a pretty rough place to live. Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Star, Kuna.... all very nice overall. Low crime, good quality of life. Prices are going up however, thanks to all of the folks moving here! Hope this helps. CoryRN

Hi LizzyBennet, I am a former scholar, FNP. I met many CNM NHSC scholars who didn't have a job 1 year plus after graduation. That was 2-3 years ago so maybe things have improved. If you are seriously considering the NHSC scholarship, please look into NHSC loan repayment and also the NELRP program. It is a loan repayment program for RNs with advanced education in rural or underserved areas. I benefitted financially from the NHSC, but I wasn't happy with the program and would not do it again. I am in touch with many scholars, and every one of them feels the same. My last practice was a scholar mill, and every 2 years a scholar comes on board and quits 2 years later. And was miserable for the two years. I am sure there are scholars out there who have had good experiences, I just haven't met any. Good luck to you. Cory MS, FNP, RN, RRT

I am an FNP and I love being an FNP. Certainly I am busy, see lots of patients, but am constantly reminded by my patients why I chose to become an NP. They are constantly saying I take more time, explain more to them, and they are happy to see an NP as opposed to some physicians they have seen in the past. My expectation is to see a few less than the physician I work with, but it is still challenging every day! This will change shortly as I am buying a practice in the near future and I will decide how many I see as opposed to having a quota to meet. I think it is important to think about how you may fit into the role. There is more responsibility, not necessarily much more money. I chose the role because I wanted the independence and like this kind of work. I have found that many folks that are unhappy with the role are really unhappy with the responsibility. Good luck and follow your heart! Cory

Oregon and Idaho are also states that have no collaborative agreement with physicians. NPs are completely independent providers, able to hang their own shingle if they want.

Yes, I do think it is worth the effort to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner. I am of the belief that you should choose whichever specialty would interest you the most, however I am also of the opinion that FNPs are somewhat more marketable in general. This is purely anecdotal as I have many friends that are FNPs working in many roles, including psych, acute care, pediatrics, women's health etc. If you have very specific interests, choose a specialty. If you think you may like several areas, the FNP is a great way to go.

I am an FNP who went to a "bridge" program and I am also a NHSC scholar. My program did not grant a BSN, just bridged to an MS in Nursing. If you have questions, feel free to contact me directly and I would be happy to answer any questions. I am currently working in family practice in Oregon.

Just a quick note... never posted before. I am an FNP and many of my friends and colleagues are PAs. In fact some of my preceptors in school were PAs. I believe it is what you make of it. I good provider is just that, a good health care provider, no matter what the title (MD, DO, PA, NP). That being said, NPs do run their own practices in many states. I live in one of them. The law specifically allows us to hang our own shingle without "physician supervision". Any responisble NP or PA will consult a physician prn. Unfortunately, PAs do not have the legal luxury of hanging their own shingle without "physician supervision", but many of them do so functionally anyway and employ physicians to look over some charts here and there and answer a few questions by phone. We compete for the same jobs, work side by side in many institutions, and are constantly mistaken for one another often. Because I am male, I am confused for both a PA and a physician on a daily basis. Doesn't bother me when I am confused for a PA!! We are more alike than different and we need to figure out a way to improve our relations so we can be a force together on a national level.