TCUgirl15

yes! Definitely I can practice in Women's Health as an FNP! I wouldn't have done family if I could not have! Actually one of my job offers was for an OB/Gyn, and I turned it down to give Family Med a try. Now I'm questioning that decision at times. We will see. I think I'll give it at the least 3 more months and see how I feel at that point. just feeling down right now about my decision but it seems my situation is not unlike what is normal for most new NPs.

I'm starting to feel like you are probably right. I was encouraged by so many to do Family, because it was a broader scope and I'd be more marketable. But, I'm finding that I think Women's Health is my passion and all of my RN experience was geared towards Women's as well. Starting to feel like I made a mistake

Quite the opposite, I don't feel at all that I am at the level of a residency prepared physician, and I did not expect that. On the contrary, I kind of feel that the practice I joined expected that, which is part of my frustration. To answer your first question, I left the bedside to have a better schedule with comparable salary for my family. My husband is a Firefighter/Paramedic, so he has an odd schedule, and as an inpatient RN, I worked a lot of weekends/holidays. We just wanted one of us to have a more consistent schedule, and I've always enjoyed education (this was my 4th degree). So I guess, in a way, it seemed like the next step for me, but more so to reach my full potential, I suppose.

I just started my first NP job out of school in January...so I have been there 3 months now. I am really unhappy and not enjoying what I am doing. I also don't want to be a baby about things and make a decision I will regret later. Let me explain my position, and hopefully get some feedback as to whether this is a good situation and I am just experiencing the "first year" stress or if I could be in a better place right now and should do something about it? I am in an underserved area, family practice. I shadowed a physician for 1 day and then started seeing patients on my own. For the first month this was 6 patients a day or so. 2nd month i jumped to 8 patients a day, then 12 patients a day (which is where I'm at now). Next month 2 out of my 4 days will be walkin only and I have 24 open slots. I guess my main frustration and feeling of isolation comes from feeling like I never had training, and as a brand New NP straight out of school I felt like this was a disservice to me. There are 3-4 physicians at the practice that are helpful when I can grab them, but they are super busy too and none of them are directly responsible for me. My "supervising physician" is not at the same site as me and I get virtually no feedback from him. I feel like I'm a hinderance to the other physicians when I'm asking questions (because as mentioned, they are busy too!) I get patients put into my template that are extremely complicated, and was told to just treat the pertinent issues and then pass them on to one of the physicians. I feel like an idiot most of the time and feel pretty isolated. Just this week, finally my clinical director said that we would start sitting down to go over my patients at the end of each day, but she kind of makes me feel like an idiot as well. Is this typical for how training as a new NP goes? At times I feel like my feelings of unhappiness and frustration are justified, and then other times, I feel like maybe I'm being too needy and should suck it up. If anyone could shed some light on this for me I would be extremely grateful!! How is your first NP job supposed to be structured? Is it wrong to leave a job prior to staying a full year to give it a fair chance? I think it does not help that I LOVED my RN job in L&D that I left to be a Family NP. Maybe I just have a passion for Women's and I made the wrong choice. Feeling very confused and lost in my career at this point, just looking for some feedback on other's experiences in starting out as an NP. I appreciate the feedback!! Thanks!

I recently accepted a Family NP position with a large teaching hospital here in the DFW area. This will be my first NP position, as I graduated from FNP school this past May. I will be starting in January 2015. I was hoping to get some feedback from those of you that are practicing FNP's as to how your first year went as an NP? If there are things I can start doing now to prepare for my start date? If there are things I can anticipate happening as a new NP? I am excited and nervous all at the same time. I've been a nurse for a little over 6 years and I remember that first year or so feeling inadequate all of the time. I'm not looking forward to going through that all over again, but I'm excited to learn and grow in my new role! How did your first year or so pan out as an NP? Any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! THANKS!!

I bought the Fitzgerald Review and listened to all of the cd's as well as following along in her book, and I did all of the questions in the back of the Leik book. I took the AANP FNP exam in July and passed first time. Good luck on your exam!

Option A would worry me without the guarantee of hours/pay. But, as you mentioned, could be a really cool supplement to Job B. The pay for Option C sounds great but have you ever worked nights? I know there are so many people out there that love it and adjust with no problem! I worked nights for a year and my body never did adjust well. I loved working at night and loved my team, but I just couldn't transition on my off days to a normal schedule. My other bit of input would be looking at your final goal of Midwifery. I feel like obviously an L&D position would set you up perfectly to transitioning into Midwifery school and so on. Do you have a passion to do ICU as well? If your passion is Women's Health I would lean towards Option B. Although I know there are a lot of people out there that may disagree with me and say ICU would offer invaluable experience, which I would never argue. However, if Women's is what you want to do and you have goals to further your education/role into Midwifery…why not get started now in the area you love? Just my 2 cents. I was told to do Med/Surg out of Nursing school to get the experience but knew I wanted to do Women's….so I chose L&D straight out of my BSN and fell in love with it! I just recently graduated with my FNP and I'm now branching out into Family Health as an NP…but I've been in L&D for a little over 6 years now and I LOVE my job!

I would say any nurse, anywhere, would say their first year was terrifyingly stressful. You feel inadequate. You feel like an idiot. You feel like you are never going to reach a point of confidence on the job. This is all very, very normal for a first year nurse. Rest assured, you will learn a ton and eventually you are going to feel like a very competent nurse and you'll LOVE your job. That being said, I concur with the others' comments that it may be helpful to work in a bigger facility, where you have a bigger team to back you up. Your charge should be making appropriate assignments for a nurse straight off of orientation and should be supporting you in your new role. If that isn't happening, or if your unit does not have the staff to allow for this, you may think of looking elsewhere or switching units. I feel like being pushed is a good thing and will help you learn and grow, but throwing a new nurse into a high acuity assignment with no support isn't the ideal situation.

Hey there, I was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of starting salary range for NPs in Women's Health in the DFW Area? I recently graduated with my FNP and I am currently interviewing for 3 different positions. The position I would really like is in Women's but I have no comparative data. My classmates have mostly taken jobs in Family. Does anyone have information for salary range and/or what is an acceptable starting salary for an NP in Women's Health? Any information/suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I have never had to enter into negotiations for a job offer. When I started in nursing 6 years ago, an hourly wage was offered and I took it, no questions...no negotiations! I just want to make sure what I settle on is a fair offer! Thanks!!

@missyfriend09... Actually I am in my third semester at TWU. I was deferred at UTA for two semesters...The second semester I had applied to TWU also and I got in there. So far I've been really happy and it's cheaper than UTA. To be quite honest...and it could have been the people I talked to only, but the ladies I talked to at UTA were pretty rude to me. I was surprised by that...especially since I'm Alumni. Oh well...everything happens for a reason. I've been happy at TWU!! Good luck to you...my advice would be apply to a couple of places and I'm sure you will get in somewhere! If not the first time, keep at it! Take Care!!

@ Sanuk, If you don't mind me asking, how many hours do you work a week? I'm starting the FNP program in the Spring...and I wanted to register for 9 hours, but I work PRN 24 hours a week. Do you think it would be manageable to take 9 hrs? How were your classes for the first semester? I'm thinking they said it would be Patho, Theory and then maybe I would add on one more if I could?? I'd really appreciate any advice anyone could give!! :) @ Karen 313, Are you going to be at the Orientation on November 29th??

@ hunnybaby24. I received the letter in the mail 10/21/11. I applied back in June so I do not know if that makes a difference and for the Dallas campus. You might try calling to see when you should receive a letter!

I got into TWU!! I will start in the Spring. How many hours are you all taking and what classes did you take your first semester. I guess I need to call my advisor Monday....just got my acceptance letter in the mail today, after a very LONG day at the hospital! I'm super excited!!! How has y'alls first semester gone thus far??

For all of you who got into TWU for the FNP program, did you guys all have at least above a 3.5 gpa for your BSN? Sorry for the additional post...I think the more I read, the more nervous I get that I won't get in. I'm not sure when they will notify everyone regarding acceptance for the spring?

Hey guys....just read this post. If you don't mind me asking what was everyone's GPA in undergrad? I applied to UTA's FNP program this past Fall and got deferred b/c of my GPA. I only had a 3.3 with my BSN. I'm applying again to UTA and TWU for the Spring 2012 semester and I'm nervous I won't get in. Has anyone gotten in with that low of a GPA? I have my Master's in Business from UTA (not that it's applicable) but I'm hoping it shows I can complete a Masters Program. I have 3 years experience as an RN on a very busy Labor & Delivery Unit. I'm nervous though that I'll be denied again Any advice, suggestions, ect.??? THANKS!!!