kyboyrn

I graduated from a FNP program, and went to work in an ER (the same ER where I worked as a ER nurse for 5 years). We have two ERs. There is the main ER, where we see everything, and a second ER where we try to see less acute patients, but will see ...

Reading this makes me glad I went with the FNP certification, and that I am certified with the AANP. I work in emergency medicine, and although I was advised by some that the Adult NP route was the way to go if I wanted to do ER, I was lucky enough ...

Hey everyone! It's been a long road. I haven't been a terribly frequent poster on this website, but I've posted off and on since 2004 I think...my first post was before I started nursing school. Anyway, it's been a long road, but in December I gra...

I don't see anything wrong with your plan. As far as the experience thing, I don't think it's 100% necessary, but I definitely think that it's highly, highly beneficial. I work in the ED department as a NP, and I had previously worked there as a nu...

Me and my girlfriend were talking about this the other night. She is in nursing school, but has worked as a ward clerk, CNA, and ER Tech for the last 3 years, and I'm a nurse practitioner that works in ER (and was a ER nurse for 5 years before I fin...

I looked at the recertification requirements, and it just seemed like the AANP seemed easier to deal with and more fair. My employer, and I think most, didn't care as long as I was certified. They are both recognized in all states I believe. I thi...

You may also consider looking into the FNP route. I know that the ACNP route is great for acute care and ER, but in many ERs, they want the NP to be able to see children (there was actually one who had their ACNP certification and was told that they...

Hello! Your career goals are very commendable, and I believe what you are planning to do is great! Just remember though, providing medical care at little to no cost is a wonderful idea, but also know that you better get a job on the side that pays, ...

I work in a rural area in what is considered one of the more poor states in the country, and it definitely isn't unheard of around here. I have friends making more than that in certain specialties, and almost every job offer that I received upon gra...

I'm an NP. I always made good grades, nursing school wasn't too difficult for me, and I feel like I was a pretty good nurse. When I used to tell people I was going back to school to be an NP, they always used to say I should go to CRNA school becau...

I'm just curious, what is an AA? I'm an NP, and the school I went to had a CRNA program, but I've never heard of an AA. Does it stand for anesthesia assistant? I'm sorry if it's a stupid question. I've been a nurse for 5 years, and had all of my ...

I didn't mind some of the things you mentioned at first, but got tired of a lot of it after 3 years, and was also tired of not being able to make decisions and only doing what I was told so I went back to school and became an NP. Now, I still get t...

I agree with linearthinker. You need to explore the region in which you wish to work. I'm a FNP and got my first job in an ER, but I also worked there as a nurse for 5 years so I knew the staff, medical director, etc. You said something about Orego...

I don't know if that is even possible. Like one of the posters above stated, you've got to have an RN, and many require some experience. There are online programs, but many aren't cheap. I know my program was an 18 month program, but it's not offe...

That was a beautiful story, and thanks for sharing. I lost my mother to metastatic breast cancer a little over six weeks ago. It started out as breast cancer, and after a mastectomy and chemo and radiation, it went into remission for nearly two yea...

Thanks Bcgradnurse! Your kind words mean a lot. When I went back to school full time, during my last 2 semesters I rented my house out and stayed with my parents because I wasn't getting to work much or any at all because of how much we had to squ...

I live in a rural area, and around here, there are plenty of jobs for NPs. Every job that I was offered was overy 80k starting salary, many at or above 6 figures, and the job I took was in an ED which was between those two. I actually had 4 offers ...

Congrats Frogger!! I took my test at the end of January as well and passed too!! Isn't it a great feeling!!! Most of my classmates have passed as well, and I'm always glad to hear of another colleague passing their test!!! I start my first NP job thi...

It never seems to amaze me what people think they can get by with. Who would think it's alright to work up a patient to be seen without getting basic vitals. That HR, respiratory rate, etc. are important parts of the overall clinical picture and ca...

Thanks guys. Ghillbert, I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Losing a parent, especially my mother who was my best friend and the one person I could always go to for 30 years, was the hardest thing I've ever gone through. It's only been a little over...

I highly recommend going to one of the live seminars if you can, or doing the online seminar. I did the online seminar/review. It was pretty expensive (350 bucks I think) but it was the ONLY preparation I used for the AANP exam other than school ob...

I don't think that you would lose your skills that quickly, but I do think that's a little ridiculous. I'd probably just try to find a part time job somewhere, even if it wasn't my ideal job, to make some money and then go for the job I really wante...

I did the online Fitzgerald review, I started it two to three days before my AANP certificatin exam. I waited so long so it would be fresh on my mind. I waited too long because I had to fly through a part or two, but it was more than adequate to p...

Gettingbsntomsn, I do think that your healthcare experience will help you during certification exam. I pulled some of the answerrs on the exam from my 5 years of er experience. As far as overthinking things in clinical, ordering a lot of test, etc....

I was unable to find anything like that online as well. I know at least for the AANP exam, you can find the national pass rate for some years online if you search hard enough. It didn't make me feel any better for my individual program, because I c...