db2xs

If I had had the opportunity to do a residency/fellowship, I would have jumped at the chance. NP school and clinicals are weak and paltry and barely prepare you for anything. MDs have to go through their training period that pays jack as well, it's a part of the process. The learning is invaluable! I would go for it!

I would personally just leave it at the work place and let them deal with it

I'm a certified hospice/palliative care NP. I am going to add my two cents' worth. For sure you should have a general education/knowledge on palliative care. Every specialty needs to know about it. Whether you want to get into specialty palliative care is another thing. If palliative care is not your passion, then I ask you, "Why are you spending your time doing a residency program?" If it's out of desperation, then in my opinion, that is not a good reason. I became an NP to specialize in palliative care so I purposely have pigeon-holed myself. I am more than okay to be "stuck" in this specialty. If you don't have a passion for it, then I would suggest reconsidering.

@GEB16 I worked in hospice for two years out of NP school. I was full-time. I will answer your Qs individually below. More or less, yes. I would start looking at charts at 06:00 in the home but after an hour, I would take 1.5 hours to eat breakfast, get ready, etc., and I'd see my last patient at 15:00 most of the time. As long as I fulfilled my hours, at least at my agency it didn't matter when I worked (although they discouraged crazy after-hours, I did it anyway). Until I got used to the job, my work/life balance wasn't great. Thankfully as an NP, I had better control over my schedule than the RNs did. For a starting job, my pay was great. It paid more than a clinic job that I had applied for, and since I was hourly, any OT was time and a half. I did not have to be on call or work holidays. I also served as attending provider--that's what brings in the money, because we can bill. Anything else was not billable. Mileage was paid for but at less than the Federal rate (which, btw, is only a suggestion; your employer doesn't have to match it). My supervisor was not onsite, which had its pluses and minuses. If you have any more questions, I'd be happy to help.

The California pharm "class" is easy peasy. I had to do it. It's not really a class.

I've given gift cards, a cute mug that said, "Doctor: Because Everyday Badass isn't an Official Job Title," and alcohol. Gift cards as usually safe bets.

While I am not a PMHNP, I can tell you about my NP coworker who is 68. From what I could deduce, she went to NP school at 61 years old.

Sorry you're having such a hard time. California is unique for sure, which can be very frustrating! I don't have any suggestions or tips for you except just keep plugging along, if you can stomach it and can be patient.

Hospice and palliative care: 1-2 hrs for initial visit. Shortest visits average 30 minutes

I worked as a hospice NP for two years for my first job. I did more than just hospice recertifications (NPs do not do initial certifications)--I served as attending provider, I did medication deprescription visits, symptom mgmt visits, initial comprehensive visits, goals of care visits, and visits to actively dying patients. Your duties depend on your individual hospice agency. I know some hospice agencies that only want the NP to do recerts and some symptom mgmt stuff and that's it. That doesn't sit well with me because I cannot work to the full scope of my practice. @FNP_Yari I suggest reading up on regulations, etc., on websites such as NHPCO, HPNA. HPNA also has CEs.

You are an NP, they are hiring you as an NP. Do not work as an RN. That would be like hiring a contract MD and then asking them to do MA work from time to time.

Good for you! Chin up! I'm taking it the end of this month.

One word: Leik

Of course you could be an art therapist with a nursing degree. However, if you are hired as an art therapist, I imagine you will not be able to work as a nurse, unless you can create your own position and have your own business. That would be pretty awesome!

I don't work as an RN anymore but it is really no one's business to judge if a coworker calls out. We don't know what's going on with them. Maybe their child is causing problems at school. Maybe they're going through an ugly divorce. Maybe they are having issues getting their elderly father into a nursing facility. Maybe they're truly sick. Maybe they're just burnt out after that two-hour code from yesterday. The most important thing is to be a caring colleague and give them any support that they need.