fetchfelix

I researched this subject greatly, so for the future people who read this thread..............Im a British trained RN with = GPA to 3.0 I graduated WGU after nearly 3 years ( I had a lot to do because no one recognizes my UK stuff) in Feb 2016. I start FNP with Frontier Nursing University in Jan 2017. GPA is not the only factor schools look at. Be encouraged. Felix

I have been hospitalized several times in the last few years. I am not under treatment, and no longer being investigated, and need no accommodations. Next week I have a pre-employment physical. What MUST I disclose? Do I have to even disclose my meds, because they inevitably ask what each med is for. If Im not asking for any accommodation, do I even have to legally tell them what meds Im on, or that I have Type II diabetes and HTN? Is there any consequence of not telling if I end up in hospital again? One of those admissions caused a lot of hassle with my employer asking for info my Dr refused to give. I was given a blanket "return to work without restrictions" but my employer was insisting for something more detailed, that the cardiology refused to provide. A later job wanted clarifying information that long delayed my start date but in the end they all had to back down. I have ZERO work restrictions, and need no accommodations............so it would be a lot less hassle to just not mention any of those hospitalizations. Am I within my rights here? It seems to me that I have a right to HIPPA too and shouldn't be forced to detail a long, complicated and ultimately unresolved medical history. Any thoughts or advice warmly welcomed! Felix

I am thinking of going to NP school and am torn between doing FNP with a Mental health cert added on, or Psyche with FNP add on if thats possible? Bottom line is Im not certain which I want to do........perhaps both. I've read of at least one person who splits hours between both. But is that really difficult to keep up CMEs? Im worried about making a mistake about picking the wrong one to focus on. My background is ER / ICU/ Critical care, although Im now in Psyche to see if I like that. Overall I am leaning towards Psych NP. Anyone have thoughts? Also any recommendations on schools? Thanks! Felix

So after 25years in nursing, mostly in ER / Transport I'm now planning on eventually going back to school to do my NP. Im debating between FNP vs Psych NP and there's a variety of reasons for that. I've seen at least one program that has a dual track where you can do both so Im strongly attracted to that. Im actually interested in both roles and in future I think I would like to be able to work 2 days in 1 and 3 in another, or moonlight in one etc. If you do FNP, or Psych, are you pretty much stuck in that role? I think I've read you can go back and do a certification in which ever one you lack? But how hard / expensive / time consuming is that? Or am I really better off just deciding which one I want to do and pick that? Im about to start work in a Psych unit to expose myself to that side of things..........who knows, I might hate it. But ultimately Im looking for a role that will challenge me, keep me interested, but also be lucrative and sought after to get the best of employment as Im getting older and I know it will only get harder to get and stay employed. Any thoughts or suggestions warmly welcomed! Felix

So I was offered the per diem position, and there's a fair chance I will be offered the position FT. Either way, this is a HUGE change for me. How can I prepare myself for this new role? Are there any books you'd recommend either for some background knowledge, or clinical stuff? Im excited about it, but very daunted as I know this will be very out of my realm of experience or knowledge. I loved the boss and the staff seemed pretty cool, but being in a locked unit with "Severely traumatized" kids aged 5 -18 will be challenging to say the least! Needless to say I'm pretty nervous! Thanks for any insight. Felix

Thanks, that will be easy........Ive worked Peds for 10 years

Thanks for all the encouragement.........I do in fact have an interview next week for a unit behaviorally challenged children and teens, for a per diem position. Felix

I have an interview coming up for a Peds ER........I've worked peds and adult ER before, probably around 7 years total..........but way in the past now. Im just trying to think of what sort of questions get asked these days, Im a little out of practice for interviews. Thanks Felix

Rock nurse - I've been flying off and on for nearly 15 of my 25yrs as an RN - we have very similar backgrounds. As I understand it there are a couple of programs that use NPs and certainly I;ve flown with a couple who flew per diem. You will hear a lot of advice regarding this - here's what I posted before : Ive been a flight RN off & on 15 years, and have worked for 8 different companies in several states. You will hear the same advice, get 3-5 years ICU experience, EMS, etc etc. I will give you the same advice I was given way back when which turned out to be perfect. Forget all that. Here's what you need to do...........figure out where you want to work, which city, state etc. If you want to stay local, contact your local flight program(s) and find out exactly what THEY want. What a lot of people dont know is that the advice you receive is very generic, but in fact its also very local. What does YOUR program of choice do. Do they do a good chunk of scene work? i.e. > 30%. If so go get some EMS experience, even if only some volunteer EMS experience. Understand many states REQUIRE Paramedics on helicopters, and some States require the RN to be a Paramedic also. But I worked for one program that did 90% IFT (inter facility), all they cared about was pure ICU experience, and pretty much heavy MICU / Cardiac ICU. That program did minimal trauma, so getting ER, EMS or trauma experience was a waste of time. Where I work now does MUCH less ICU, and does 60% EMS / scene work so here they dont care about experience with Swanns, and balloon pumps etc etc cos we just dont do that. If you want a really good well rounded experience, get cardiac / cath lab, ER and some EMS. Also crucial is to get known by the program you want to be hired at..........so get that experience IN the hospital that your flight program delivers to so you can get to know the crews. And do a ride along, make sure you actually like to fly and can stand the cramped environment. Felix

Thanks for this.......Im actually shadowing next week

After 25years nursing in critical care / transport / ER I have an interview coming up in a Peds Primary care clinic. Im thinking of going to NP school in future to work in such a place as an FNP.........I want to see if I would like it or if I would be totally bored. I know the roles are completely different. But also the hours are much better, although pay is terrible. Trying to think of what to say when they ask why I want to do this without focusing on the hours? Why did you go into primary care? What are the joys of clinic / outpatient type stuff.........im having a hard time thinking how to answer that. Thanks Felix

I am thinking of applying to NP school after many years in Critical care / transport. As preparation for the completely different change in working condition and roles I am thinking of going to work in a M-F 8-5 clinic, as this is what I will be aiming for as an FNP in future. Thoughts on whether this would ACTUALLY be helpful? If so how? Felix

So how likely am I to get hired for a per diem role? Most other per diems in nursing need experience before getting hired, is this not the case in mental health? To me that would be ideal way to suss out if its really where I'd like to be but I didnt think I would have a chance? Felix

Hi all, I have been an RN 25 years, mostly in some form of critical care / ER or transport. I am now thinking of going back to school to do FNP or perhaps become a Psyche NP. To that end, I think I would need psyche experience to now if this is really a field I would want to work in. For certain I am done with the type of nursing Ive been doing and need a change to something completely different. I am UK trained so did a 3 month rotation in a psyhc unit that I enjoyed. My father was a Psych SW for 30 years and as a young child I often visit him at his hospital. Thats the extent of my experience - having literally met some killers and very bizarre pts of my Dad, and my student rotation. How do you know if psyche nursing is for you, and how did you get that 1st job with no experience? Thanks Felix

Im still researching switching roles to become an NP and am trying to decide between bricks and mortar schools and online. One thing I find off putting is finding my own preceptors. I believe I read someone said to have these lined up before you even start school. How on earth does one do that? I would like to shadow someone in the ED as my hope is to become an FNP in an ER but how do I even find someone to shadow with just to see if this is a wise career move? I work in pediatric / NICU transport, so I dont actually cross paths with these types of NPs to begin with. Any advice or help much appreciated. Thanks Felix

So I am still in the process of researching if I want to try to switch to this new role of being an NP, and at this point Im 95% sure I want to. Now its a question of where and with that Im looking between online vs bricks and mortars. In many ways I prefer a traditional bricks and mortar school but the simple fact is I work in a night position that gives me hours to do study, and it would be very difficult to always be off for class as I work in a very small department. So an online option of some sort will probably be best, but Im not keen on the idea of finding my own preceptors, especially as I think I read here one should try to have those lined up even before starting school? So my current role is as a NICU / PICU transport role. I plan on becoming an FNP, hopefully to work in a clinic, or ED. But because of my current role I really dont interact with those types much. Even when going to EDs Im usually getting very sick kids and dont have a chance to chit chat or interact with NPs. So first off I'd like to set up a shadow day with an NP in an ED some place just to shadow before I ever apply. How do I go about doing this, let alone setting up my own preceptors for the future? Any thoughts / advice welcomed. Felix

University of TN for one, but thats not the only one. Thanks for your responses, and as for salary after 25 years being lower as an NP that better not be true but from what Ive read won't be. My salary now is $55K , the lowest Ive made in 10 years. Felix

Because I trained as an RN in the UK.........and was forced to spend most of the last 3 years doing my BSN because the USA doesnt recognize my UK education. She is very keen for me to be out of school seeing as Im doing 20hours school a week on top of a FT job, and we have 5 kids. I was NEVER interested in getting my BSN, let alone MSN, but economic realities are such that I realized I was becoming unemployable despite being an RN x 25 years. Becoming an NP is about extending and remaining employable because after 25yrs of bedside nursing theres not much option to advance. My current employer is now mandating MSNs to advance up the clinical ladder.............not to mention having to feed 5 children........ Felix

Txnurse28 - look at what I said above - getting EMT / EMS experience is VERY helpful at some programs, and none at others. If you plan on going to a program that does scene work, get EMS scene experience. Obviously being a Paramedic is best, but just riding as a volunteer with a local basic EMS unit or fire dept maybe enough. What HEMS really wants is for you to have exposure to scenes, so you know what to expect and how to stay safe, and get to work in out of hospital environment. Obviously the higher level experience (ALS/Paramedic) the better, but basic EMT might suffice too. Most flight programs want ICU experience more than EMS. So a great compromise is get a job in an ICU / CCU, and volunteer as BLS somewhere. If you have any other specific questions feel free to ask. Felix

Still researching whether I want to become an NP & am now looking at some programs that have set me thinking so these are fairly general questions to help guide me. Ive seen a couple of programs that offer a dual track of FNP and Adult / Gero, and also one that has dual FNP / Pysch. Especially with a Pysch focus........will you be hirable if you never did psych in your career (except ED). Im looking at what will be most lucrative, both in pay and benefits, but also in variety of jobs. My wife is not keen on me doing NP at all, so I'm looking to make sure I have the greatest options available. Is a dual program worth the effort? Is it very hard to change specialities in future? Im not certain what interests me most, but my background is mostly ED/Flight transport so working in an ED as an FNP is what most attracts me right now, but Im also thinking I have compassion for the mentally ill, and its a completely different area of care that would therefore be challenging..........but is it realistic of me with 25 years in nursing other than that? Much bigger question - how did you know you were ready for the role of an NP. After being a "regular RN" of 25 years Im wondering if I would really like the day to day work and role. Im sure its a very big change........how did you adapt? Anyone have big regrets? Thanks in advance. Felix

Thanks Annalya for your response, much appreciated!

Ive been a flight RN off & on 15 years, and have worked for 8 different companies in several states. You will hear the same advice, get 3-5 years ICU experience, EMS, etc etc. I will give you the same advice I was given way back when which turned out to be perfect. Forget all that. Here's what you need to do...........figure out where you want to work, which city, state etc. If you want to stay local, contact your local flight program(s) and find out exactly what THEY want. What a lot of people dont know is that the advice you receive is very generic, but in fact its also very local. What does YOUR program of choice do. Do they do a good chunk of scene work? i.e. > 30%. If so go get some EMS experience, even if only some volunteer EMS experience. Understand many states REQUIRE Paramedics on helicopters, and some States require the RN to be a Paramedic also. But I worked for one program that did 90% IFT (inter facility), all they cared about was pure ICU experience, and pretty much heavy MICU / Cardiac ICU. That program did minimal trauma, so getting ER, EMS or trauma experience was a waste of time. Where I work now does MUCH less ICU, and does 60% EMS / scene work so here they dont care about experience with Swanns, and balloon pumps etc etc cos we just dont do that. If you want a really good well rounded experience, get cardiac / cath lab, ER and some EMS. Also crucial is to get known by the program you want to be hired at..........so get that experience IN the hospital that your flight program delivers to so you can get to know the crews. And do a ride along, make sure you actually like to fly and can stand the cramped environment. Felix

I've flown off and on for 15 years.........AEL was actually my 1st company, when they were MUCH smaller. Bell 206L3 is the SAFEST aircraft in the world - FACT. By flight hour flown it is THE safest. That said........I would never fly single engine again. I've had 2 Engine failures in Bk117 and its no big deal. By contrast the 206 I flew in had an engine failure on take off and the nurse and medic never worked again. They were lucky to survive, but they will live with life long scars. Bottom line, and I've flown with many pilots, and in fact heres the aircraft I have flown in Bell 206L3, BK117, Augusta 109, Sikorsky S76, EC 135, EC 145, Dauphin. With all that, and from many conversations with pilots, the bottom line is a 206 is not powered to do HEMS, and its very debatable if any Single Engine is. Research Air Evac Lifeteam (AEL) on Just helicopters old forum............you will quickly discover they have a terrible reputation, and terrible safety record. I watched an interview with their CEO when they had their 5th crash in 5 years, where he stated that was "industry standard". ********. Single Engine versus twin isn't a deal killer...........except to a lot of pilots. Ive been told by many who have flown both that single engines are fine.......but not in HEMS. Just my 2cents Felix

MedCenter Air in Charlotte NC is RN/RT with no delineation between the roles, they are interchangeable. However the trend in the region is to require Paramedics on helicopters..........right now a lot of the RRTs are also Paramedics.

Im merely researching this area right now, debating going to NP school. I have been told that getting your FNP is overall more marketable. An observation - I worked in a major East Coast pediatric hospital, and while there that hospital laid off a bunch of NPs.......and the Acute NPs went first, and then they told all NPs that they needed to get their FNP to continue employment. These were all NPs in specialist areas in NICU and sedation that I knew of, and I then left the facility, but I was told that that was the new trend. That an FNP could be oriented into an Acute NP role, but not the other way around. Again, I dont know much about this but its what I saw and was told about 2 years ago.