paultxrn

Hello there. I'm interested in employment as a mentor and was hoping you could answer a few questions for me. I messaged you and hope to connect. Thx.

I highly recommend the Baylor system. I worked 6 years at two different hospitals. They treat nurses very well, compared to other places. There are multiple Baylor facilities in the Dallas-Ft Worth area, so you can choose a large, city hospital, or a smaller, suburban facility.

Sounds like we have something in common. I also have a bachelor and masters degree in music (flute performance), and went to nursing school after a few frustrating years of auditioning and not finding a job. I've been a nurse for 20 years, and it was a great choice. All the best with your nursing school application.

I have just accepted a full time position as faculty at WCU in Dallas. I have been a nurse for 20 years and have also been a hospital based critical care nurse educator. I chose to work at WCU because I was very impressed with the program, the academic staff and also their committment to their students. Best wishes to you and I'll see you in class!

The bottom line is that a NP (and I agree with Juan 100%....should be an ACNP) can perform almost any skill for which they have been trained, and can demonstrate competency, including intubation and any other invasive procedure (swans, chest tubes, etc). The board of nursing guidelines are very broad, so ultimately each hospital dictates what the ACNP can and cannot do. I have been an ACNP for 10 years, and I have never worked in a hospital that required me to perform invasive procedures. However, many ACNPs perform procedures every day as part of their clinical practice.

I accepted the position. I will start at West Coast University in Dallas on August 27. I'm very excited!

Go with your gut. As the previous poster said, you can always change in the future. I have had the good fortune to be in many different roles over my 20 year career in nursing: staff nurse, nurse educator, and now ACNP. My next adventure will be starting my DNP in August, and I just took a full time teaching job at a local university. I'm so excited to try something new! Whatever you decide, remember that changing jobs is not really seen as a negative in nursing. I personally think it makes us all more marketable and also makes us better nurses in the long run. And when people ask why I left a job, I always say "career advancement" and explain my philosophy. I've never had a problem thus far, and it has been seen as a positive by my prospective employers. All the best with your decision!

Thank you for the very encouraging response! I really do love teaching. I'm expecting an offer this week from the university, and have pretty much decided to take it, even though the pay cut is significant. Life is really too short to do something that doesn't make you happy. I'm excited to get started and like you, I think the flexibility will be great while is school. Which program are you in?

I attended Brookhaven, graduated in 1992. It was a really great program! 20 years later, I am now an acute care nurse practitioner, and am starting my doctorate in August. Best of luck to you! Paul

I'm a critical care nurse/NP with an opportunity to take a full time faculty position at a local university. The position is in the simulation program. Although the pay is less, I love teaching and technology, and it seems that simulation is a rapidly developing speciality. I'm also starting my DNP in August, and I think teaching experience is important moving forward. Are there any NPs out there that went from a hospital position to academics? I'm ready for a change, and am thinking this might be good for my career.