erin.tolbert

While we can't be sure what will happen over the next few years in healthcare, we do know that more Americans will become insured. We also know that NPs provide lower cost medical care than MD's (we are cheaper to educate and make less money). So, I think there will be more opportunities for nurse practitioners, especially those working in primary care, in the coming years.

I would go for whichever field you are more interested in long-term. Overall, as far as national average salaries are concerned, NPs working in dermatology earn more than retail health NPs. If you have a dermatology clinic willing to give you your first job in this specialty and are interested in derm for your career, choose dermatology. Then, once you have more experience you can negotiate a higher salary, or go elsewhere and be paid more. If you love retail health, then choose this over derm. Another option- explain your dilemma to the dermatology clinic. Perhaps they will offer to match the salary of your retail health offer.

I found the Fitzgerald book to be very helpful! Doing practice questions and making sure I understood the concepts behind the questions I answered incorrectly was by far the best study method I found.

Direct entry programs are competitive but certainly not impossible to get into. It is definitely worth applying. Some direct entry programs even have acceptance rates above 50%.

It depends on the program. Some programs are open to accepting nurses without experience while others are not. I would go ahead and apply- what do you have to lose! Applying to a few programs can increased your chances of getting into at least one school.

I would work on making the rest of your application stand out. Getting a few years of nursing experience under your belt will certainly help your chances of getting into an NP program. Work hard on your application essays as these can help your chances of admission. One thing was to take a graduate level nursing course, maybe the year before you apply, and do your best to get a good grade. This shows NP program admissions staff that you can cut it at the graduate level.

I began working as an FNP without any RN experience. My first job was in a walk-in/ family practice clinic. I certainly had a steep learning curve when I graduated but quickly caught up. I working as an NP without any RN experience is totally do-able, especially in the clinic setting. That being said, it is important to have a supportive work environment with an MD or other NPs/ PAs who are aware you may need some help. Having others around you to help you continue learning is key.

There are certainly opportunities abroad but be aware that other countries may define the nurse practitioner role a bit differently. For example, I looked into working in New Zealand (awesome!) through a recruiter. While they do hire NPs in New Zealand, they were paid only slightly more than RNs and a certain number of years of RN experience were required to practice as an NP which I did not have. An excellent opportunity go go abroad while still practicing under your US license is to work for the US Department of State. They offer opportunities all over the world.

I would download a good drug information app so you can quickly look up pediatric dosages. As an NP student I found this helpful (that was back in the days of palm pilots!). Also, I would review abdominal complaints. I work in the ER and see a lot of kids for "tummy aches" while most of these just turn out to be GI viruses, there are some abdominal related complaints you need to be sure not to miss in kids (ex. appendicitis, intussusception).

Hi Jennifer, I would say that unless you want to teach, the University name behind the program you attend isn't that important. Most NP's don't have a DNP so just having this advanced degree will set you apart. Also, I find that employers value experience over an advanced degree so more likely you NP experience will land you future jobs rather than your DNP distinction. Personally, I would go for lower cost over a name.

I think it is a good idea to switch your specialty on occasion. I did it at one point as well. I think it helps you stay interested in your job and continue to learn. Good luck in finding your next venture!