Emineminem

@Stephgriffin6 Stephanie, I'm sorry to jump in late on this thread, but I am a new graduate FNP with 3+ years experience working in High Risk OB/GYN in acute care (and 3+ years prior RN experience in Med-Surg before that.) I am extremely interested in women's health. I've been applying to Planned Parenthood clinics - mostly in California and surrounding state(s) as I am interested in relocating out West. But, no luck as of yet! Do you have any advice or guidance as to how to be successful in this process? Or what the application/hiring process is like? I think I would be a good fit for PP, but so far I'm not getting a lot of hits on my applications. I'm curious as to what they're looking for? I'd really like to come on board!

I've actually seen a lot of FNPs working for our local GI group(s). I could be entirely wrong, as my training is primary care, as well ... but it seems like the scope of what the NPs are doing in GI is a bit more limited than in Internal Medicine? GI is not my cup of tea. But, I could understand why a New Grad might be interested in taking on a more limited role initially, to get his/her feet wet. You never know what you're going to get in Family Practice. During my clinicals, we sometimes had patients show up to the office with complaints or issues that really should be evaluated in an acute care setting, but the patient wanted to be worked up in the office first because going to the ER is viewed as an inconvenience. Once, a patient's daughter called and said her dad was just a "little short of breath today" and could we work him in? He showed up in an extreme CHF exacerbation and still, the family was arguing about why we couldn't just treat him "in the office." Just saying, there's a fair amount of triage that goes on, even in an office setting. And, you will be seeing and treating everything under the sun. Even when you "know your stuff", things can get hairy when you have patients that have spent too much time on Google and have bizarre requests about how they want their care managed. I've had patients with terribly out of control Diabetes that are adamant about staying on a particular insulin regimen even though it is clearly not providing the desired therapeutic benefit. I've had patients with out of control hypothyroidism that refuse to take Synthroid (but, want you to Rx strange supplements you're not familiar with and which are not evidence based.) I've had patients show up that have recently moved into the area and were previously being seen by a specialist for rare conditions like "Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome," and they want you to manage it for him/her, but it doesn't seem quite appropriate for primary care. If, ultimately, your goal is to work in Family Practice or Internal Medicine - I think it would be better to go that route now, so you can build up your skillset. In an office with good support from your more senior providers, the complications posed by treating more complex patients should be mitigated by their mentorship. But, if you really are more interested in just specializing - I say, go for it.

@HopefulMay Based on threads from previous admissions cycles, I think aid decisions usually go out in mid December.

@nursegirl20 Have you tried logging into OPUS? If you don't already have an OPUS account, go to https://opus.emory.edu to "redeem" yours - all applicants should have one. You'll just type in your e-mail address and social security # and it will give you a password to login with. Once you log in, click on the button/tab that says "admissions." I received an e-mail letting me know I had an update to my status in the application portal, but admissions decisions are also posted in OPUS. I have read in threads from previous years that some students were able to view their admissions decision in OPUS before they received their official letters.

@sibinatto I worked for ~ 2 years in Med-Surg before starting my FNP degree. I attended part-time, so I was able to continue to work during the program. I am not a huge fan of the rhetoric that nurses need to practice for a certain length of time, or in a particular setting, prior to pursuing APRN education. Keep in mind - there are 20 something year old doctors all over the country entering residency programs and literally practicing medicine. The FNP role is different from that of a bedside nurse. If FNP is the role you are most interested in or will be the happiest in, go for it! That being said, having some actual nursing experience prior to becoming a NP certainly won't hurt you (if that's what you decide). You will need a strong understanding of pathophysiology, and of both acute and chronic disease processes in order to function effectively as an FNP. I think it's a matter of how comfortable you personally feel in moving forward to the NP role at this time. Emory, however, would be a great opportunity for many reasons - the quality of your education and clinical experiences, the university's academic community, etc. I would definitely consider it! ?

@sibinatto I was admitted for a post-masters cert. in nurse-midwifery. I have been a bachelor's prepared nurse for over six years. My work experience is all hospital based - 3 years of med-surg and another 3 years of high-risk OB/GYN at a trauma center. My OB/GYN job includes charge nurse and unit preceptor duties, including both new RN hires and BSN students from our state university. I finished an MSN at the end of 2018 and recently certified as an FNP. How about you?

@aspiringcnm3 Well, I can tell you the traffic is insane. The crime rate is not great. But, there are lots of options for public transportation. The downtown area is very happening - lots of opportunities for entertainment, dining, shopping, etc. And, the city has a historic Southern vibe, which can be charming. Also, Atlanta people know how to cook! ? But, yes, I’m excited for a potential admitted students day so we can maybe meet some faculty in person, tour the campus, etc.

@aspiringcnm3 Yay! Congratulations! And, Girl, I’m stressing about the cost, too. But, I pray we are both able to make this happen. What a blessing and an amazing path to becoming a Midwife! ❤️ Where will you be coming from if you don’t mind me asking? I’m in SC.

I am admitted for the Midwifery 2020 cohort. For interested parties, I received an e-mail last week asking me to submit a FAFSA. I did a brief phone interview earlier this week. I got my acceptance letter a few hours ago. I did not have any forewarning that I was being actively considered or that I would receive a call, so you may want to prepare to briefly and articulately discuss your background and your professional interest in the specialty you applied to, as well as your interest in relocating to Atlanta if you are not local to the area. Watch out for a call from a 404 area code! And, best of luck to anyone still waiting to hear something! Don’t lose heart ❤️! I experienced pretty much radio silence for months and then everything happened very quickly. I was told decisions could be made at any time in the next few weeks. For what it’s worth, I also already have an MSN, so this may have contributed to my application being processed a little ahead of schedule. I look forward to hearing happy news from you guys soon! Then we can start an official 2020 thread or FB group ?

I applied to the post-masters certificate program in Nurse-Midwifery for 2020. I also applied for "early decision," but I have yet to hear anything. I have looked at some older threads on the subject and it sounds like decisions do not usually go out until November 15th or so. Have you received any updates in the last week on your application status?

Hello, everyone I am a recent FNP grad, preparing to take boards very soon. I have been working the last 2.5 years as an RN on an inpatient High Risk OB/GYN unit. Yesterday, I was approached by an MD who I know relatively well about a potential job opportunity. I work at a teaching facility and when I started this particular job, this MD was just beginning her 4th year of residency. She later became hired by our hospital’s private practice OB/GYN group, so I have continued to work with her in her role as an attending. I was at work yesterday when she asked me how NP school was going. I told her I had finished and was preparing to sit for boards and she proceeded to ask me where I live and what sort of work I was interested in. I told her I lived near the hospital and that I’d like to continue working in OB/GYN and she said she thinks she may have a job for me and asked for my phone number. I’m super excited, although also not trying to get my hopes up, as this was just a brief conversation, nothing official yet. I want to be as prepared as possible in the event this is a real job lead. For those of you that function as NPs in women’s health, do you have any advice to share regarding the interviewing process? This practice has never had a NP before, so I am worried they may have questions regarding what to pay me, what my contract should entail, or what sort of orientation I should have. I have known some MDs to expect NPs to function with no orientation at all, and this worries me. While there are plenty of things I would feel comfortable managing without assistance, there are other skills within my scope of practice that I would need a bit of on the job training for, like IUD insertion or endometrial biopsies. I have known other practices to provide this, but as I would be this practice’s first NP, I’m not sure whether or not they realize that I will need some sort of orientation. I’m curious if any of you have been in a similar position, and what sort of orientation or training were your supervising physicians willing to provide? And Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Please, keep an open mind. I know the advice you’ve received seems harsh. I received similar advice several months ago, however, and I sincerely regret that I did not follow it. I am currently a senior in my Baccalaureate program. Throughout my program, I have been an A/B student. During my junior year, I befriended a fellow nursing student. We became very close, and when she began to struggle with the coursework, I was eager to help her succeed. I devoted countless hours of my time assisting her with her studies. But, it hurt both of us in the long run. When we progressed to senior year, our work load more than doubled. I tried my hardest to maintain my GPA while continuing to help my friend. Eventually, I began to experience panic attacks. I was spending so much time helping her grasp the material and complete her projects that I scarcely had time for myself. I ended up turning in projects and papers late, and which did not adequately reflect the quality of work that I am capable of producing. My exam grades began to slip. I tried to distance myself from my friend so that I could bring up my grades. But, her requests for help were relentless and I felt obligated to support her. I did manage to maintain my GPA that semester, but I had to bust my ass near the end in order to make up for lost time. I am now in my final semester. The work load is as intense as it’s ever been. I had to cut my friend off completely because I could not help her with her studies and keep my head above water at the same time. I referred her to the school’s tutoring program. But, she is now performing worse than ever on our exams. Why? Because she relied so heavily on my assistance that she never developed the critical thinking skills necessary to succeed. Nursing isn’t about rote memorization. You have to develop a knowledge base and be able to apply it to clinical situations. Your friend has to develop her own knowledge base. You won’t be there to hold her hand during N.C.L.E.X. And, you certainly won’t be around to help her make clinical judgments when she starts practicing as an RN. It is natural for you to be concerned for your friend. Many people are drawn to nursing because of their caring natures. Not everyone, however, will make it through nursing school. It isn’t your job to be responsible for anyone else’s success – ensuring your own success as you proceed through the program will be difficult enough.