AZ-RN

It was designed as a physician fastrack. PA's are only a semester or two short of medical school, and do get all the core curriculum. Plus the significantly more clinical time. Years working as an RN and becoming the 'expert' RN is what allows you to jump into the NP program, not the other way around. The NP program is there to build upon an already strong foundation; to fill a few gaps and broaden your understanding so as to bring it all together. NP school isn't there to teach you how to assess someone, or to teach you what "sick" looks like, it's there to polish you up and add a few key elements. Which is why comments like this on the 12th page are just scary: "absolutely, go for it. I am also a career changer (3rd career!) with zero RN experience. The RN experience is relevant but not critical, especially if you work in primary care. At our primary care clinic I do not do anything traditionally RN, in fact our jobs are completely different. I diagnose and treat and our RN takes triage, administers vaccines, etc. These are great skills to have but not critical to an NP." To assume that you don't need quality RN experience (because the RN's where YOU happen to work function mostly as MA's) to be a strong NP is one of the craziest things I have ever heard. Am I saying that you can't be a good NP? Of course not. I am saying that you need years getting used to what "normal" and "abnormal" is in a clinical setting where your assessment skills actually decide patient care outcomes. Most of the best PCP's I know are nurses who spent years in the ICU or the ED, evaluating sick patients day in and day out and understanding the consequences of poor primary care. But hey, just my opinion.

Short reply? Not what NP school was designed for. PA school takes someone with no clinical background and provides them an excellent and regimented medical education in 2-3 years (plus pre-recs and undergraduate studies). That is what it is designed to do.

Well, if it makes you feel any better I literally just passed my AANP boards this morning in Vegas using a very similar study regimen; I used the Leik book (read most of it), did the Fitzgerald review and online sections, did two APEA predictor exams, and then also did the PSI practice exam. You will be fine. Just keep doing as many predictor exams as you can afford and review the questions you got wrong and study the subjects you performed poorly in. The Leik book is awesome, I really enjoyed reading that. Her hints and tips are very helpful. I would also recommend doing the PSI test because I literally got 2-3 exact questions from that practice test on the exam (a friend of mine reported the same thing), and a lot of the questions were very similar. Basically, I found that about 25% of the questions on the PSI practice test were related to questions on the actual exam in some format, either the general topic, or a vaguely similar question. The actual exam is no harder than the APEA predictor exams or PSI exam. Another benefit of the PSI exam is that the format and screen is almost exactly the same as what you will see, just helps calm and prepare you. Good luck!

The first few classes you will find a decent amount of group work. I don't recall it being 50%, but yes, there is a bit. As you begin the second half though and start clinical's the group work becomes less and less. And, with that said, after the first few assignments of the program everyone begins to realize that it isn't a big deal and so you just resort to shooting a few messages back and forth and submit something. If you are interested in the program I wouldn't let the thought of group projects sway you. I just graduated from their FNP program earlier this month.

Yeah I have to agree with some of the other commentators, just switch to a job that is a 'clock-in, clock-out' sort of job that doesn't require you to take work home. Many of those out there; working for specialists, ED, urgent care, exc.

I think you pretty much laid out the major pro's and con's of taking a job in a setting like occupational health. It will potentially limit your future job opportunities, but might be a job you really like. I just recently graduated from an FNP program as well and had to decide between a job for a contract group working in the ED and taking a job - that seemed really interesting - in a spine and sport clinic. Pay was a factor (obviously more working for the ED group) but the biggest decision point for me was basically the fact that hopefully I will be able to go anywhere once I have some experience in the ED.

I recently graduated and had an interview a little while back that involved a semi formal luncheon with the practice members, and the director threw some clinical softballs at me randomly throughout the interview. I think it was more a test of my confidence and nerves than actually trying to test my clinical knowledge.

I just graduated from their online FNP program and as a whole it was a positive experience. Maryville is one of the less expensive options and easier scheduling option that I have seen. As others have said they don't help with clinic placement, but with that said, I knew a lot of FNP students in my area who supposedly had schools that 'helped' them and it wasn't really much help. Unlike some schools Maryville requires you to do time in different clinical areas, such as pediatric and women's health as part of your clinic time. All in all though the Maryville online program was pretty straight forward and easy to complete without ever having to step foot on their campus.

Huh? A physician's compensation has nothing to do with their knowledge base and potential for having better outcomes then a lower trained provider? You went on to explain that a physician is payed based upon their greater responsibility, yet you think that that has nothing to do with their higher level of training?

Thanks for posting that, hadn't been to that site in a while. I am in a similar boat as the OP, my ER's provider group uses FNP's and PA's for less acute patients, but the rest of the hospital hasn't quite made a decision on what roles they want NP's performing in the acute setting. I still think an FNP degree is a great way to go because you can practice across the spectrum, but after graduation a post masters in acute care may be a good option to slowly work towards.

Their pay reflects their schooling and potential for superior outcomes. Their pay also reflects what insurance is willing to reimburse for their level of service. Do I think NP's wages should be closer to doctors? Sure. Absolutely. Do I think some NP's are at or close to the level of many physicians? Without doubt. The biggest difference I see between nurse practitioners and physicians is the level of standardization. Whether or not you agree with physicians "schooling", at the very minimum they reach a certain level of competency. Anyways, I didn't meant to insinuate that the schooling physicians go through is far and beyond that which a nurse goes through (it's just different), I simply respect a 12 year full time commitment to learning their job.

Ha! That is the best when they get done triage and they tell me that they are going to "run across the street to Del Taco" and to make sure they don't lose their place. Aaaaannd you just went from an ESI 3 to a 4, and documentation as to why.

Because demand has not forced hospitals/organizations to pay us that. Secondly, MD's and DO's will have six more years of schooling than me even when I have completed my FNP, and quite frankly, their schooling is far more rigorous and time intensive than ours. Their pay reflects that.

Starting wage as RN in 2012 - $24.24/hr, current wage $26.51/hr + 5/hr night shift diff. Worked three years before beginning MSN-FNP program this fall. NP's in my ER make $50's/hr as new grads. State - Arizona