BH303

I am making $25 per hour at a plastic surgery/med spa center in the southeast. No commission, no benefits (other than free services). It was a hard pill to swallow taking such a pay cut from making $40/hr. I am in NP school so this is part of my greater plan and I believe it will be worth it. No nights, weekends or holidays is a nice trade-off.

So, I ended up explaining that I need time to study because of school and asked to work fewer days than 5/week. They were cool about it and said they want me to work there so I can work 3.5-4. Although I am now making about 1/2 per week than I was as a traveler, I will have a lot less stress and more free time. I think it will be worth it for the experience and because of the rare opportunity to get trained in injections and other non-surgical procedures. We will see how I feel about it once I start getting paychecks, lol.

I am just having a hard time with this decision. I am so glad for allnurses existing so that I can vent. My interest is in medical derm and injections but that's it, I am not a huge fan of everything else that goes into plastic surgery. Overall I would rather stay working in the ED; more free days to study, much better pay. But I would stick It out for a year working for the surgeon if it is worth it in the long run (I will be moving in one year).

Thanks for your input. You are right about selling yourself and transferrable skills in order to get a position. I have been working as an ED nurse for a while now, so I am just wondering if I should stay in the ER or work in plastic surgery/aesthetics. I don't really like plastic surgery but I am interested in medical derm. I have been thinking that if I can stick it out working in plastic surgery for a year before I start clinical rotations, then I will have an easier time getting into derm later on when I am an NP. But if I end up in primary care for a while, I'll be better off with more ED experience. Am I thinking way too far ahead? Will it really help me that much to have worked in plastic surgery for a year, a specialty that seems very competitive? I think id rather be in the ED for now because I have more time to study and I really like it. But I would work in plastics just to give myself an advantage for later on.

Thanks for your feedback. I agree that I will be doing a lot within my scope of practice as a RN, especially for the low pay. I just thought that if I will end up getting a good NP job because of it later on, then maybe it will be worth it for what I will learn. But if I can still get into derm later on, then I might be better of staying in the ED. I am in my second semester of FNP school and have another 1.5 years until my clinical rotations start.

How much do you think your RN experience affects or influences your ability to get a particular NP job? I am an FNP student and was offered a RN job in plastics/aesthetics and am wondering it this experience will make much of a difference for me when I am working as an NP. I think I would eventually like to work in dermatology, but I also like ED/urgent care. Would an employer rather see that I have ER experience which is pretty well rounded, or should I take this opportunity to learn a specialty? Thanks so much

I am a part time FNP student. I have only worked as an ED nurse so far (most recently as a traveler). I have always been interested in two areas: Derm and ED. I was just offered a job as a plastic surgery/aesthetics nurse where I will learn to do consults before/after surgery, work as a pre/post/circulating OR nurse, and eventually do injections. This job is 9-5 and occasionally surgery on Saturdays. I am worried that I will not have enough time to study appropriately for school like I would working 3 X12s. I will also be taking a $15/hr pay cut compared to my travel job. Should I just take this job? I don't really know how tough it is to get into this field, but from what I am reading it seems competitive. Will it make that much of a difference for me to get into Derm as an NP with this experience? Do you find that employers really care about your RN experience? I am also concerned that there is almost no critical thinking in this job, whereas I will be exposed to everything as an ED nurse. Thanks for your input.

Hello, So I just started a new job as a plastic surgery/aesthetics nurse. I am learning to do consults before/after surgery, working as a pre/post/circulating OR nurse. After 4-6 months they are going to teach me injections. I feel very fortunate to have gotten this job. Before going to nursing school my goal was to work in derm, and that has not changed. My other interest area is ER, where I started my first job out of school. I have only been out of nursing school for 1.5 years. I am now in my second semester of a part time FNP program which I am loving. The issue I am having is that I am working 9-5 and often stay much later and come in for surgeries earlier. I feel like I don't have time to study appropriately, despite my grades being fine. I don't have time to learn and read everything I want. And I am missing the ER, as well as the convenience of 3 X 12 shifts a week. Also, I really hate working in the OR, but I can tolerate it. I feel lucky to have gotten the plastics position with so little experience. My question is, if I go back to working in the ER, will I have a hard time getting back in to aesthetics or derm? I had a relatively easy time getting into it, I just want some input as to how to handle this. I might end up asking to work one less day a week or something.. How hard is it to get a job in this field as a nurse practitioner? Thanks for your feedback!

Interview wait-listed

Colorado is extremely over-saturated with new grads. I wouldn't advise moving here until you have experience. There are many schools in CO producing graduates that struggle to find jobs and end up moving out of state. Good luck with what you decide!

I was thinking the same thing. No emails here other than the seasons greetings one.

Congrats!!!! Can I ask- will you be doing clinicals in another state or Nashville?

Nov 1. Bernie and another admissions lady told me that was the priority deadline and that's what I am being considered for.

When I called the school yesterday I was told that the committee is meeting 1/7 and that's when my application will be reviewed. Oh, and I am considered priority decision according to admissions faculty. Good luck to all of us!

1) 2) ED 3) 3.6 4) Colorado