chincka

Thank you all for your responses. I have been looking other places and am basically finding mixed messages everywhere, so I appreciate your input.

I am about to graduate with my Adult Geron ACNP in Dec. I am very interested in knowing what ended up happening for you. Would you mind terribly if I asked you to answer your own questions now that you have had a year since you graduated?

@ MelMarie23 - That's interesting to hear. The hospitals in the Boston area pay staff nurses a good bit. I have spoken to a few newly graduated NPs in the area and I am basically making what they are making by picking up a few extra hours and teaching clinicals for a local college. Another RN I currently work with graduated last semester and has gone on a couple of interviews. She does per diem and told me that she is upset because she would have to take a $10k/year pay cut to accept any of the jobs she has interviewed for. I won't really know until I get out there and interview for myself, but it isn't sounding good. Also, I was trying to stay out of downtown Boston. It's hell trying to get in and out of there and the parking is sporifice and outrageous. Also, I was never planning on quitting. I'm going to finish. I'm just not sure I will actually use the degree. @KelRN215 - When I went back to school it wasn't AT ALL my intention to not use my degree. I wasn't happy with my job and the state I was in offered a much higher salary for NPs. Then I started travel nursing and I ended up in MA. It wasn't my intention to stay here, either, but now I have a significant other who owns a business here and can't leave. It's always a boy's fault, huh? ; ) But also, I now work in an ICU that I enjoy with people I actually like. Having worked in over 20 different units, I can tell you that it isn't all that easy to find that. At any rate, I am just trying to make the best of an unusual situation by having as much information as possible. Thank you both for your input.

I am looking to see if anyone IN MASSACHUSETTS or NEW HAMPSHIRE is a licensed NP also picking up hours as a bedside RN? I live close enough to NH that I could go up there if necessary. As the laws in MA are very different than many other states, please do not respond if you are not in MA or NH (unless you just want to chime in to be friendly .) I know this is being done in other states, but I just moved to MA and am close to getting my masters for ACNP. I am trying to figure out what to do since bedside RNs and NPs make about the same money in this state and the laws regarding NPs are complicated. I am trying to determine if it is even worth trying to get certified and accept more liability and responsibility with no additional pay. And I need to know if I will be able to pick up RN shifts or not. A few NPs I talked to even told me they took pay CUTS when they left the bedside. = ( Looking forward to your responses.