Pros and Cons to becoming a Nurse Practioner (NP)

[savedbygrace1228]

Hi All Nurses,

I currently have my BSN and want to pursue a masters in FNP. While doing a ton of research I've seen a lot of pros and cons. I wanted to hear some personal experiences from nurses about pros and cons to becoming an FNP. Some things I've heard include:

Cons

1. NP do not make that much, that their increase in pay is equivilant to a bedside nurse picking up one shift a week.

2. NPs have a lot of responsibility and that it can be too much at times.

Pros

1. Autonomy in field

2. Less physicial work

3. NP Hospitalist can make a ton of $ ( not something I'm personally interested in but good to know).

Any information would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you're an NP can you tell me how much you like your job and what field you work in!

[Sarah2018, BSN, RN]

Hi, I think bedside nurses are more valuable than a nurse practitioner who can't even prescribe panadol I guess. I am sorry if I offended anyone.

it is really unfair that a nurse practitioner studies all those years but yet not allowed to function as a physician. An intern doctor who just studied 5 years will be allowed to do more than you.

[blondenurse12, MSN, NP]

I have been a NP for a little over a year now. Honestly, if I had to do it all over again, I would have never gone back to get my master's.

I probably spent around $40,000 on my degree plus another $60,000 in lost wages because I could no longer work full-time during the last half of my program due to the heavy load of clinical hours.

I got a $10,000 per year wage increase but I pay $3000 more a year for health insurance, I pay $2000 a year for my own professional insurance coverage, and my taxes are about 5% higher. Oh, and I work way more than I did as a nurse.

Yes, I have autonomy but everything is tied to those stupid Press Ganey scores. Patients come in demanding all sorts of stuff like I'm a glorified pill despenser. I'm really burnt out (can you tell? Lol). I feel like I was fed a dream that was a big lie. Jobs are difficult to come by unless you are willing to move to a rural area.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

If you think that increased responsibility is a NEGATIVE, there is nothing to discuss further. Stay where you are and be happy there.

[Nurseboy1]

I thoroughly like being a NP and would not change my career pathway.

I have a good scope of practice and wide prescriptive authority. The hospital I work for compensates very well, and covers the costs of my malpractice insurance. They also provide a yearly stipend for educational needs. But the catch with that is its in a rural area and I had to be willing to relocate to get what I wanted.

Bottom line, do what will make you happy. Graduate school is hard and will consume a large amount of your life. I would suggest shadowing with a NP in the area that you want to work in and see if you like their role.

[Dranger]

Cons- Everyone is doing it. With the advent of online, part time and literally no admissions standards for many schools, the NP route is just a click away. Nationwide, many fresh BSNs or bedside nurses on most units are in grad school. In my ICU alone most of the people who have BSNs are in grad school in some way or another.

Sometimes I wonder who will fill the bedside void in a few to come.

[Deepinthegame]

Well said ! So,so , true -" ...just a click away."

[Jules A, MSN]

Pros:

1. Prescribing and diagnosing are fascinating

2. I now make well over twice what I made as a RN and I made good money as a RN

3. Love hanging with the excellent physicians who have a far superior education and endless knowledge to share

4. Lots of parties, restaurant gatherings and free food-note I'm struggling to stay at my baseline weight like I have never had to before maybe this should go in the con section? :)

Cons:

1. Continued concerns that our profession's reputation and wages will decline as droves of NPs graduate with minimal, if any, nursing experience or business savvy. I am thankful that I'm heading into the end of my career

2. The volume of work and gravity of what I do is more intense than I could have ever imagined

[Jules A, MSN]

blondenurse12 said:

I have been a NP for a little over a year now. Honestly, if I had to do it all over again, I would have never gone back to get my master's.

I probably spent around $40,000 on my degree plus another $60,000 in lost wages because I could no longer work full-time during the last half of my program due to the heavy load of clinical hours.

I got a $10,000 per year wage increase but I pay $3000 more a year for health insurance, I pay $2000 a year for my own professional insurance coverage, and my taxes are about 5% higher. Oh, and I work way more than I did as a nurse.

Yes, I have autonomy but everything is tied to those stupid Press Ganey scores. Patients come in demanding all sorts of stuff like I'm a glorified pill despenser. I'm really burnt out (can you tell? LOL). I feel like I was fed a dream that was a big lie. Jobs are difficult to come by unless you are willing to move to a rural area.

Thank you for sharing your experience. Some of the posts I read from prospective NPs are disturbing. I have read posts by people who don't even know any NPs, have no idea what we do, what hours we work, in what settings or even what clothing we wear but yeah they want to do it. Sounds borderline delusional, imo.

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

HudaMohsen said:

Hi, I think bedside nurses are more valuable than a nurse practitioner who can't even prescribe panadol I guess. I am sorry if I offended anyone.

it is really unfair that a nurse practitioner studies all those years but yet not allowed to function as a physician. An intern doctor who just studied 5 years will be allowed to do more than you.

Not sure where you are from, but I'm guessing UK or Australia (Panadol).

Anyway, in my State I have full independent practice. I do not need a supervising physician, I write my own prescriptions (both for narcotics and Panadol if I so desire), and can own my own practice independent of collaboration. As a NP I work a fraction of the hours I did as a bedside nurse, and make about twice as much. I determine my schedule, and my hours. If a patient is a problem, I discharge them from my practice.

Hey, maybe I can hire one of those intern docs you talk about who can do so much. Maybe they can see my walk-in patients who need flu vaccines.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

HudaMohsen said:

Hi, I think bedside nurses are more valuable than a nurse practitioner who can't even prescribe panadol I guess. I am sorry if I offended anyone.

it is really unfair that a nurse practitioner studies all those years but yet not allowed to function as a physician. An intern doctor who just studied 5 years will be allowed to do more than you.

It depends on the state, some states allow more autonomy than others for NP's, but I think that will change in time giving the primary care doctor shortage and the fact that NP's have been doing a good job in general and whre they have more autonomy such as prescribing meds.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

I'm not an NP, but believe NP jobs are better than floor nursing. Be aware you will have to learn about negotiating pay and benefits, need malpractice insurance and may have to sign a contract including with non compete clause so spend the time learning the business, legal side of NP's while in school. Check out Carolyn Buppert's book NP's Business & legal guide for more info. I would read thru the NP blogs to learn more about how to succeed both in school and in the workplace. Bedside nursing is really too stressful and physically difficult if not impossible at times to plan to make a career out of it!