Prospective FNP with questions

[Shrizeal]

26 year old, single, 2 year med surg tele RN with a short experience so far in ICU looking to become a FNP. Spoken to many NPs, PAs and doctors about they like their profession and their settings. Many of them say they enjoy it, but usually doctors say that they dislike all the red tape and documentation that gets done with patients. The NPs say this so do the PAs but not as frequently. NPs who work in private practice, or office settings, do you feel that there is a lot of documentation with seeing patients? Is there any regret becoming a NP rather than moving to a different specialty as a RN?

[BostonFNP, APRN]

There is a ton of red tape and administrative BS to deal with on a daily basis; this is a part of the job, and any provider will have to put up with it to practice.

I don't regret it at all; love my job. Remember the NP role is completely different from the RN role, so if you love your bedside RN job you may or may not like the NP role. Make sure you shadow first!

[BritFNP]

Lots of documenting, but covering yourself means more than ever as a provider, so I don't particularly mind it. I'm a year in as a NP and I've never regretted it once. Can't beat giving orders over taking them. Yes, more responsibility and critical thinking, but certainly worth it. Like BostonFNP, completely different role.

[Shrizeal]

Thanks BostonFNP providing quality posts as usual on these forums. I plan to shadow some NPs soon so I can get a better grasp of the role. From what I gathered so far, it seems like something I would be interested in. Having greater depth and control of patients care and treatment yields much more responsibility in which I know I can handle once I get that knowledge and experience behind it.

Thanks BritFNP, you're right, becoming a provider does mean more accountability and which means more documentation. Giving orders versus following orders also seems very different but also can't be beat.

Although I do 'enjoy' my role as a bedside nurse, I'm looking to be able to give more to patients. I feel that becoming a NP will help me advance my knowledge, care, and treatment for patients. I understand no program is identical, how much of the knowledge and treatment that you NPs provide came from school versus on the job training? For example, RN program taught me the basic of basic skills, but the majority, like 80% I feel I learned while working on the job when it came to caring and treating patients.