Reactions to being a NP

Nursing Students NP Students

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This is more of a semi-rant about the various reactions I've received since I got into the NP program. If I am in the wrong section of this forums, I apologize and please move my thread accordingly.

When I tell people that I am in the NP program, most of their reactions center around "oh you're going to be earning a LOT!", "you'll always have job security" and "you're like a GOLD!" And though I don't disagree with all that, every time people say that about me and my future career, I feel like it cheapens my purpose for becoming a NP. I cringed when a family friend said to me "oh when you graduate, you can buy a Hermes purse every month!" I was like "Really?!?"

I know that sounds cheesy but their comments make me uncomfortable that most people see in me is money. Ever since I started the program and I noticed all these reactions, I rely more on my parents (who are retired doctors) for support because they encourage me to focus on my patients and my studies.

Then, one of my younger sister's friends who is a RN wants to be a NP and apply in my school. Now, I know him well enough to say that this is the LAZIEST NURSE EVER and he only wants to be a NP for the money and only for the money. Even my dad, a retired surgeon, objected to it because my dad knew that this guy is really lazy. Meeting NP-applicants like him make me sad (there's no other way to describe it).

Maybe I'm overreacting, etc etc but I have been feeling this way for a while since I started in the program and I find myself limiting my interactions to people who understand where I am coming from. I don't know if that makes sense. For example, one of my friends got accepted in UCLA and he wouldn't stop talking about how much he's going to make when he graduates. That is literally all he talks about! So I stop talking to him. It just gets on my nerves.

Anyway, that is all. It's just a semi-rant. Thanks for listening/reading.

I went to RN school with the intention of being an NP. Although I have one year to go, the experience has given me a well rounded education and an appreciation of nursing and ancillary staff that I maybe wouldn't have gotten elsewhere. I look forward to my first job with excitement and trepidation at the sheer volume of working knowledge that I'll need. I think people need to be aware of the scope of the job before they get all excited about the paycheck.

Sure, I'd like to make more $ than I do now after I graduate. It wouldn't be fair to take on so much more responsibility without an increased salary. But I don't get how people think being an NP results in all this money, like I'll be super rich. You have more student loans on top of all your other bills. Plus, I have been working PT for the past 2 years, so all that money is going to be put to work minimizing debt.

As far as standards, I am working my butt off in NP school. They only accepted 12 students at a time and you have to get a B in core classes or you won't pass. Then again, I had only 1.5 years of experience and didn't have to take the GREs. My school is changing things around now so I think as time goes on it will more and more difficult to get in.

According to the BLS in 2012, the average NP in my metro area made 95k a year while the average lawyer made 130k. I agree that you should have a passion for healthcare, your specialty and helping others if you want be an NP. 95k is a lot but becoming a lawyer or business executive is a more straightforward route to big bucks, I think.

Well, I would just echo that no one is going to become wealthy by working as an NP. I am able to supplement my husband's income nicely and cover my school loans. We are solidly middle class...I drive a 10 yr old car (no payment for several years), we are doing renovations on our home as we can pay cash for them and not taking on add'l debt. We go on one domestic vacation yearly. I have one small Coach bag which was a gift.

Luckily for me, none of that stuff amounts to a hill of beans to me! I am blessed to be materially oblivious.

I get the frustration of you NPs who did the hard work and now have to compete with the degree mill NPs. But in defence I see many Hospitals that have partnerships with the likes of Chamberlin, Walden, etc for continued education of their nursing staff. what gives?

I have no desire to be an NP, however If CRNA proves too long to obtain I still intend to earn an MSN/MPH.

Btw where in the heck do you make all this money? Certainly not where I live.

Oh I'm not an NP. I'm still a student NP.

Not in my area either.. The average RN right out of school makes 35,000-40,000 a year here base pay with benefits and no OT. An FNP makes between 70,000-85,000 depending on what type of practice you land in. Acute care... it is closer to 90,000...

Specializes in Critical Care.

Money is an important consideration in choosing a career and RN's and NP's fall into at least the top 1/3 of worker's pay in the country. Just think about it, at least 2/3 of the people in this country make less and have to live on less while still paying off student loans, health insurance, housing and a car. While you might be offended by people recognizing the job will pay halfway decent, perhaps many of these people do not come from your upperclass background of financial security that having both parents as doctors. The majority of people are growing up in more humble circumstances not having the financial benefit and educational opportunities your childhood has provided you. People see how their parents struggle to pay the bills, deal with dead end jobs or health problems, or being laid off and so money means more to them. Whereas you grew up wanting for nothing and enjoying all the opportunities money provides so you are insulated as to the importance of money. But if you were to get a low paid job then you would really struggle. I have seen this from children coming from wealthy, educated successful parents who aren't able to follow in their parent's footsteps and find themselves struggling to pay the bills while they have become accustomed to living on a grander scale that they can no longer maintain.

Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

Take a deep breath. She did not direct it at you.

Most of us think she is entirely correct in her assessment.

I'm impressed that she has this knowledge before she is even an NP. Kudos to her.

Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

National average is about 90k.

Not in my area either.. The average RN right out of school makes 35,000-40,000 a year here base pay with benefits and no OT. An FNP makes between 70,000-85,000 depending on what type of practice you land in. Acute care... it is closer to 90,000...
Specializes in PICU.

I'm surprised that you've experienced this. Maybe you live in an area with really low RN salaries? Most of the discussions I've had with the RNs I worked with was how they make more than NPs. The experienced RNs that I work with all make more than I was offered at my first NP job. And they are day shift. Night shift makes another 10k a year. If people express these opinions and it bothers you, I'd correct them and point out that your choice to be an NP is not based on salary.

As for the comments regarding lawyer salaries, keep in mind that working 40 hours a week at a law firm is considered part-time employment. The salary figures you see are based on working 60+ hours a week, every week. I have made more as a nurse than I ever did as a lawyer.

Not in my area either.. The average RN right out of school makes 35,000-40,000 a year here base pay with benefits and no OT. An FNP makes between 70,000-85,000 depending on what type of practice you land in. Acute care... it is closer to 90,000...

This sounds extremely low. Starting acute care new grad RN pay in my area is $70,000-$80,000/yr.

We are oversaturated... You can google it. I can tell you exactly what every hospital in this area pays. There are 9 nursing schools and 3 NP programs in a 50 mile radius. With 10 years of RN experience prior to graduation I was making $23 an hour...

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