Regret Becoming an NP

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After working as a nurse for four years, I went to NP school. Most of my RN experience was in psych, and I thought about becoming a psych NP, but with the advice of peers, decided to become an FNP, since I was told it would be a more useful, fulfilling, and marketable degree. I felt fortunate when I received a job offer two months after graduation. There are so many NP's here in Boston, and the job market is competitive! I stayed at my first job for 11 months, during which time I became miserable and burnt out. I took a couple months off and just started a new job, but I don't feel confident that I'll be happy.

I'm applying to PhD programs right now. For awhile, I've known that I'd like to teach and do research. I now wish that I'd just stayed an RN and proceeded with the PhD. The NP program cost a lot, and now I'm paying it off! Colleagues have given me positive feedback on my work, but I have yet to feel good about the work I've done, or happy as an NP.

I'm wondering if there are other NP's, especially newer NP's, who feel the same way?

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I'm sorry to hear all that! My story is quite the opposite. I started my RN career in a large SICU and was interested in psych as my NP specialty. My icu colleges encouraged me as they head "psych makes bank and hardly anyone does it." I became a psych RN to make sure I did indeed enjoy it, got my NP, had numerous job offers as I finished up school, and basically had a new position created for me at the hospital I worked for, when I graduated.

I've been an NP for nearly three years and have had pretty lucrative positions downright gifted to me along the way.

I live in CT...I can't imagine my market is much different than yours (except that no CT city rivals Boston).

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I am wondering how much it would take to add a Psych certification, rather than the PhD?

I also made a semi-mistake in becoming an ANP years ago, because I feared I would not be able to make a living in Psych.

The way it worked out, my first job offer as an ANP was in Psych. You could do that in 2003.

So I never worked as an ANP, and did my Psych coursework over a couple of years while working.

Psych NPs don't all make money, it really depends on your market.

Academia, I have heard from reliable sources, is brutal.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Was just talking with my husband about this today. I'm an adult and peds CNS and currently work in-patient heart failure. I've been an APRN for almost 12 years, the first 11 1/2 in nephrology. I needed a change and switched to cards - still not sure this is the area I want for the rest of my life but it will do for now.

Agree you shouldn't be in a job that makes you miserable.

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Why not get a post-master's in psych?

You, unfortunately, made the mistake that so many people do, of getting the FNP to appear more marketable, at the expense of pursuing what you were actually interested in.

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Thank you for your feedback, everyone.

So, to clarify, what I've found that I really don't like about working as an NP is the pressure to see as many patients as possible, as quickly as possible. My work is psych-related, which I like, but I find it hard to provide the kind of care I want to give when the time pressure and pressure to keep numbers up is so intense.

I'd been thinking about the PhD off and in for several years, and my decision to go ahead and start applying was largely related to how disillusioned I've felt so far as an NP. I've had some good moments, but a lot of stress and disappointment. There are also the physicians who treat NP's like they're not good enough and should never expresss a difference of opinion with their supervising MD's.

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Advanced practice isn't for everyone, and I found myself in a similar sitiuation. I worked as an advanced practice nurse for nearly 6 months, and hated each new day more than the previous. I finally reached the point that I couldn't stand it any more. I returned to bedside nursing and am much happier, and have not regretted this move once.

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I can't say I "regret" getting my NP, but I definitely would not have pursued the degree if I had been able to foresee the future. I was working as pediatric nurse and loved it and worked with a PA and a PNP who both encouraged me to go for my NP. The thought of having more autonomy was appealing, as was the increase in pay (or so I thought). Fast forward to when I finished my two year PNP program. My RN colleagues who were working in the hospitals were earning significanty more than the NP positions I was looking at. I ended up working as a PNP and a Nurse Manager at the same time so I was seeing patients and acting as Nurse Manager. As stressful as it sounds, it was actually an enjoyable time. I earned only slightly more than if I had been working as a RN. A few years later I had my first child and decided to stay home. I maintained my NP license thinking I would go back as a NP but in the end found more appealing work as a RN. So I ended up "using" my degree for all of 4 years. My pediatric knowledge definitely helps me in my current job (I am a school nurse) but I always have to take a step back and remind myself that as a RN I cannot diagnose so while I will know what a student most likely has, I can only recommend that the child be seen by a provider to "properly" diagnose which is frustrating. If I had known that I would only be using my NP license for 4 years I would not have pursued it, and I have no desire to go back as a NP now since I love my job as a school nurse.

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It's been said a thousand times but I'll say it once more - you should become an NP because you want to do the JOB. Not for schedule, or pay, or respect, etc. Examples like the one above are great for prospective NPs to see. Think long and hard about why you want to become a NP. Because at the end of the day only the job itself will make it worthwhile.

I'd become an NP all over again even if I got paid the same wage as a RN with the same hours as a RN. I want to be a provider. I don't hate being a RN but it is not the role I want to fill.

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MHDNURSE said:
I can't say I "regret" getting my NP, but I definitely would not have pursued the degree if I had been able to foresee the future. I was working as pediatric nurse and loved it and worked with a PA and a PNP who both encouraged me to go for my NP. The thought of having more autonomy was appealing, as was the increase in pay (or so I thought). Fast forward to when I finished my two year PNP program. My RN colleagues who were working in the hospitals were earning significanty more than the NP positions I was looking at. I ended up working as a PNP and a Nurse Manager at the same time so I was seeing patients and acting as Nurse Manager. As stressful as it sounds, it was actually an enjoyable time. I earned only slightly more than if I had been working as a RN. A few years later I had my first child and decided to stay home. I maintained my NP license thinking I would go back as a NP but in the end found more appealing work as a RN. So I ended up "using" my degree for all of 4 years. My pediatric knowledge definitely helps me in my current job (I am a school nurse) but I always have to take a step back and remind myself that as a RN I cannot diagnose so while I will know what a student most likely has, I can only recommend that the child be seen by a provider to "properly" diagnose which is frustrating. If I had known that I would only be using my NP license for 4 years I would not have pursued it, and I have no desire to go back as a NP now since I love my job as a school nurse.

At the school district my child used to attend the majority of the school nurses were nurse practitioners. I am not sure how that worked but i know from talking to the nurse at his assigned school that was the expectation.

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I'm almost finished with my PMHNP program, and I'm incredibly excited about the field. That being said, in my state, PMHNPs can only prescribe psychiatric medications, so I'm seriously considering going back for a post-master's NP certification. My background is medical and psych, and I am a big believer in treating the whole patient, head to toe. I would recommend going back for a post-master's and go back to where your heart is. Good luck!

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Specializes in Cardiology, Research, Family Practice.
psych.nurse said:
So, to clarify, what I've found that I really don't like about working as an NP is the pressure to see as many patients as possible, as quickly as possible. .

Just thinking this to myself yesterday. Love the work, but the harried pace is going to burn me out. I can feel it beginning to happen. Then what?

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