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?
Its interesting that you characterized being an NP as a job and not as a career. In my years of experience in this profession I've watched it change in ways that have convinced me that many of the folks who hire NPs nowadays share your opinion that its just a job.
I consider any job - a job. Even physicians have jobs. Yes, it is my career, but it is also my job. So when I'm talking to bedside nurses about my job duties (not career duties) I want to make sure they like the actual work, the job itself. The career may sound sunshine and rainbows, but it is still work. It is a job you go to everyday and sometimes it's menial tasks, it's lack of respect for the amount of responsibility, it's less than half of a physician's pay for essentially the same job/work.
I wanted to answer again because I spent only 6 miserable, horrible, horrendous, very sad months in heart failure. For me, my co-workers either make or break my job.
I loved being an RN - in my position in the ED I was very autonomous, had the ability to earn more by working more. However, I love being a provider more - more autonomy and more money and I don't need to work more as my salary is decent.
This year I had to really think hard about my longterm career as a NP. Its been 4 years for me and my current job had me rethinking that it was a waste of a degree. (Im actively looking for new employment.)
I decided to do some "deep" soul searching of defining that kinda of career that would make me happy in the long-run. I went back to my 1st love of Public Health. I've decided what I needed is a role that was dynamic and diverse. For me this inlcuded leadership, research, public/global health and teaching. Most of my current experience is currently in PH..which helps out! Im looking to going back to school for a MPH and applying to public health position in the long-run after I obtain my MPH. (WHO, NIH, CDC, HHS etc). And somehow I will manage to still see patients on the side as well.
Im encouraging you to look into alterntative career path with your advances degrees!
This year I had to really think hard about my longterm career as a NP. Its been 4 years for me and my current job had me rethinking that it was a waste of a degree. (Im actively looking for new employment.)
I decided to do some "deep" soul searching of defining that kinda of career that would make me happy in the long-run. I went back to my 1st love of Public Health. I've decided what I needed is a role that was dynamic and diverse. For me this inlcuded leadership, research, public/global health and teaching. Most of my current experience is currently in PH..which helps out! Im looking to going back to school for a MPH and applying to public health position in the long-run after I obtain my MPH. (WHO, NIH, CDC, HHS etc). And somehow I will manage to still see patients on the side as well.
Im encouraging you to look into alterntative career path with your advances degrees!
from what I can see, you are in the south, which is almost universally bad.
I wanted to answer again because I spent only 6 miserable, horrible, horrendous, very sad months in heart failure. For me, my co-workers either make or break my job.
I loved being an RN - in my position in the ED I was very autonomous, had the ability to earn more by working more. However, I love being a provider more - more autonomy and more money and I don't need to work more as my salary is decent.
See, I think I'd LOVE working heart failure, but I hear you -- the team you work with makes ALL the difference. Truthfully, it's one of the reasons I love my RN job -- the team is amazing.
I agree one NP job is not like another. As a soon-to-be CNS, my schtick is not likely to be primary care. And while I know you can work your tail off in specialty, I know I don't want to be churning patients out to meet quotas. It's one of the reasons I chose, CNS -- I want options (but full-disclosure -- CNS can limit folks in the direct-care arena).
What I'm seeing, though, is a variety of ways to use an advanced practice degree -- there are NPs doing education and professional development, management, admin leadership, and so on. If direct care isn't working for you there are other options.
Dodongo, APRN, NP
793 Posts
I consider any job - a job. Even physicians have jobs. Yes, it is my career, but it is also my job. So when I'm talking to bedside nurses about my job duties (not career duties) I want to make sure they like the actual work, the job itself. The career may sound sunshine and rainbows, but it is still work. It is a job you go to everyday and sometimes it's menial tasks, it's lack of respect for the amount of responsibility, it's less than half of a physician's pay for essentially the same job/work.
Would I do it all over again - absolutely, yes.
Don't read into it too much.