RN & CPA credentials - What can I do with Both

[EzraRn]

If I earn my CPA credentials, what can I do with the combination? How much in-need will I be in? Salary?

Thank You,

ADN RN

M.S. Biomedical Science

B.S. Public Accounting

1 Year ICU experiance so far

2 Years Finance/Accounting experiance - before I switched from calculator to propofol

[futureunknown]

Anyone have any ideas if this is a good combination? CPA and RN...

[elkpark]

I've been in nursing for 25 years, in several states, in a wide range of settings, and I've never heard of any kind of overlap between nursing and accounting (i.e., combining the credentials into one position/role).

[Jules A, MSN]

I guess you could pick up a few extra bucks during tax time?

[caliotter3]

I could see someone like this being better prepared to do the business side of managing a home health agency or a nurse staffing agency. Some agencies hire nurses to be both the clinical and business managers, while others have separate nursing and business managers. This person could more easily do both.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Gosh - I see a LOT of opportunities if the OP is familiar with healthcare finance (we're a different animal). As we move further into Healthcare Reform, it is going to require much more intensive care management - combination of case mgt & utilization and review. In order to survive, providers are going to have to know exactly what it costs to deliver care/services, so anyone with both clinical and financial know-how is going to have a seat at that table.

So - to the OP - keep your eyes open for opportunities in Utilization and Review or Case Management.

[3rdcareerRN]

...So - to the OP - keep your eyes open for opportunities in Utilization and Review or Case Management.

I agree, with additional thoughts:

- Every consulting firm has added staff to pursue ARRA/HITECH opportunities; if you are open to being a consultant, there are opportunities now with that combo of credentials, and surely will be more over the next 3-4 years as regulatory deadlines approach.

- Get into the "revenue cycle" area. Search that term, or see healthcarefinancenews.com or hfma.org or managedhealthcareexecutive.modernmedicine.com for current articles on it.

Basically, how do healthcare providers obtain more due revenue faster? (It's harder than you might think.)

Caveat: Both of these areas require a focus away from direct patient care, which brings up ethical problems for some nurses. If you can accept the idea of improving the system so as to improve bedside care, you'll be OK.

[PetiteOpRN]

OR management. OR, pathology, and radiology are the only revenue-producing departments in any given hospital and have to keep the rest of the hospital afloat. Of the three, the OR is most likely to be managed by an RN. There is a trend toward hiring MBAs and people with finance background as consultants to make the OR more efficient. You would be a perfect fit.