RN experience before WHNP Career

[Digirols]

Hello all! I am currently in a women’s health nurse practitioner program and am expected to graduate sometime around January 2020. I have two years of home care experience prior to this and worked for a few months as a contract public health nurse doing immunizations at the health department.

Would it be beneficial or detrimental for me to work on a labor and delivery floor or postpartum floor for a year or two prior to beginning my career as a WHNP? Would hiring managers appreciate the extra experience or would they be wary I had forgotten my WHNP skills over the 1-2 years?

Thank you!

[db2xs]

While I am not a WHNP, I would imagine that a prospective employer for a first job would appreciate any experience you have in anything women-related.

[babyNP., APRN]

Do you mean get your WHNP degree, then work as a RN for 2 years and then actually be a NP? Yes that would hurt your prospects. The RN role is not the NP role. You would have no NP background experience to fall back on for a job and 2 years out of school without a job wouldn’t look good skills wise

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

January 2020 was six months ago. How long until you graduate and can you get an appropriate job for that critical experience NOW through the end of your program? Can you pause and get it? Because frankly I don;t see how you got accepted without some type of relevant experience.

[db2xs]

Looks like I misread your question. I thought you meant you've already worked in L&D but that was two years ago.

From a practical point of view, once you graduate it would be better to look for an NP job, not an RN job, L&D experience or not.

[babyNP., APRN]

On 7/18/2020 at 4:58 AM, meanmaryjean said:

January 2020 was six months ago. How long until you graduate and can you get an appropriate job for that critical experience NOW through the end of your program? Can you pause and get it? Because frankly I don;t see how you got accepted without some type of relevant experience.

Do you mean that you need L&D or post partum RN experience to become a successful WHNP? I don't think that's necessarily true. I know a few WHNPs who did a direct entry program and were able to secure jobs without much difficulty after graduation.

[LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM]

On 7/19/2020 at 3:23 PM, babyNP. said:

Do you mean that you need L&D or post partum RN experience to become a successful WHNP? I don't think that's necessarily true. I know a few WHNPs who did a direct entry program and were able to secure jobs without much difficulty after graduation.

Agreed, there are tons of direct-entry programs nowadays and their graduates don't seem to have much more trouble finding jobs than experienced nurses, IME.