Salary and Locum

[ncaru01]

I am graduating as an FNP in Pittsburgh in a few months. I have heard of people getting starting jobs around 60 an hour in Ohio. I have also heard of some very impressive Locum rates as high as 170 an hour for neonatal NPs. I have a decent amount of school loans to pay off and want to make myself as marketable as possible. Any thoughts on what experience to get? Are all these salary numbers inflated that I am hearing? I am a 6 yr ED nurse so I figure urgent and ED would be most natural for me.

[aprnKate]

You can always apply in rural areas/underserved areas that have loan repayment options. I just wouldn't consider salary as the only thing that would be an incentive to getting a NP job. I was in the ER as a nurse for 5 years and I chose not to go to ER because its too familiar, why not go outside your comfort zone and try something else new? You should take a look at the whole benefit package that an employer offers you. Also, face to face interview is so important. An employer can offer you a great salary but if your practice philosophy doesn't match with whom you work for, that can also make you miserable at your job and have you running for the hills in no time.

My advice, do your research when it comes to your first job and choose wisely so you can have a good solid foundation as a NP.