Quick introduction. I'm currently 23! Just turned 23. I've been an RN since 21 years old. Woot woot! I currently work on a postoperative floor. I feel like I'm stagnating. I see the same cases after the same cases. I know there's always something new to learn but it's not like I'm literally learning something NEW every single day.
This is my thing. I feel in my heart I want to experience all facets of nursing. First and foremost I LOVED cardiac in nursing school. I love the heart so much it's kind of a weird obsession. I obsessed over all types of heart issues, especially congenital heart defects.
I'm also interested in practicing at an advanced role but with the ability to be flexible because I am so curious across the board. It is my personality. I've been thinking about FNP or ACNP. I feel I like can work in cardiac, endocrinology, dermatology, and so forth.
I'm also interested in teaching. I LOVE having nursing students. I love chill time when we can sit and discuss the WHY. I love seeing students understand concepts, it truly makes me excited to nerd out on topics. Especially cardiac, pathology, and pharmacology.
A part of me wants OR as well but this is more for superficial reasons. Sometimes it'd be nice to have no patient or family talk back at you.
I'd also be interested in traveling. I have never heard of traveling NPs... have y'all? I know I can travel as an RN and would like to do so... mostly because I want to get to know the East Coast, West Coast, and so forth.
I know I'm young and have YEARS ahead of me to realize all my aspirations.
I'm thinking about asking to join the ICU at my current facility. Then travel as a Cardiac ICU RN. Then possibly get my ACNP.
I see myself educating in the late phase of my career for sure. No doubt. Maybe even part time gigs here and there as clinical instructors.
I wonder if emergency rooms ever need agency/travel ACNPs? Kind of like RNs. Hmmm..
Sounds like a good plan. Does your facility have a cardiac ICU? If not, consider another facility that does. Get a year of Cardiac /ICU experience, write your own travel ticket. (Honolulu is a blast).
Getting ahead of yourself with educating and travel ACPN thoughts. You need to focus on your next step.
After all.. who knows where travel nursing will take you ( pun intended).
Sounds like a good plan. Does your facility have a cardiac ICU? If not, consider another facility that does. Get a year of Cardiac /ICU experience, write your own travel ticket. (Honolulu is a blast).
Getting ahead of yourself with educating and travel ACPN thoughts. You need to focus on your next step.
After all.. who knows where travel nursing will take you ( pun intended).
Best of luck, looking forward to your journey.
We do CABG and open hearts at my facility in SICU. All other cardiac related patients go to a subsection of MICU called CCU.
I feel like I'd want to do SICU over MICU. I'm already a postop nurse.
Yep, CABG patients are pretty routine.Transplants and LVAD's can give you the experience you are searching for. Have you applied yet?
We do LVAD's and transplants!
I haven't seen any open positions yet but heard that there will be some coming up. I'm keeping my eyes on the positions. I'm also hoping my manager approves the transfer. I've looked at other facilities as well. In the meantime I'm doing some serious adjustments to my old new grad resume. I guess it's not a new grad resume anymore!
Specializes in ER/Tele, Med-Surg, Faculty, Urgent Care.
While I know some FNPs work in cardiology, the newest NP role is Acute Care NP which IMO is probably better suited to cardiology if the education focuses on cardiac ICU. FNP we are generalists (know a little bit about a lot of things). I know some ACNPs in cardiology, more recently the Acute Care Gero NP is newer still (Just to confuse your decision). You have time to explore the variety (and aren't we glad for that!) of different roles for RNs & NPs as you evolve your career. One thing you are doing that I did not think to do, you are thinking ahead. Me, did not plan, luckily my career evolved & has turned out great. Just wish I had pediatric experience before going to FNP school. Also did >20 years on med surg (ortho, neuroscience, surgical, medical) should have moved around a little more. (Don't stay on same unit more than 5 years) should have been a rule for me. Keep us posted.
I'm in a small community hospital's stepdown unit. The facility it's too small to have units be specialized by anything but acuity. I graduated and started here a year and a half ago. I am still learning so much literally daily. I highly recommend finding an environment like this for a little while, while you're still figuring out where you ultimately see yourself going.
Specializes in Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgical.
Do all the things!
Go to ICU, then travel, then get your NP, travel if you want, etc.
They also offer 13-week 'travel' assignments in my area, where you only have to have your home address > 50 miles away and can still be a traveler. Something to consider if you want to get the feel of traveling without the scariness of packing everything up and moving.
Hi :) Im a travel RN and I work with congenital heart defects. Feel free to message me if you want.
Are you interested in adults or pediatrics with respect to the congenital heart population? There is an increasing need for care related to adults with congenital heart issues. I would say if you want to be an NP in this area, try to work in this population and then go for the NP from there if you want. Also consider that you can do a lot of education even without the NP role.
You sound like me! I love that you have a clear idea of what you want to do. I was a CICU nurse for a good long while in a large major hospital. I got experience in post-op CABGs, VADs, IABPs, CRRT and invasive lines with multiple pressors. I enjoyed it very much. I'm now in an acute NP master's program at my state school and we have done pretty intense patho and pharm classes. My school has a tough and competitive program and are geared towards quality. We have clinical placements in the 4 major state hospitals with intensivists and medical internists. You sounds like you would benefit from some time in a specialty CICU learning everything you can about hearts and then apply to a legit NP school. Good luck!
Been there,done that, ASN, RN
7,241 Posts
Sounds like a good plan. Does your facility have a cardiac ICU? If not, consider another facility that does. Get a year of Cardiac /ICU experience, write your own travel ticket. (Honolulu is a blast).
Getting ahead of yourself with educating and travel ACPN thoughts. You need to focus on your next step.
After all.. who knows where travel nursing will take you ( pun intended).
Best of luck, looking forward to your journey.