To NP or not to NP? Continuing Ed

[GabyRn]

Hello all!

My whole student career it was my plan to go back to school eventually and become an NP. I am a brand new nurse, but wanted to go to school before I had kids, was married, etc. Now, after talking to some NP's and working closely with some I'm not so sure it is worth it. I would put myself farther into debt via student loans and the pay difference isn't that great. In addition, the responsibility is 150% more.

I really love school and learning and the whole reason I want to continue school is to further my education. I don't care about letters after my name, carrying a prescription pad, or writing orders. I want to know everything I possibly can, to put it simply.

My real questions are: is being an NP really worth it? and if not, what are some other alternatives to furthering your education? Just attending conferences, doing CEU's and such?

THanks so much :)

Gaby

[ddunnrn]

I went through the same dilemma. I know I have the intelletual capacity to handle the coursework, but by the time I got out of nursing school, I was 30 years old, and had been going to school since I was years old. I started working, and was able to make a decent salary, supplemented with overtime. I weighed the time and money involved, even accounting for the federal tax deductions for continuing education, and realized that I really didn't have the ambition to go back to school. I never wanted to bo into management, either. I'd rather stay a worker bee, and let all the queen bees worry themselves to death.

Good luck in finding something fulfilling,

Dave Dunn, RN