Unusual Question

Trauma Columnist · Jan 11, 2008

Yes you can. I personally know an FNP who got her FNP, licensed, practiced for 5 months, hated every second of it and went back to being a staff nurse.

However, lets face it - if you are having doubts? maybe you should look further into why you are asking since it is a huge outlay of money and time to spend and then not use. My first year as an APN was brutal - hated it with a passion. I'm still not in love with my job but it is doable now.

Editorial Team / Admin · Jan 11, 2008

As traumaRUs states, yes.

I spoke just recently with an NP who is also an educator. Hasn't worked as NP in quite a while, let her certification lapse, plans not to renew her NP license, and has no plans to ever work as NP again.

Lannister · Jan 12, 2008

Yes... but...

You may still be held to the "practice standard" of your education versus your position...

Just a thought...

Trauma Columnist · Jan 12, 2008

Not if you are only licensed as an RN, not an APN. Siri - can you weigh in on this opinion.?

Editorial Team / Admin · Jan 12, 2008

Correct, traumaRUs.

If one is not licensed as an APN (NP, CNS, CRNA, CMN), but licensed only as RN, they will not be held to the higher standard when practicing. They cannot practice as APN w/o a license. They cannot even carry APN Liability Insurance w/o a license.

Now, if the individual still carries a valid/current APN license, but chooses not to work as APN, they could and often will be held to the higher educative standard. Especially in an emergent situation. In an emergent situation, the practicing RN (carrying APN license) should utilize the higher standard of care and failure to do so can result in liability issues as well as disciplinary action from BON.

llg, PhD, RN · Jan 12, 2008

I've known several NP's who don't work as NP's. They find that the credential does not get them the dream jobs they imagined and find work as educators, program coordinators, staff development staff, etc. However, because their education was geared toward the NP role and not these other advanced roles, they sometimes have to take some additional courses or find other ways to "market themselves" for these other roles.

If you are really having doubts about the role, you should probably give it some serious thought before investing further in pursuing it. It's a big investment.

Lannister · Jan 12, 2008

Correct, traumaRUs.
If one is not licensed as an APN (NP, CNS, CRNA, CMN), but licensed only as RN, they will not be held to the higher standard when practicing. They cannot practice as APN w/o a license. They cannot even carry APN liability insurance w/o a license.
Now, if the individual still carries a valid/current APN license, but chooses not to work as APN, they could and often will be held to the higher educative standard. Especially in an emergent situation. In an emergent situation, the practicing RN (carrying APN license) should utilize the higher standard of care and failure to do so can result in liability issues as well as disciplinary action from BON.

Which was my only point.

A currently licensed ACNP, FNP sitting on the stand claiming that they didn't act because they were only hired as a RN (not APN) on that med-surg moonlighting job won't cut it legally.

Trauma Columnist · Jan 13, 2008

Right - which is why many of us APNs DON'T mooonlight as RNs. The liability is too high.

I should have clarified that I was talking about if you let your APN license lapse.

bonodonnaonaroll · Jan 13, 2008

Thank all of you for answering. I think my delima is that I don't want the responsibility of the NP. I keep thinking that CNS is the better way for me to go. I know that in some states CNS me prescibe but, this in not true everywhere.

I have learned alot so far in my program and am grateful for that however....difficult to decide what is next. I ony have 4 semesters left. I need to decide to either change directions or bite the bullet and finish what I started.

Thanks again for you help.

Julie

NurseCherlove · Jan 17, 2008

Could some of you all PLEASE tell me why your friends hated being NPs? That is kinda scarey, to think about wasting all of that time and money towards something you hate and will not use.

Honestly, I am SICK, SICK, SICK of working as an RN! And I seem to have this fantasy that I will just "pay my dues", get my needed cardio experience (recently started working on a tele floor), and then I will become a cardio NP....and then I will love my life.

Am I really just living in a fantasy? Please give it to me straight.

Oh, and BTW, I also hope to find a cushy PT job as a Cardio NP - just don't wanna work full time (and won't have to)....possible??

santhony44, MSN, RN, NP · Jan 17, 2008

I've never hated being an NP. I've had a job or two I hated, but not the role itself.

I think some people hate it because they aren't that interested in the role to begin with. As crazy as it seems to me, to some it's just another credential.

I think others may start out in bad jobs and may not realize that it's the particular job, not the role; the same thing happens that happens to RNS or LVNs who start out in a bad place. If the last NP job I had (before this one) had been my first NP job, I'd probably have decided it wasn't for me, either. The one good thing about that job is that it helped me define what I really did and didn't like!

I have, BTW, worked as an educator and as a manager since becoming an NP. I kept my NP license and certification up and made sure not to stay out of practice too long.

As for the part-time cardiology position, I haven't seen a lot of part-time positions in specialty areas. Most of the NPs I know who work in specialty areas tend to be very very busy. That doesn't mean part-time isn't out there, though!