Views on the Nurse Practitioner Professionals

[laski]

I just posted a career-advice message on another board here, but really wanted to pick the brains of advanced practice nurses here.

How are you treated by patients? Nurses (RN/LPN)? PAs? MD/DOs? Do you find a difference in the level of respect you receive from when you were a nurse or in your other profession (if another profession, what did you do)?

What do you see as the overall attitude toward nurse practitioners? What are the biggest issues right now?

Yes, I am contemplating going into the profession. I am a former high school teacher. I seemed destined for these types of professions, but I need to really do my due diligence on all fronts. I am currently waiting to hear what weight my BA and M.Ed. will hold when applying to an MSN program. We don't have a direct entry program here. I would probably need to get a BSN or get an RN and then enter. My hope is I can get the RN and then work toward pre-reqs and enter an MSN program. I live in a small, SMALL town and my options are limited until I get my RN.

I'm also considering another career as a speech language therapist. It is coming down to time, logistics, overall career satisfaction, and compensation.

With two little children (1 and 3) and being in my 30s (and already possessing two degrees), I really need to make sure I make the right choice--otherwise my husband's head might explode!

Thanks so much for your feedback!

[carachel2]

I don't get any different sense of respect from anyone really..but I never picked up on issues like that as an RN. As long as you speak confidently, listen to the patient and lend an ear to their true concerns and issues then you will command their attention. I don't really interact with a whole lot of physicians other than my collaborating physician so that isn't an issue either.

I love being an NP (and please forgive me for sexist assumptions here) BUT if you are trying to find a "mommy friendly" job in the healthcare field I would also urge you to look at speech pathology and occupational therapy. I have friends who who are ST or OT and work for the school district and they have wonderful jobs that are so flexible and family friendly. They work 3 days per week, drop off and pick up their kids from school AND have all of the same holidays/summers off as the kids.

I know your kids are young, but trust me when I say it totally sucks when your kids are in school all year long and then you have to figure out childcare for them in the summer. They hate it, you will hate it and it will be a long summer. I am fortunate in that I only work part-time but even two days per week is hard with a school-aged child!

[laski]

No need to forgive . . . this is exactly the advice I'm looking for. We live in such a small town, miles away from even a mid-sized city, so the accessibility to those in either profession is limited.

You raise a good point about childcare--however, as a former teacher I know that education doesn't pay that well (though perhaps it was because I spent nearly every bit of free time grading or planning). What is your take on compensation? I've looked it up on BLS and other boards and there is such a disparity--and I know a lot depends on experience.

Obviously I want a satisfying career, but especially in today's job market I'm really hoping to find a position that finally makes all the degrees worth this.

I still have probably upwards of three years of schooling ahead of me regardless of which path I take.

Thanks so much for the feedback!

[carachel2]

No need to forgive . . . this is exactly the advice I'm looking for. We live in such a small town, miles away from even a mid-sized city, so the accessibility to those in either profession is limited.

You raise a good point about childcare--however, as a former teacher I know that education doesn't pay that well (though perhaps it was because I spent nearly every bit of free time grading or planning). What is your take on compensation? I've looked it up on BLS and other boards and there is such a disparity--and I know a lot depends on experience.

Obviously I want a satisfying career, but especially in today's job market I'm really hoping to find a position that finally makes all the degrees worth this.

I still have probably upwards of three years of schooling ahead of me regardless of which path I take.

Thanks so much for the feedback!

I am pretty sure my ST and OT friends are in the same salary range as me. If I had it to do all over again, I would've gone OT. Like I said, I love being an NP, but an OT in our school district has great benefits, a flexible job and a family friendly schedule PLUS the liability is pretty low AND there are really no OT emergencies, you know?

[westcoastgirl]

compensation and scope of practice for nurse practitioners depend a lot on your geographic area, so I cannot speak to that since you didn't specify whereabout you live but you can certainly look it up, get a realistic sense by searching for jobs in your area and noticing the payrate.

As far as respect goes I used to be in the technology field and had a sterling resume there. most of the time it didn't matter since I am happy being an NP but sometimes the physicians I work with are frustrating because they forget this and act as if none of the PA/NP providers have any life experience beyond being a midlevel. I am not speaking about patient care but other administrative issues, organizational skills, many seemed to assume you have none of those skills at all regardless of your previous background.

Of course that could also be the fault of the midlevels themselves. The majority of them where I work do little to demonstrate initiative or leadership in spite of being there for decades. I do not mean they provide poor patient care, I mean they don't aspire to do anything more and seem to have brought no other life experience or skills to the role. Again this is particular to my workplace but it is likely different everywhere you work depending on the doctors you work with.

[laski]

You are so right about the idea of initiative and overall work ethic. I think in many ways you get that anywhere. I have a background in technology and when I entered into education it was assumed all I knew how to do was write a paper and quote Shakespeare. I LOVED incorporating technology in my lessons and my students most definitely benefited. I just think if you are going to do something and have your name attached, you do it to the very best of your ability.

How do other nurses treat nurse practitioners? I just wondered if there was any animosity since they have moved up/on and are working in another capacity. I know it depends on where you work, but I can't help but wonder.

And, it isn't all that easy to become a NP, so I would think that those who do possess some knowledge, talent/skills/abilities to perform the job at the highest level are the only ones moving on. But, do you find that those nurses who are lacking in certain areas are able to obtain an MSN easily? A PA I spoke with said that the NPs he worked with were excellent, but he had worked with some who lacked many skills--which is why some of PAs and physicians seem to favor PAs. Do you find this to be the case?

[Vanfnp]

as you consider your options, realistically you have minimally 4 and likely 5 or more years schooling ahead of you although some may be part time. Nursing school requires specific credits-despite your BA and MEd, sadly you may need additional credits to get a BSN. I think by the time I got my BSN, I had something like 166 college credits, needing 121 for the darn degree. Doesn't matter though-go for the RN, then let your new employer help pay for your advanced degree over the next few years. Take your time and enjoy your kids and then your new career.