Want to be a nurse in Doctor's Office...which degree? ASN or BSN RN?

subee, MSN, CRNA · Oct 8, 2012

You are not even a nurse andvyou rule out hospital nursing?. What you need for office is acute care experience.

mrspolly · Oct 8, 2012

The reason I have ruled it out (at this point in my life) is because I don't believe the schedule would work for my family. Maybe one day when my children are older and more self-seficient I can dedicate 3 12-hour shifts to work. Not to mention the wknd and holiday hours. That is not my ideal schedule with a young family at home.

So, I am heading in the direction of working in a doctor's office, with more typical working hours.

I am wondering if I should start with the LPN program, or head to the ASN or BSN.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Oct 8, 2012

Pretty rare nowadays to find an RN working in a doctor's office. Actually, getting rarer and rarer to find LPNs as well....the catch-all "Medical Assistant" is the most common job along these lines. Why do you want to be a nurse?

You might want to consider, if you do still decide to go into nursing, that you WILL be working less-than-ideal hours IN a hospital for a number of years simply because your clinicals (two years' worth for any RN designation, at minimum) will be taking place at various times. Your labs and classes, too, you cannot cherry-pick so that you always take those when your kids are in school.

And, last but not least: the competition for M-F, no weekends and no holidays jobs is FIERCE. You certainly aren't the only one who wants to work that kind of gig, so.....the job will go to the one with the most experience--and it won't be you, if you haven't worked in acute care.

mrspolly · Oct 8, 2012

While I do understand that most nursing gigs are hospital-based, there are still a lot of nurses working in other types of positions. I want to be a nurse for the same reasons everyone else chooses the profession...I enjoy caring for others, I want to have a positive impact on the world, it's a field with many diverse areas to move and challenge myself, and it's not a boring desk job.

Really, I was just wondering my best course of action for working in the doctor's office environment. I am fully aware that I may not get the worlds-most-perfect-job right out of school, but my overall goal would be this and was looking for advice on achieving such a goal.

itsnowornever, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2012

While I do understand that most nursing gigs are hospital-based, there are still a lot of nurses working in other types of positions. I want to be a nurse for the same reasons everyone else chooses the profession...I enjoy caring for others, I want to have a positive impact on the world, it's a field with many diverse areas to move and challenge myself, and it's not a boring desk job.
Really, I was just wondering my best course of action for working in the doctor's office environment. I am fully aware that I may not get the worlds-most-perfect-job right out of school, but my overall goal would be this and was looking for advice on achieving such a goal.

Pain management clinics generally run 8-430 and have weekends and holidays off. Two new grads from my school just got hired here, though they make less than a hospital RN would

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Oct 8, 2012

I am fully aware that I may not get the worlds-most-perfect-job right out of school, but my overall goal would be this and was looking for advice on achieving such a goal.

And I gave same :)

It's the truth that it's not too common to find RNs in doctor's offices anymore, as I told you. Mostly, they hire anyone they can train to take a blood pressure, slide the little knob on the weight scale, and type data into a computer.

Itsnowornever mentions a pain management clinic as using RNs, in large part I am sure to the IV meds that are given. Otherwise, there's just little place for nurses nowadays.

The reasons you gave to work in a doctor's office are the same ones that any med assistant (meaning, someone who hasn't needed to go to nursing school and pass the licensing exam) has. I am just suggesting that you might not need to go through the struggle of nursing school when a MUCH shorter, MUCH cheaper certificate can be earned instead of a nursing degree/license.

Just food for thought.

mclennan, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2012

If you want to score a doctor's office/day clinic job you have 2 options:

1. Be an MA because that's what probably 90% of private practice doctors and clinics hire now. Have fun supporting your family on $12/hr

2. Get your BSN, work in hospitals for a couple of years, get ANCC Certified in Ambulatory Care, get your ACLS, PALS, and study a specialty carefully - so if you work for a specialist you can bring something to the professional table.

Doc office jobs as an RN, that pay well, are like UNICORNS: pretty much a myth these days. If you really want something like this you will have to stand WAY OUT and above the crowd. The only way to do that in such a saturated, competitive market like this is with EXPERIENCE - in Med Surg, bedside hospital nursing, Certification, & a BSN. Even school, case management and public health nursing (where the M-F, 9-5 schedule is common) jobs seek experience in hospital nursing on the resume.

I understand family, but I would explore other careers if you actually think the nursing world is going to cater to your schedule and needs first. This profession's purpose is to serve patients' needs before your own. Your post sounds unrealistic and entitled, both qualities private practice doctors who need day RNs in their offices DO NOT look for. Sorry but I had to speak up - I work M-F, 9-5 now, but it took some hard time in the trenches, on the floors, studying and certification to get here.

featherzRN, MSN · Oct 8, 2012

I have been working outpatient (ie, doctor's offices) for the last 10 years or so now. Just started at a clinic near my house (YAY). I have no problem getting positions in MD offices, but you really often will need a lot of experience to get the job. You don't necessarily need a BSN or certifications (I don't have any), but a lot of offices will want you to do triage and they want an RN that has a large body of experience to draw on. My office has three RN and two (soon to be three) LPN staff members. My other per diem office position has RN's that actually room the patient - the rationale is that they are doing patient teaching, triage, etc.

I suppose it's POSSIBLE to get a job at an MD office as a reasonably new grad RN, it's just not likely. I spent many years in med/surg, icu, etc - and once I finally got a clinic job I had that experience behind my name also.

It's ok to have it as your ultimate goal, but you're most likely going to end up in the trenches first. =(

(as for pay, out here pretty much all RN pay is 'eh', but I only get a few dollars less than a hospital nurse so I'll live with it).

mrspolly · Oct 9, 2012

Thank you to those that responded and gave great feedback. I am struggling with the decision and am exploring all possible paths. Money is not necessarily my deal-breaker. I am a SAHM now, with a BA degree. Looking to switch professions once my children are both in elementary school. As all parents can relate, I am sure, I am trying to make the best decision for our family. One I can both enjoy and won't sacrafice our family time too radically.

I appologize if I appeared "entitled" that's not the case in the least. I am simply just trying to get to the bottom of the healthcare field. It may or may not be the correct career path for me, but it's worth asking some questions, no?

I am interested in science, health, helping others, working with children/babies, educating others, etc. I figured nursing may be a good fit for me. I am a natural nuturer.

I will look in Medical Assistants and continue to explore the LPN and RN routes.

gwapo · Oct 9, 2012

Thank you to those that responded and gave great feedback. I am struggling with the decision and am exploring all possible paths. Money is not necessarily my deal-breaker. I am a SAHM now, with a BA degree. Looking to switch professions once my children are both in elementary school. As all parents can relate, I am sure, I am trying to make the best decision for our family. One I can both enjoy and won't sacrafice our family time too radically.
I appologize if I appeared "entitled" that's not the case in the least. I am simply just trying to get to the bottom of the healthcare field. It may or may not be the correct career path for me, but it's worth asking some questions, no?
I am interested in science, health, helping others, working with children/babies, educating others, etc. I figured nursing may be a good fit for me. I am a natural nuturer.
I will look in Medical Assistants and continue to explore the LPN and RN routes.

If there is no way you can work at a hospital, be an MA first. work at a clinic then pursue your RN. Hopefully, by the time you graduate, you are ready to work in a hospital. Or, the clinic you're working at just might hire you as an RN. good luck. I don't know your situation, but I guarantee you some RNs in hospitals have the same exact situation you are in right now. I had one colleague in ICU transfer to OR because the schedule was better than 3 12hr shifts. good luck.

Guest717236 · Oct 9, 2012

Unless your goal is advanced practice, office nursing is very difficult to find for an RN.

I spent the majority of my career in office nursing, and it is a wonderful experience. They can bill insurance for NP's but not RNs.

You may want to rethink the options, to work in a hospital setting for example in pediatrics could

lead to a school nursing opportunity if the field is of interest to you. It gives a Mom friendly schedule

that many of my nursing friends enjoyed...