It seems every school in the USA has opened a NP program. Online, part online, 18 mos, 2 years, bridge type, transition, Carribean and on and on. To them it is good business and thats the bottom line. Quanity not quality seems to be their goal. Just churn them out and collect the tuition. If you have the money - you will have a degree.
And sadly, many students are not particuarly interested in nursing, just a good steady paycheck. A dilution of the market is definitely on the rise. I am not at all surprised that many old MDs are pushing back. These old men of medicine arent concerned about their pay being challenged by these mass produced NPs, their retirement is secure, their money making days are behind them, but are concerned that everything they have worked for is being slowly taken apart by greedy schools and money (not a passion to heal) driven individuals.
America is not as short on healthcare providers as media may report, look at the vast number of posts of people who cant find a job in healthcare. The market will become saturated due to huge numbers of RN's, NPs being cranked out of schools every six months. It is time for schools to return to making certain every graduate reflects well on that school and brings excellence to the field.
If you look at the recent chart of nationwide salaries of NP's, you will see several decreases in salaries across the board. Fifteen states have decreased NPs salaries and one by as much as almost 27%. Shortage? really?? If a shortage exists, dropping salaries is certainly no way to correct it. I personally know of colleagues who have told me their salary as an RN is better than if they invest time, and extraordinary amounts of money to obtain NP status. I know of CCU RN's making five to eight dollars more per hour than NPs in the area.
How long til NPs will go the way my early days of nursing did....agency work, night work, weekends only, just to put food on the table. Oh, wow! thats what I am doing right now! And wth dilution of quality, having to defend my every decision about pt care, and losing the respect of the community.
