What can I do with my MSN-FNP that doesn't require much patient contact

Specializes in ER nurse, FNP student.

I know what you might think, why did I start FNP if I don't like contact with patients. The thing is, I didn't feel this way before I started the program. I've been an RN for 3 years, I started FNP because I wanted to get out of bedside.

Demanding and understaffed work environment was getting the best of my mental and physical health. I thought it would be different in outpatient setting, since I'd be getting more respect and independence.

I did a thorough research about what I'd be doing as an FNP before starting the program, and it seemed really nice, way better than bedside. However, I didn't really know what primary care really was before I started my clinicals. And now I have 4 months before graduating, and I'm realizing that's not really what I want to do.

I just can't deal with people. I can't stand when they think that there's a magic pill to fix everything when they don't bother changing their eating habits or adding exercise regimen. Or when they come into the office not knowing what medical conditions they have or what medications they take.

It may not be a big deal to many healthcare professionals, but I just cant imagine dealing with this for the rest of my life. Maybe I'm just burned out. I don't know.

What can I do with my MSN FNP degree that doesn't require much patient contact?

50 Answers

Specializes in Home Health, Primary Care.

I say if you have the time and the stamina, go to med school and become a radiologist. You don't have to deal with the bedside that comes with hospital nursing, you definitely get the respect and independence (more than you'd get as an FNP) and as a radiologist, you don't have to really deal with people. It's a win, win, win all around!

OP, I get what you are saying.

Ultimately, I want to work in an urgent care position because, quite frankly, I want to "treat them and street them," but getting there usually requires a year or two years in primary care.

In fact, several speciality positions request a "one-year post-graduate experience."

If you are lucky to get a specialty position from the start, great.

If not -

Think of it this way:

You spent (maybe) 6 years as an elementary student.

You spent (maybe) 3 years as a middle student.

You spent (maybe) 4 years as a high school student.

You spent x amount of years as a college student, and now you are about to get your FNP license.

Would it hurt to spend just one more year in primary care before you get into a specialty that usually requires one year of primary care experience as an NP?

How just 6-9 months more in primary care before moving on?

How about looking into working in a specialty. Primary care is tough, patient are complex and non compliant and patient loads are heavy and some of my NP friends even have to chart on the weekends to catch up on charting that they just can't finish at work because they are seeing 30-35 patients a day.

You could also teach. Look into working in corrections ( not everyones cup of tea), occupational medicine, GI specialty, derm etc.

Goodluck.

Specializes in Former NP now Internal medicine PGY-3.

Teach undergrad nursing or work for an insurance company I guess

I worked with an FNP that worked as a supervising nurse at a public school for students with severe physical needs (trachs, feeding tubes, etc.). FNP not required for that job.

I worked with another FNP that taught at a jr. college and became the dean of nursing. FNP not required for that job.

I also worked with other FNPs in LTC that did rounds, H & Ps, gave orders, took care of wounds, etc.

There are a lot of nursing jobs that you will be qualified to do because you have an MSN, but might not require the FNP.

Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

You may just be a bit burned out. I would advise you get some counseling from a trusted NP or doctor mentor. You would also likely benefit from some psychotherapy. It's important to create boundaries and not get so personally invested in patients. I care about my patients, but I don't agonize over whether they follow my advice. Just focus on what you can control, which is the quailty of care you provide. After that, it is up to the patient.

You might also consider a specialty that is not life or death. For example, sleep medicine. Very routine, no one is going to die, and the patients are generally very grateful for the help provided. Urgent Care is another option, because you are just dealing with an acute problem and may never see the patient again.

You are not going to get a teaching job until you get some experience. I really don't see how you can actually use your FNP if you hate patients.

Specializes in Med-Surg/Tele/ER/Urgent Care.

The same patients that you see in primary care show up in urgent care often for chronic conditions that they have failed to keep/make apts or fup with PCP. Abdominal pain x 1 year, incontinence, med refills, ingrown toenails, knee/back pain, rashes for 7 years (and he was mad I didn’t know what was causing his rash), kidney stones etc etc etc.

It’s not all sore throats, pink eye & uti’s. Most urgent cares expect you to interpret X-rays, splint/cast, suture & minor procedures such as removing ingrown toenails.

And it is fast paced 3-4 patients per hour is typical, many its 12 hour shifts. And it’s complicated as they don’t know the name of their doctor/s or the meds they take or allergies.

Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

Another comment: as providers, we need to create boundaries and not get so emotionally wrapped up in our work. I've heard similar complaints from other new grad NPs. Be in the moment. Honestly, if you provide good care to a noncompliant patient and they refuse to comply and keep coming back, it is on THEM. Every job has tedium and drudgery. Learn to just focus on the task at hand. If they paid you $150K per year to dig a hole, fill it up, dig another hole, fill that up, then go back to the first hole, etc., like in those movies about Boot Camp, who cares? You do your work and you get paid. (I think of digging holes when I feel this way to calm down)

If you were working as a retail clerk, would you agonize over every customer and if they are going to be happy with their purchase and use the item correctly? Of course not!

If you were a car mechanic, and someone keeps bringing their car in for service because they don't take care of it, would it get you so upset? As long as they pay you for your work, their car is their problem. Their carelessness is generating revenue for you.

I do care for my patients, and I also feel these frustrations, but don't let them overwhelm me. At the end of the day, it is a job and people must take responsibility for themselves.

Primary care is not for everyone. There are many other options for NPs to work in a specialty without the grind of primary care. Many specialty practices will hire new grad NPs and train them. And worst case, get 1 to 2 years of primary care experience, then go into a specialty or Urgent Care. It is also possible to find a primary care job serving a more motivated population that is not so depressing.

Just focus on what you can do and small successes. While there are noncompliant patients, there are also patients that will heed your advice. Even a noncompliant patient may improve and change over time. Remember this parable:

One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one.

Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, “I’m saving these starfish, Sir”.

The old man chuckled aloud, “Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?”

The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, “I made a difference to that one!”

https://starfishproject.com/the-parable/

Specializes in Hem/Onc.
On 2/22/2020 at 2:00 PM, FullGlass said:

Another comment: as providers, we need to create boundaries and not get so emotionally wrapped up in our work. I've heard similar complaints from other new grad NPs. Be in the moment. Honestly, if you provide good care to a noncompliant patient and they refuse to comply and keep coming back, it is on THEM. Every job has tedium and drudgery. Learn to just focus on the task at hand. If they paid you $150K per year to dig a hole, fill it up, dig another hole, fill that up, then go back to the first hole, etc., like in those movies about Boot Camp, who cares? You do your work and you get paid. (I think of digging holes when I feel this way to calm down)

If you were working as a retail clerk, would you agonize over every customer and if they are going to be happy with their purchase and use the item correctly? Of course not!

If you were a car mechanic, and someone keeps bringing their car in for service because they don't take care of it, would it get you so upset? As long as they pay you for your work, their car is their problem. Their carelessness is generating revenue for you.

I do care for my patients, and I also feel these frustrations, but don't let them overwhelm me. At the end of the day, it is a job and people must take responsibility for themselves.

Primary care is not for everyone. There are many other options for NPs to work in a specialty without the grind of primary care. Many specialty practices will hire new grad NPs and train them. And worst case, get 1 to 2 years of primary care experience, then go into a specialty or Urgent Care. It is also possible to find a primary care job serving a more motivated population that is not so depressing.

Just focus on what you can do and small successes. While there are noncompliant patients, there are also patients that will heed your advice. Even a noncompliant patient may improve and change over time. Remember this parable:

One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he walked he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one.

Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, “I’m saving these starfish, Sir”.

The old man chuckled aloud, “Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you make?”

The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, “I made a difference to that one!”

https://starfishproject.com/the-parable/

Great point. Being overly emotionally invested is likely contributing to such high rates of burn out, and is a skill that they should really teach in nursing school. We want to fix every problem, but that's an impossible goal to live up to, especially if patients aren't themselves motivated to make a change, or if they have an unfixable problem. It took me years to learn to the balance of empathy vs. being overly invested, and I'm much happier and a better NP now that I have. We also need to be better about teaching new nurses about managing emotions in this line of work.

Specializes in FNP.
On 2/1/2020 at 1:07 PM, LadyT618 said:

I say if you have the time and the stamina, go to med school and become a radiologist. You don't have to deal with the bedside that comes with hospital nursing, you definitely get the respect and independence (more than you'd get as an FNP) and as a radiologist, you don't have to really deal with people. It's a win, win, win all around!

Ha, time and stamina is a serious understatement.

I hear Ford is hiring. No patients and fairly task oriented job without having to deal with people. Also imo respectable field where a range of people I know do well there consistently providing for their families.

Jokes aside, while your candor is appreciated, your best bet is to probably stay out of healthcare. Many of us have frustrations with people and the range of situations on why their health isn’t well managed. That’s where it’s important to have the empathy to tolerate and attempt to work with them to find something that helps. That’s where healthcare is a challenge as we are not just pill dispensers who react using algorithms. Meeting people where they are and finding solutions is where we really make our money. You might actually help only a handful of people at the end of the day, but that alone will make your day.

It’s also important to know yourself and what you can/will do. Research might be a better fit. I hate to push more school, but a PhD might get you that direction more. I don’t recommend education as a nurse or management with your all of 3 years bedside where you categorically qualified your situation as burned out. That’s the last person I want teaching or leading new nurses.

Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

I second sleep medicine ?

BTW, with some luck an FNP can work in Interventional Radiology. Just ask a few routine questions, push the needle in, take it out, fill note template, repeat. Patients are frequently sedated/tubed and you might not care about anything else.

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