What's the least saturated specialty in APRN?

[soljhs]

What's the least saturated specialty in APRN?

[myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN]

5 minutes ago, babyNP. said:

There’s been a shortage of NNPs for many years...average age is something like 48. PAs have started to help fill the role out.

There will always likely be NNP’ shortages because most wouldn’t dare do something so demanding both technically and emotionally. Even if you offered me a million per year I wouldn’t even consider such a challenge. Even starting a single IV on an infant would drive me from nursing.

[babyNP., APRN]

I’ve never known anything else (have never cared for an adult in my whole career), so it seems strange for me to hear things like that because I can’t relate. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to intubate an adult or place an IV- is it easier, or just different?

There are plenty of NICU nurses who are “lifers” and stay in one spot the entire career, but enjoy the bedside care aspect enough to not want to change to advance practice.

We also have the distinct requirement of at least 1-2 years of NICU RN experience to gain admittance to virtually every school, which also keeps the numbers down (about 300 grads per year) but helps us be a stronger profession.

Well, job security anyway ? and a nice salary to go along.

[myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN]

It took every ounce of my scant, inate "OCD" ability to survive in medical/surgical ICU those relatively few times that I had to float to CVICU (where the nurses tend to be perhaps a standard deviation higher on the OCD scale) were sheer torture (for me and them). The thought of functioning with what would be yet probably another standard deviation up (on the OCD scale) with NICU would have been enough to cause me to leave the building in a fugue state. Indeed, I barely survived the week as an ASN student at the Methodist NICU (part of our program). It was akin to someone who had majored in Art and History at Berkley being told they were being placed in a calculus class at MIT with engineering students (for me).

[verene, MSN]

On 11/13/2019 at 2:54 PM, soljhs said:

Because I'm curious?

It will vary greatly by geography and by sub-specialty with in the APRN specialty.

One of the ways around the saturation is the really look at the marketability of your currents skills and experience and the skills and experiences you can reasonably expect to attain while in school against job postings - also your current professional network. You need to know what makes you unique and your professional interest areas and figure out how to sell that to prospective employers.

[Polly Peptide, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I, too, am curious about the answer to this question.

As it relates to NNP - I've heard that a factor that keeps some away is the schedule. Many are required to work 24 hour shifts and some just would rather not, for quality of life reasons.

[ctsurgeryscrubrn]

@soljhs I have seen a pickup in significant pickup in demand for perioperative APRNs with an RNFA / First Assist Certification and Experience.

[djmatte, ADN, MSN, RN, NP]

29 minutes ago, ctsurgeryscrubrn said:

@soljhs I have seen a pickup in significant pickup in demand for perioperative APRNs with an RNFA / First Assist Certification and Experience.

To be fair, there’s no periop aprn specially. Only aprns who happened to be an RN in that area before.

[babyNP., APRN]

24 hour shifts aren't required at most places (exception might be slow community Level II nurseries). Many people just prefer to do 24 hour shifts. Certainly at Level IV institutions they are almost never required and in fact in many cases not allowed due to safety concerns.

[MikeFNPC, MSN]

I think what you're really asking is where are the most opportunities with an FNP degree. It would have to be in primary care clinics. Because there are a gazillion of them and you can start your own if you want too.

Similarly, working in a nursing home setting, since there are so many of them also.

[jayjaybsnrn, MSN, APRN]

TraumaRUS, what setting are you working?

[NICUmiiki, DNP, NP]

On 11/16/2019 at 5:27 PM, Polly Peptide said:

I, too, am curious about the answer to this question.

As it relates to NNP - I've heard that a factor that keeps some away is the schedule. Many are required to work 24 hour shifts and some just would rather not, for quality of life reasons.

IMO, working 6 24-hour shifts per month isn't so bad for quality of life. That's why many still prefer it and are reluctant to switch to a more nurse-like schedule.

[myoglobin, ASN, BSN, MSN]

I cannot imagine having to stay up for 24 hours. I would think that the stress on your brain, body and cognition would be tremendous. However, I am a big lover of 12 hour shifts.