Will I be looked down upon?

Extra Pickles · Jul 19, 2016

I don't think the problem will be them looking down on you because of lack of experience, I think the problem will be that you will have just started a job where they are investing time and resources in training you to work there and then you tell them this job is only a stepping stone for you on to better things. it's not that they will look down on you its that no one likes to feel that they've wasted time and energy in bringing along a new nurse only to have her leave in a year for greener pastures. if I were you I'd keep that information to myself so you don't find yourself pushed to the curb before you're ready, as soon as someone else comes along who looks like they want to stay!

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 19, 2016

I think your plan is fine. If you had said you were going on to grad school immediately, I would have felt it was a bad idea. But you are going to work full time for a full year ... and then you plan on continuing to work to gain additional experience while you start school. That's OK.

... and who knows ... you might decide to modify that plan as time goes on. Be open to that as you get some experience and find out what being a nurse is really like. You might decide that your original plan was perfect for you. But you also might feel that you need to modify it a bit. That's OK. Base your actions on what you learn about yourself as a nurse as you go.

Good luck.

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jul 19, 2016

Does your manager already know your plans? If yes, then it's very possible that you will be treated differently and not in a good way. It's not even out of the realm of possibility that you get let go during orientation so they can cut their losses. Your plan is not favorable to the hospital's roi.

If they do not know your plans, do not tell anyone and wait until you need the references.

GaJenRN · Jul 19, 2016

I have not disclosed my plans yet but just to be clear I plan on working full time for one year then part time for 2 to 3 years while in school so they will be getting a lot of use out of me! The hospital where I'll be is big on people moving up and they even offer tuition reimbursement after one year of employment if you want to stay there and I'm thinking I will. Many people use this hospital as a stepping stone but still I'm worried about being treated differently. Where else could I get references from? I guess maybe I should just get to know my manager and preceptor first before I decide. Also, I have modified my plans because I was going to go straight through school but then realized I need to/want to be an RN for a while before tackling NP school. Im very excited to just be an RN for a while!

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 19, 2016

I agree that you shouldn't be advertising the fact that you will be leaving too soon. Wait until you need the references -- and then emphasize that it will take a few years to get through school and that you will be continuing to work for them.

GaJenRN · Jul 19, 2016

I agree that you shouldn't be advertising the fact that you will be leaving too soon. Wait until you need the references -- and then emphasize that it will take a few years to get through school and that you will be continuing to work for them.

Thats a great idea, thanks!

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Jul 19, 2016

1). References for grad school are preferred to be fresh - i.e. done at most 6 months before you apply.

2). These references are highly preferred and sometimes required to be coming from graduate-prepared people - NPs, PAs or MD/DO, or your school professors if you graduated recently.

3). Good NP schools require at least a year of bedside care experience.

adventure_rn, MSN, NP · Jul 20, 2016

I second what everybody else had said, and would add a couple of things.

When you do start to apply, don't start advertising it publicly until you have been accepted to NP school and it's a done deal. If there is any awkwardness/resentment, it would really stink for you to start telling people as soon as you've applied and then not get in for another year. Also, by doing this, you'll probably extend the period of time that you've been working FT before giving notice.

You can still talk to people about NP school, but I'd discuss it in the abstract, i.e. "I'm interested in eventually becoming an NP," not "I'm interested in becoming an NP next year." If somebody brings up the topic, denying your interest would probably seem disingenuous.

In terms of references, I'd pick a few people whom you trust (since you'd want them to be your references, anyway), tell only them, and ask them to keep it on the down-low.

Finally, I don't know the status of your unit, but I'd be cautious about assuming that you can go part-time. Some units have a list, and managers may not give you preference to go PT if you're leaving after only a year (vs. other staff who have been around longer). My unit is pretty generous with PT roles, but I've also known plenty of new-grad and new-to-specialty nurses who gave birth a year after starting, begged to go PT, and were turned down since they hadn't been around long enough.

When I started nursing, I assumed (due to AllNurses :sarcastic: ) that I could leave my new grad job after a year without any bad blood; I think it's because people on AN are always talking about putting in your 'mandatory first year' before quitting a job they despise. I was pretty shocked to realize that on my unit, that definitely was not the case. Your unit will spend tens of thousands of dollars training you as a new grad, so they may be ticked off to see you go so soon.

snowy_owl · Jul 20, 2016

....Also, I have modified my plans because I was going to go straight through school but then realized I need to/want to be an RN for a while before tackling NP school. Im very excited to just be an RN for a while!

I would say follow your own advice and be an RN for awhile. It took a lot of work to get there and there is so much to learn this first year. Soak up all you can, get your bearings, and then in a year sit back and see where you are at and if you still want to go the NP route so soon. In the meantime I would just keep the potential plans to yourself, especially as you never know what this year may give you and how that may change things.

knurse10 · Jul 20, 2016

Embrace your new job. Enjoy being a nurse. Learn everything you can. Invest in your employer and your professional development. Join committees. Get board certified in your specialty area. Be in the moment and give yourself some time to grow, learn, and mature as a nurse. All of this will help you obtain your ultimate goal of becoming an fnp.

chacha82, ADN, BSN · Jul 20, 2016

I would work there for awhile, get the lay of the land, and start asking for references when it is closer to your application date. I know you have to give them time, but you don't want their first impression to be using the job as a stepping stone, as a previous poster said. I believe if you request a reference in writing 1 month of before you want it, that should be sufficient notice. (When I needed a reference for February, I wrote a letter and gave it to my teacher in December).

Nothing wrong with having a plan and good for you for wanting your FNP. But they need some time to get to know you and you *will* encounter friction once people know you want to start your FNP only 1 year into your nursing career. It's not right but it will happen.

Also just a thought if you go part-time the hospital may not reimburse you for your studies or reimburse only part of this. I say this because I knew someone doing her NP and she still had to do 2 12s a week, which is a lot for when you are in NP school. I don't know if the hospital reimbursed her the full amount. Reimbursement is also not the same as advance tuition pay. I forked over $$$ for my first BSN class, then waited to be reimbursed *after* I submitted my passing grade. So I paid for a class in December and got the reimbursement by June. At least that is just how it works at my hospital.

I once made a callous comment about "not planning to be a substitute teacher very long" when I was working in that environment. I immediately regretted saying it as I could tell it was rude and hurt others. I was thinking of my "big plans" and didn't mean to offend anyone, but I did.