Work setting future PNP

[N-Nads, BSN, RN]

Hi fellow nurses,

I need some advice. I'm currently in a PNP program in Michigan. My husband relocated for work here. I'm in a slow-paced program that requires a maximum of six years to complete my courses. I debated for a long time whether I wanted to do primary or acute, but for right now I am shooting for primary. As far as work goes, I took a position at a pediatric clinic thinking this would be the best place to gain experience and see what the PNP's do first hand. Problem is, I took a huge pay cut. It's been two weeks and I'm not sure if I made the right choice. I really miss patient care. I mostly do triage. Once in a while I have to cath a patient and that's about it. This job is about forty minutes away to. It's quite a drive. My other option that I turned down was a children's hospital about an hour away. In the PICU. I initially took the clinic position because I thought this would gain more experience as a future PNP. But I really miss patient care. The office job is about 4 1/2 days a week whereas the PICU is 3 days a week day/night rotation. Should I stick it out some more or just not waste my time and see if I can get the position I declined back? UGH. I just want to work at a place that will prepare me in my new future role.

[cleback]

I learn more about disease management in the clinic than I do working inpatient. Just saying. Since you want to be in primary care, I feel like the clinic is the better exposure, as long as you really try to understand the treatment plans. You will lose some of your hands on skills in the clinic, but honestly, you will lose a lot of them as a pnp ad well.

If you're truly unhappy, perhaps your heart is telling you to be in acute care, as an RN or np?