Working as travel RN after graduating FNP??

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i am thinking of doing travelling as a RN for maybe a yr to pay off my student loans.

I've been talking to some people and a girl said i could probably pay them off in 6mo. but i'm only Pediatrics (or i guess reg.med/surg) trained so i don't know if i could make that much. but if i could pay them off in 1 yr. that would be a relief. (and i have a LOT)

Anyways. I am a new grad, Dec.07. Family Nurse Practitioner.

Will this ruin my chances of anyone hiring me as a FNP?

i figure if i'm willing to go pretty much anywhere as a RN for high pay, then i could go anywhere as a FNP for a yr as well. And i figure there are and will still be places that are in dire need of FNP as well and willing to take a new grad. And if i started a job 1.5-2yrs out of school, i have lots of books and margaret fitzgeralds cds to study from, as well as i could take one of her courses to freshen up.

i feel like whatever FNP job i would take now i would be working my guts out 50-60hrs/wk and probably try to do per-diem as RN to try to pay off loans quickly. And with travel RN i could work 36 hrs/week for same pay.

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i am also looking into locums tenens. There's some of those for NP's as well. And if i'm willing to go whereever so maybe there is place that will take a new grad. The one problem is there is no compact laws for NP licenses and they do take longer to get, but there are some government/military jobs that you can have any state license so i'm looking into that as well.

if anybody knows of any good website for locums jobs please let me know.

Thanks

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I too have lots of student loans. However, once I became an APN I found no places that would hire me as an RN. This might be something to consider. Another venue might be to moonlight at a second job once you become an APN. I work full-time in nephrology but get $55/hour for my ER job which is excellent money in my rural area.

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Well i've already talked to a travel recruiter and they could care less that i was a FNP. there are tons of jobs out there and you don't have to make a long term commitment. A lot of APN jobs want someone who wants to commit "Long Term" i just don't know where i want to be, and would rather do several things short term to try out new locations. Plus i LOVE to travel.

I'm hoping i can find a locums job then I will still be using the skills i went to school for and can go to different places.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Good luck then and let us know how things work out. Your idea sounds interesting.

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emteel,

i think you read my mind. i grad in may and got certfied in august and am still looking for a job been on several interviews but am just picky in what i want. my husband is going to AL to finish up school for one semester and I was thinking of going w/ him and doing the travel nurse thing too but am hesitant b/c dont want it looking bad that i waited a whole year to get a job as a NP. It is only 6 mo. but am still a little scared. what do you think? Kate

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Nursing Education.

Hey, if the reason you are worried about traveling is your loans... why not look into some place like the government (I am doing IHS) that will pay back your loans? IHS does a VERY large loan repayment plan (the best I have seen BY FAR) and then they also pay the tax liability straight to the IRS. And its two years at a time. It's not a bad deal. Since you're not opposed to moving, there would be some super cool jobs you could do... Alaska would be neat - but there are places all over the US that have IHS facilities that need NP's. There are government benefits too. It would be a federal job so you wouldn't have to get another license (since you have one). And you'd get to use your FNP skills!!

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where can i look those facilities up?

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Nursing Education.
where can i look those facilities up?

johnson, i emailed you some links.

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Can you PM me and i will give you my email? to send me the links.

thanks!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Nursing Education.
Can you PM me and i will give you my email? to send me the links.

thanks!

Its ok... I can post the info here!! That way other people can find it.

http://www.ihs.gov/JobsCareerDevelop/Jobs_index.asp

that's the IHS - i know that they have a generous loan repayment plan.

there is also the National Health Service Corps - you can work at any of the listed facilities, you may be eligible for loan repayment and it is my understanding that it may be competitve with the IHS - except you don't get the federal benefits as you would be a direct hire by the facility. at least that is my understanding. so you would have to get a state license in that state, you would get the insurance and benefits offered by that facility. at least, this is my understanding. so if you want government retirement, insurance, ect - IHS may be something to seriously consider.

http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov/jobs/

I also think that some government jobs may have loan repayment as well, but I do not know the loan repayment terms. It may be negotiable rather than set.

I do want to make a point to say that these jobs you've got to have a desire to work with the underserved and with people who have little access to medical care... but I think that is what a lot of us desire in the first place.

www.usajobs.gov

(also lists IHS jobs)

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Do you have to sign a 2 yr contract with IHS?

I just got done with a 2 yr contract with NELRP, which i could work in certain areas that qualified. I kinda don't wanna sign any contracts for that long right now.

It was good and paid quite a bit of my loans but i still have a lot left. (didn't really add up to 65% that they promise because they took out $500/mo. to pay the government (themselves) back the federal taxes.) should be tax free in my opinion, but my opinion doesnt matter....

There are big penalties if you break contracts and I really don't want to be "owned" again.. i just want my freedom.

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