Your experience is needed

What specialty do you want to work in? I considered CRNA solely because of the $$, and I've got the GPA to get in and the work ethic to get through it. However, I find anesthesiology to be profoundly boring, so I would only go that route if you actually have an interest in it.

I too prefer inpatient work, but I am going for my CNM, which involves both inpatiant and ambulatory care. I have discovered that the ambulatory part of my work is just as intellectually stimulating as my inpatient stuff.

I think it is really going to depend on #1 what you love, and #2 how that fits your lifestyle. I have three kids ages 5, 8 and 9, and I have enjoyed working 9-5 M-F this past year. I am going to be attending NP school for Family NP to give me a wider range of choices in which to work and decide later what "specialty" if any I would like to do. Where I live they hire FNP's for just about everything and RARELY do i see any listed postings for Adult-Peds-Acute Care etc...so I figure I'll have my choice later. For me I prefer to work in a clinic with clinic hours, no call, no weekends, no holidays due to my kids lives, my husband and generally the fact that working 12's sucks trying to have a "family" life in my opinion. I love continuity of care, i want to see my patients for the long term, not just a few days or a few weeks til discharged. So you see the best bet for you would be to figure out what you love, are most interested/passionate about and go from there.

Family NP is what I am being drawn to now away from the adrenaline based acute np setting (I'm a cardiac RN). The guy I run with now is great. His famous words when he goes running into an emergent situation is to "shock the s*it out of them". It never gets old. He talks about his friends who make more in a Family np clinic setting but always states it is the same ole thing. I am a family man first and foremost so the role of Family NP has my greatest intentions which is family oriented.

I am in Alabama. What was the experience of going back to school like for you all versus the "boot camp" of nursing school?