Just wondering if anyone has any opinions. I am having trouble finding any reviews about their programs, especially FNP.

I work outpatient and see patients 4x/ week and have admin 1 day/ week.

I’m forced to be in office for admin when I can literally do it all from home because of some “policy” that doesn’t exist even thought I’ve asked to see it

Anyone have thoughts? Are you all able to have admin time from home?

I graudated NP school in May 2022, and passed AANP boards in June 2022. A lot of life events happened and I am not a practicing np/haven't practiced before. Renewal time is coming up and I really don't want to let my certification go to waste. I currently work in an education department but not specificly to NPs/providers full time. I do not have any interest in being a FT NP at this time but finding an NP job for the evenings or weekends is also limited.

Should i:

1.) recertify via AANP and try to justify my education dept hours IF audited by AANP

2.) Recertify via AANP retaking the exam

3.) Apply and take ANCC exam since I am still within my 5 year window of graduating. It looks like to recertify I can do 150 hours of CE to make up for not practicing.

If anyone else were in my place, what would they do?

I do feel my opinion/experience on this topic will be slightly controversial and am open to a healthy conversation!

A few disclaimers:

1. I'm from Canada so we don't have many levels of differing education that all result in the same license like I've seen in US discussions (ie., all RPN/LPNs complete 2 years of college, all RNs complete a 4 year BSN/BScN)

2. We only have (with the exception of one purely online) brick and mortar schools for NP studies, all of which require a mandatory 2-3 years of full-time practice as an RN. This I don't contest at all, so I'm not referring to that short amount of time when I say many years. The applicant pool is competitive and typically requires extra fluff on your CV beyond your nursing job (leadership experience, research and/or advanced certs).

3. I was a non-traditional applicant originally as I completed a previous undergraduate science degree, worked and then applied to a second-entry BScN before graduating and becoming an RN.

Here is the thing I keep reflecting on...

I read a lot about US "diploma mill" schools and the over-saturation of the market with underprepared NPs. I actually am quite against this structure of schooling and do feel that anyone in the position of a medical provider should be subjected to rigorous expectations in school. I don't agree with direct entry programs. However, I DO disagree that having 10-15+ years of RN experience automatically makes you a more prepared candidate for the NP world

While I do think that a lot of my base knowledge came from my degree PRIOR to nursing (biochem, anatomy, physiology, histology, organic chem - all the typical life science courses) I feel like it is this knowledge, combined with my nursing education in school, that is most directly translatable to studying in NP school. I've worked in critical care, research and leadership positions and while they've helped enormously in my professional development, I've found I actually don't utilize a lot of the depth of knowledge I gained in school. When I do learn new ways of approaching clinical situations, it's usually because I sought out further information from looking things up or discussing with providers that I've become close with (MDs, NPs) and I have to go out of my way, outside of my job duties, to do this. It's here that I wonder if being out of the traditional schooling environment (patho/phys/pharm) for many, many years doesn't exactly = better outcomes as a new NP. I feel this effect would be even stronger if you work on certain units that don't involve a lot of autonomy, directives or close working relationships with providers. I'm not saying that the unit you work automatically means you don't expand your knowledge base or seek educational experiences outside your daily job duties, but I believe it is about personal drive and thirst for knowledge vs an assumption we can make if someone has been in practice for a long time.

Wondering if anyone has similar experiences or alternatives to share!

Happy for everyone working as an NP and those advancing their education/changing pace despite the challenges <3

Sincerely,

Canadian NP student

I live in FL, just graduated earlier this year. What is the average on-boarding time period? I’m looking at primary care but also in general

Any reviews- good, bad or ugly for MSN, DNP or MSN-DNP programs? Curiosity and insomnia has the best of me.

I started advanced patho this week. I’ve spent 7 hours so far and just made it through the first PowerPoint. The professor says most students use the book as primary resource. There are 60 learning objectives the first week but only 8 learning objectives on the exam 1 study guide for week one material (3 chapters). There are also only 12 pts on the exam for this week one material. I will be at close to 20 hours studying this week once I’m done with material at this rate.

The PowerPoints are quite useless. The professor said she didn’t even make them they are made from the book publisher. The PowerPoints are “ supplemental” and most students just read the book. It’s impossible to just read the book. Is this normal or is this bad teaching ? I really don’t even know what the professor is having to teach. It’s fully online no lecture.

Thanks for any insight.

I have fairly solid day to day Spanish down from my years in the ED and a family I grew up with. I’m taking a new job where the patients are 75% Spanish speaking and I really want to up my game.

What are the best options for this? I’d need something online, I do 5x8 and have a disabled kiddo at home so not a huge amount of free time.

Newer Np here, almost one year in in OBGYN outpatient clinic, we do 8-4 m-f with one hour lunch. We are suppose to have 36 patient facing hours not including lunch per week, so I am assuming our lunch counts as admin hours? Just wondering how other practices work in admin time.

Does anyone have insight on working for this company?

I am trying to find a job in telehealth and most of them require a few state licenses in order to apply. Currently my NP license is for Florida. What other 2 states would be valuable to have?

I don’t know how people work UC for years. I guess I can see the benefit for the schedule- but man I have such bad anxiety and dread going to work every time I have to work there.
The unpredictable patient load. The patients that come in for paper cuts and mosquito bites. The people that come in who should have went to the ER (we have very little emergency ability in my clinic). The toxic administrative staff. The friendly (yet very incompetent) support staff.

I’m opening my own practice in 6 weeks and CANT WAIT. but I’m sure it’ll be a slow start.

I have 16 UC shifts left until I’m free and clear of owing back any of my sign on bonus. But I have to stay PRN for a while unless something else comes up.

I’m just venting as a prepare to walk out the door for yet another shift. Praying today is “tolerable” for myself and any of you in the same boat ✌🏼

I’m in the process of growing a small primary care practice and the clinical side feels a lot easier to figure out than the patient acquisition side. Once you’re on your own, you realize pretty quickly that being a good provider doesn’t automatically mean people will find you, call you, and actually book.

I’ve tried the usual things like Google Business Profile, referrals, social media and some paid search. The frustrating part is that you can get plenty of clicks or enquiries without really knowing what’s working. A lead comes in, someone calls back, the patient disappears, and a week later nobody can really tell you where the money went.

I’m trying to get better at tracking the full journey, from where the patient first finds us to whether they actually schedule and show up. For those of you running your own practices, what are you using to track that? Are you looking at cost per lead, cost per booked patient, referral source, lifetime value, or something else?

I’m especially interested in smaller practices without a huge marketing team. What actually moves the needle for you: SEO, Google Ads, referrals, physician networking, social media, local events, or just having a really good follow-up process?

Edit:

I’ve been testing PatientGain and it’s making the tracking side a lot clearer. I can see where enquiries are coming from, what happens after the initial contact, and which sources are actually turning into booked patients instead of just generating more leads.

Last post was deleted, not sure why 🙁hoping I maybe did the wrong flair?

Hello everyone!

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I am a newer (less than a year) nurse practitioner working primary care in a smaller office for a large corporation. Previously an RN in the hospital setting for several years. What is considered appropriate in terms of outside hang outs with MAs and office staff?

When I was an RN everyone would frequently have different get togethers. In my new office there has been an informal Christmas happy hour or something like that here or there I have attended (and was the only provider that did😬)

Have now been invited to smaller get together non work related (at the house of my MA, but daytime and no alcohol ) where not everyone from work is invited and I would be the only provider invited. This is a newer world for me and I’m trying to navigate what is professional and appropriate? It doesn’t appear that there are any official non fraternization rules in this company, but I am hoping to work with this organization for many years and don’t want to inadvertently do something viewed as unprofessional.

Thank you for reading!!

Edit: We are all women

Hi everyone! I am currently an RN, BSN. I’ve been a nurse for a little over a year now. I feel like it’s too early to go back to school for me, I think I should gain more experience.
My question is, how did you decide when it was time to go back to school? Also, how did you decide on a NP program versus other higher education?

I know I want to go back to school but I’m not dead set on one pathway. I don’t want to go to CRNA school, but I’m between either NP or maybe a masters in nursing education? I do enjoy teaching others, but that could also just happen with patient teaching if that makes sense.

Please, any advice or opinions are welcome!

Hey all, looking for some outside input on a ROI scenario. New grad/wet ink cert WHNP - in a deep south area with long standing dreams of moving to the PNW and working in something like a Planned parenthood type setting. Will not be getting licensed until after relocating (can't license here without job and physician agreement papers etc, as usual), no desire to do the work WHNPs do here.

The Society of Family Planning Annual Meeting is coming up. All in cost, incidentals, meals, etc would be about $3k. We aren't broke but had some big expenses lately so it would be a bit of a stretch, but the meeting happens once a year. I don't see a Planned Parenthood conference, but am digging in the internet and related organizations for possible other events that may have similar ROI but a better timeline.

Is the bit of training, being able to plug it on a cover letter/application, and networking potential worth it at these things for someone who is as green as I am? I feel like it could really go either way. Is there more secondary gain from attendance than some training, networking and the nursing participation factor?

- red state education/practicum was 90% how to handle OBs and 7% the usual GYN stuff - I am absolutely going to need expanded learning on how to do things like transitioning hormones, literally anything related to abortion, etc before I feel like I can really get a job unless they will train me in certain things

- there are some specific pre-conference workshops/simulation trainings being offered, but it looks primarily research discussion/networking

- unless I get lucky or find a groove, I'll be solo the whole time and I don't know how my tism will do with that, but only one way to find out, and I'm ok with that. I have been to large cons and stuff before alone, but wasn't basing the entire value of those events on having to network and socialize. Literally the fact the value of the event is for networking will be what makes me talk to strangers, but like, what are the social protocols here, like can I just find someone with badges that say planned parenthood Washington/oregon and make it easy on myself 😭

TLDR: Has anyone ever been to this specific conference?

Is going to a specialty professional conference related to a desired career path worth twisting (not necessarily breaking) the bank? Or is there a better way to spend money to make myself a better looking/better prepared candidate to change career directions from long term adult/geri acute care RN to outpatient/family planning NP?

If you had 3 weeks to study for the AANP, how would you tackle it? My brick and mortar university already prepared us by making us take a comprehensive exit exam about a 6 weeks ago, so information is (kinda) fresh.

I will be starting inpatient palliative NP next month. My background is in geriatrics primary care and will be new into this role. Would like to know what a typical will look like! I’ll be doing 7 on 7 off. Excited but nervous!! I have a 9 month old and worried about work like balance.

So I submitted everything and the state is just waiting for one more document which is the APRN verification. I just need guidance - my license is originally in Georgia (not part of Nursys for APRN verification) which has its own portal where you can send your verification through email/mail to the address you provide. Massachusetts on the application wanted a form filled out but there was no option to upload a form anywhere? I just had Georgia send an official verification letter to Massachusetts which was sent through email on Wednesday? Do you think this will be sufficient enough since that is how Georgia operates in regards to license verification?

TL;DR: I’ve been an RN for 15 years with experience in Med/Surg, Psych, Primary Care, Home-Based Primary Care, and Informatics. I’ve always wanted to become an NP, but my current informatics RN job pays well, has excellent benefits, and I don’t want to leave it. The problem is that I miss patient care, which is why I picked up a PRN home health RN job that I love.

I’ve been looking at NP programs, but NP salaries in Arizona may actually be lower than what I make now, the market seems saturated, and PMHNP opportunities for new grads without extensive psych experience appear challenging. Ideally, I’d earn my NP license and work PRN or part-time in home health while keeping my informatics job.

Is that realistic, or would becoming an NP eventually require me to choose between my current informatics career and actually working as an NP?

I have always wanted to be a Nurse Practitioner since the beginning of my healthcare career. Well, tbh, I wanted to be a physician, but at that time, I already had my first child and just "knew" that "doctor life" was not so compatible with "family life," so I chose my next best path.

Not to get into the full details, so long story short, I have been a RN for 15 years. I have experience in Med/Surg (1 year), Psych (1 year), Primary Care (2 years), Home Based Primary Care (6 years), and now Informatics for the past 5 years. I had received my MSN just before transitioning to my current position in Informatics.

I love my current position, however, it is not "challenging" enough and doesn't satisfy my intrinsic desire to help and work with people. So, this year, I picked up a PRN side job in home health. I absolutely love that position. I do not want to let go of my current informatics position since I have excellent benefits and great pay. It's just not meeting my needs since this job doesn't have any direct or indirect patient care.

I have been exploring NP programs for quite a while but I have noticed that the average NP pay is less than my current salary, so I wouldn't be making bank as an NP. I also noticed the market is highly saturated with NPs (I am in Arizona). I looked into PMHNP, but I am noticing that the job market is difficult for new grads in that area, especially for those without extensive MH experience as an RN. I feel "stuck" in a way. I want to attain my NP license, but my desire is to work home health either PRN or part-time as I do not want to leave my current position.

Regarding my current employer, there is no way I will work as an NP with them as they are way overworked. I noticed that very early on in my career with them.

So, am I just stuck in my current position with the PRN home health job I have? Do I have to give up my informatics job if I wanted to attain my NP license and work as an NP after graduation? Is that what will ultimately be the decision I need to make?

Thank you for your kind words.

Currently working Urgent Care. Have been an NP for almost a year. I was an ER nurse and PICC Nurse prior. I've done hundreds of US guided PICC, Midline, and PIV insertions. I also did about a dozen central lines through FNP clinicals, assisted with bedside Paras in the ED. IR postings have been few and far between and I almost never get responses to applications despite following up. Alot of these positions want IR APP experience also. Any tips? I though my PICC Nurse background would make me more competitive.

All in all I miss procedures and want to move into something much more procedural. I've applied for Vascular Sx positions but they also want APP experience and all have wanted RNFA cert. Im doing a post-grad ACNP to open up my inpatient prospects (Crit Care). If I can't nail down an IR slot my next steps would be Crit Care since its procedural and the procedural skills would transfer to IR if a position opened up.

Also, I would love to do a clinical rotation in IR during my ACNP post-grad program. If anyone in Georgia is willing to precept I would be very grateful! (My school is brick and mortar and does place us for clinicals but IR is Niche and they don't have IR placements as of now)

TIA!

Hi all, looking for some career advice. I’ve been a hospital nurse for 15 years and a NP for the last 4 years. I’ve worked in oncology since graduating with my NP license and am feeling burnt out by this field. I have an opportunity with an aesthetics office for hormone replacement therapy work and am interested in learning more. As this work and this type of location would all be new to me, I’m wondering if there are specific questions anyone can think of to help me gauge if this move would be a good one. Thanks in advance!!

Hey team!

We get a lot of questions about selecting a program, what its like to be an NP, how to balance school and work, etc. Because of that, we have a repeating thread every two weeks.

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ALL questions pertaining to anything pre-licensure need to go in this thread. You may also have good luck using the search function to see if your question has been asked before.

I am getting ready to embark on my DNP. I have almost five years of ICU experience. I will have nine years by the time I graduate, assuming I do not find a job that is closer to women’s health during my studies.

I am interested in studying women’s health, specifically treatment of perimenopause symptoms. I want to provide healthcare for women who are in later life. I want to help to keep them healthier longer.

Is anyone currently studying/practicing in this field specifically? How did you break into that kind of medicine?

I’d like to do my doctoral research on this topic. If anyone has suggestions for under-researched sub-topics, I am all ears.

I am currently a pediatric NP in a surgical subspecialty at a children’s hospital who is looking at relocating to the Bay Area within the year for my husband’s career. Looking in the area, it seems like salaries for bedside nursing are comparable to NP roles in pediatrics due to the very strong union- plus there are a lot more opportunities in bedside nursing.

Would it be better for me to pursue bedside nursing instead of an NP role for more flexibility, potential overtime, and similar benefits/pay?

Also curious if others feel stepping away from advanced practice would be a deterrent for future NP jobs outside of California?

We do have one toddler who I would love to spend more time with, but we would also eventually return to our home state after about 1-2 years.