Group Forums >> NPs Save Lives >> Are You Thinking of Becoming an NP?
Are You Thinking of Becoming an NP?
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Posted about 1 year ago Have you thought of becoming an NP? Do you have any questions about training, jobs, etc? What keeps you from going? Post your questions, comments here. Ginny |
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| Posted about 1 year ago Yes! I plan to apply to a program in January. |
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| Posted about 1 year ago Good for you! Psych? family? Nurse midwife? Ginny |
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| Posted 12 months ago I'm thinking a lot about ACNP. I see where an Advance Practice Nurse could make a difference in my unit every shift I work. I feel we do not have enough Advance Practice nurses at the bedside, supervising our newer nurses. How can a nurse, 2 years out of school, running charge for the shift, have the skill to see what is getting missed? Care Coordination between docs and nurses is a need too. We have system, but there are holes. I don't want to insert central lines and intubate patients.....I want to help the nurses give better care. I worry about the life ballance thing though. Newly married but I LOVE school, and tend to get very caught up in it. My hubby is supportive, but I know has no idea of what it will entail. One thing is for certain...I need a laptop! |
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| Posted 12 months ago oldnurse: When I finally get my license, I sure hope there are nurses like yourself in my place of employment. I have the impression that we are just "turned loose" and I am anxious to have so much responsibility. (I am sure that gets better as I learn more and become more confident.) Please follow your heart/instinct and pursue the Advanced Practice Nurse! |
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| Posted 12 months ago oldnurse. I tend to throw myself into learning. I am spending a great deal of time on this site. I learn on here! My husband asked me the other day if I had secretly returned to school. Ginny |
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| Posted 12 months ago I'm thinking about family nurse practitioner or case management. Lately, CM interests me the most. Do you have any opinions on this field? |
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| Posted 12 months ago I will always try to steer someone to psych. There are not many psych NPs. I did very much enjoy my clinical rotation in a family practice office and thought of switching. Ginny |
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| Posted 12 months ago I want to be an ACNP. |
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| Posted 12 months ago Katherine said: I'm glad that you plan to start a program in Jan! It will be very interesting for you and somewhat different because you will be getting back to the "medical" part of nursing again. I learned a lot from my Anatomy and Physiology again. |
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| Posted 12 months ago oldnurse said: I think that would be a great idea and actually proposed it to the hospital that I was working at for 6 years before I left. They didn't think that they were a big enough hospital to implement it at the time. How wrong! I do not want to intubate or central line as well so right now I'm looking for an office job. |
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| Posted 12 months ago RN2B said: Unfortunately, the new nurses are being turned loose. You will learn 90% of what you know out on the floor after you get finished with school. Take full advantage of any clinicals you have to get hands on experience. It will help you in the long run. |
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| Posted 12 months ago npssavelives said: Have to tell you, same is true with advanced practice. I was thrown onto a unit and told "You are going to open the new unit." Would have sunk without the help of the techs and the unit secretary. Ginny |
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| Posted 12 months ago Thanks for the honesty and advice. Better to know now so that I can prepare. |
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| Posted 11 months ago peaches9 said: Being an ACNP is a very important profession They must be a be very skilled in their assessment skills and be able to handle fast paced situations and remain calm under pressure. Don't we all! I took the Family NP route because it has the best opportunity to be flexible. |
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| Posted 11 months ago I almost "jumped ship" when I did a clinical rotation in family practice. I loved it. However, now i am glad that I stayed with psych. Ginny |
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| Posted 11 months ago cdnurse said: I am interested in becoming a nurse practioner, I have no idea where I should start. I have been a pharmacy technician for the past 7 years and currently I am working as a Healthcare Claims Specialist. Could you give some feed back. It would be greatly appreciated. I am in the process of enrolling into a junior college for the spring. How would I go about applying for scholarships? |
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| Posted 11 months ago The scholarships will vary depending on where you live. Start with the financial aid office at the school. Are you planning to enroll in the nursing program? You will need an MSN degree to qualify for the NP. It is a long hard road but worth it. Ginny |
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| Posted 11 months ago Diva, word of caution about scholarship search. Never pay anyone to do a search for you. Ginny |
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| Posted 11 months ago I am in my second year of a family nurse practitioner program. I am only going part-time. I work full-time, don't know how I could go any faster, but I am so excited to be half-way done. I will graduate in Aug. 2009. Its great |
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| Posted 11 months ago One of my classmates did a presentation yesterday on becoming an NP as her "dream job". I'm keeping it in the "possibles" list for the future... |
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| Posted 11 months ago It has turned out to be a dream job for me! Ginny |
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| Posted 11 months ago fnp2b: keep plugging. I did it part time. Where are you in school? Ginny |
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| Posted 11 months ago I am a junior in a BSN program now. I really want to go into grad school right after I finish undergrad. For the grad schools around me, applicants have to get 1-2 years of experience before they will even be accepted into the program. I am in Indy. Does anybody know of programs where you can work during the day as an RN and take night classes to be an NP? I have the utmost respect for RNs, but my real goal is to become a Family Nurse Practitioner in an office, not to work in a hospital. |
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| Posted 11 months ago fodgekd: Some of the schools are waiving the two year rule so check out all of the schools. It is also easier now to go to school part time. Vanderbilt and University of South Alabama both have part-time online courses for the MSN. Vanderbilt is an excellent school but very expensive. You also have to go to the campus twice a semester. You do not have to do that with USA. I do not know of any night classes for an MSN program. Your best bet, if you are very motivated and have plenty of discipline is to go with one of the online programs. It is not for everyone. It requires a lot of reading and self teaching. If you cannot set priorities and have limited self discipline, it will not work for you. Ginny |
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| Posted 11 months ago
Ginny |
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| Posted 11 months ago cdnurse said: I had considered psych nursing myself. I have a BS in Psych and minor in Sociology. During my late teens into my early 20's, I volunteered at the Community Mental Health facility where my mother was employed. It was in an outpatient unit and sometimes even at the independent living facilities. I felt that being a nurse and a counselor would be a great profession. Since that time I have never had the opportunity to work in mental health unit. I work primarily med-surg which is ortho/neuro and other general conditions. I am currently in school for my BSN and I want to pursue my MSN and ARNP in Acute Care. I do like psych but have not worked in the field. I am very skeptical of myself at times if I will succeed achieving my Masters and continuing for the NP. Would be very interested in joining Air Force Reserves. Of course cost is always an issue. I am an RN now. |
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| Posted 11 months ago Prissy, go for it. The money for school has a way of just showing up. Check out the Air Force and what options are there for you as far as school. Ginny |
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| Posted 11 months ago It has always been my dream to be an NP. However I find it difficult to decide between FNP or Gero NP. The practical part of meI leans more toward FNP but the passionate part of me leans more to Gero. But I feel I'll be limited if I do Gero. Cdnurse, what was your NP educational experience like? |
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| Posted 11 months ago mrsRN I say go with your passion. There are many opportunities out there for geri NPs. Ginny |