[USER]

Hello everyone! I have a question to people who are on a medical field , nursing specifically! I am in my late 30s, immigrant , started career late cause had to start school from the scratch in USA.

I am a registered nurse with 3 years of experience,working bedside .

Working beside and crazy long hours not only physically demanding but also mentally .

The money make now , even with max rate per hour as RN, I cannot see myself any where retiring until I am 65. I think I will be dead by this time .

As right now ,I have an opportunity to go to grad school and get nurse practitioner degree.

The salaries are also not as amazing ,but the labor is different with approximately 120-140k when you have some experience.

But all ppl who become NPs says that this career is not worth it due working after hours ,more responsibility without big money !!

Is there any NPs or nurses who found the way of being happy again ??

I love medicine and what I do .. but cannot see myeself doing what I do physically and mentally for the next 25 years

[Chad]

I am a neonatal NP. Love my job. It’s a different role than bedside but def can see some longevity with it.

I paid off my school debt quickly.

I would advise trying to borrow as little as possible and going for it!

[Jessica]

I’ve been an RN for the past 19 years in NYC. I also went for my PNP, but chose to work bedside bc the NP pay was not worth it to me.

I started out in Peds Med-Surg and PICU, but I’ve been in the Peds PACU the past 9 years and I love it.

I work part-time and do 4-5 8-hr on-call shifts per month.

I contribute to my 403b, a Roth IRA, and a taxable brokerage. I also have pensions from my old job and my current one.

I’m on track to retire at 54. I also have 2 kids.

[Julie]

I’m an NP at an outpatient clinic which is super chill. I couldn’t dream of anything better but I started 6 years ago.

[Hannah]

RN for 8 years here. I went back to school and got my PhD in nursing science and research to be a clinician research scientist.

Bedside nursing will break your body and your soul after a while.

More $$ and better retirement benefits as an advanced degree nurse for sure.

[Amanda]

With 11 years of nursing experience (and 20 in healthcare), I understand the physical demands of hospital work and the desire for a change, a sentiment I share.

The key question is: what more do you want to achieve?

If financial concerns are paramount, explore alternative nursing careers; numerous fulfilling options exist.

Personally, I sought greater community impact and patient care autonomy.

This led me to establish my own business and a non-profit organization, culminating in earning my Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. This independence is invaluable.

Identify your goals and develop a plan. I am happy to offer mentorship.

[Jackie]

My spouse went to school for FNP. The job offers at the time were about the same as full-time bedside with a couple OT days a month.

The growth potential is much higher but I’ve also read a lot of anecdotal “it’s not worth it” posts online.

We decided to keep bedside RN with OT for the insane flexibility and lack of working at home.

[Christin]

Look at Care Management, salary is not that much less than NP and no need for higher degree – and my mental health as a nurse is the best it’s ever been

[Laura]

I’m still bedside. But, I’ve had several friends say they wished they hadn’t made the jump. One friend actually went back to bedside.

One extra shift a month bedside equated the same amount of pay as he made as an NP.

But, without the extra responsibility, call, or student debt.

[Dorice]

I am an ARNP (midwife/ womens health nurse practitioner). I went back as an adult to nursing school (2nd degree program) at 27 and then graduated midwifery school at 32. Depending on where you live, 140k as an NP is a high estimate.

After 22 years I left midwifery and went back into nursing. As a nurse, I can’t let things slide.

I’m super detail oriented and took Mt responsibility foe these moms and babies seriously. In general, our population is sick. It’s a TON of work staying current.

And I was paid for 40 hours and never worked less than 60. Chart prepping in advance, then charting after hours, finishing notes, reviewing labs and ultrasounds. AND, yiur success 100% rests on how effective, well trained, and serious your support staff are…. from the check in people, to your medical assistant, nurses, and NP or physician colleagues.

Even when I cut down to 30 hours, I expected to work 4, but when that grew to 55 -60 hours, and I loss the support of my boss, I was done.

Keeping good, entry level, lower paid staff (16-20/hr) is impossible. They are always and rightfully so, switching jobs and often frustrated with the heavy demands of a job. And, now, I punch a clock.

I could make overtime when census is high, but I don’t.

I punch in, punch out, and give those few women and babies 100% of my highly skilled, master’s prepared knowledge base, 26 years of experience attention for 12 hours (and I get a lunch break usually, or if I don’t, I get paid for it).

If you worked the overtime as an RN yiu would easily make more than an office based NP provider.

I think hospital based NP jobs (CNM hospitalist or CRNA) work 12 or 24 hours with no charting at home. That kind of NP job would be a good gig. PMHNP is also largely reimbursable as the need now is so high.

Good luck! There are SO many options w nursing and having a speciality or creating your own business out of it is possible, but that wasn’t for me.

[Tam]

I was a nurse for 25 years and went into real estate in 2019 and retired after working on rehabbing houses and working crazy hours.

I now only work to keep my license hours every couple year.

Wish I would’ve gone into real estate sooner.

Also, you can switch up nursing areas but getting an NP probably not worth it.

[Megan]

Look for RN opportunities that pay better. Float nurses, weekend option nurses and travel nurses make about 1.5 times base pay without the added responsibility of becoming an NP.

[Kasey]

Try a different specialty? What unit are you working med/surge is the most physically challenging and mentally draining in my opinion

[Tanner]

The best part about nursing is that there are so many different career paths you can go that you’ll make good money and have the work/life balance without being exhausted all the time.

I have been an RN for 20 years and worked inpt bedside and outpatient and in admin roles.

I now work in infusion center mon- Thurs (8hr days) and I am so happy to be able to take care of patients and go home and enjoy life

[Kate]

If you decide not to go back to school, consider something less-bedside like Pre-Op (ours is called Day Surgery), PACU or a procedural area like IR or the cath lab.

These areas generally require less physical labor and would be easier to pick up extra hours.

[Howard]

NP here.
I often dream of working my 12s and going home. Instead, it’s a patient volume business with incredible amounts of admin.

Moneys not that much better than if you work a travel RN position to be honest.

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