NP Jobs Red Flags
I know times are tough in the NP job market, but you are more “stuck” in NP roles as opposed to nursing roles so you should do your due diligence when considering your next job. In this article I discuss the big red flags I feel you should look out far in regards to money, people, terms, contract, and the interviewing process. I share the top 3 questions you can ask to illuminate whether those concerns are valid or not.
When Should You Start Job Applications
January…the month following December graduation. It’s a joyous time, and you absolutely should be celebrating. But what comes next? What I see across the nurse practitioner forums and social media are two big concerns: board exams and job acquisition. I wrote about board certification and how to prep for this a few weeks ago; today I’d like to focus on a topic that I think half the people are getting wrong. That is timing for job application. Many NP students ask when is the right time and the responses are mixed. On a recent post I tallied it was completely split 50/50. Half the people felt you should apply while in school and half felt you should wait until exam and licensing is complete. My argument is that if you are waiting until the latter you are behind the eight ball. Statistically speaking, I know this is likely to stress out half of you and that is not my goal. Hear me out, there are many reasons why I advocate for earlier efforts. Let’s talk about job applications.
Clinical Pearls: Evaluating For Intubation
When is it time to say it’s time? I think back on the really bad days of the pandemic when I walked from room to room asking myself this question repeatedly. Honestly, for intensive care unit level covid that’s what it felt like - a few random meds that typically didn’t help, supportive care, and careful vigilance for when it was time to go on the dreaded vent. Our patients feared it, our families feared it; it was the elephant in the room every time you walked in. Outside of covid pneumonia, there are a million reasons why a patient needs mechanical vent support and failing lungs are just one component. This is a very common question I get asked when I am training a nurse practitioner student Here’s how I approach evaluating a patient for intubation need.
NP vs RN: Differences in employment structure
This topic comes from a question I received from a client asking to explain how nurse practitioners fit into a physician run group. She expressed her surprise to learn that many APPs and physicians who work in a hospital are not employed by the hospital and asked for feedback about how this works and how nurse practitioners fit into this model. I definitely understand this confusion. As nurses, we are used to standard hospital or health system employment with clear hierarchical management. In this post I’ll talk about my experience with this and the main differences between NPs and RNs in regards to:
Who employs you.
Who manages/directs you.
How you get paid.
Who your colleagues are.
Clinical Pearls: Waveform Capnography
End tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) measures exhaled carbon dioxide, it therefore reflects the efficacy with which CO2 is pumped back to the lungs (indirect measurement of cardiac output) and then exhaled (ventilation). Waveform Capnography is a continuous tracing, or waveform, of ETCO2. It is very useful when assessed as a trend.
The Questions You Ask In Your RN/NP Interview Matter…More Than You Think
The most crucial phase of the nurse practitioner interview is when you ask questions of the interviewer. Do not sleep on this golden opportunity to sell yourself!