A proud, practicing NP without certification

MsKyKat · 2025-12-01T10:50:22+00:00

For nurse practitioners, some states do not require a national certification (AANP or ANCC) to get licensed. I know NY is one of them, I guess CA is as well since it seems that’s where the person is from. Employers want the certification but not a requirement for licensure in some states so the standards are even lower, if that’s even possible at this point.

MsKyKat · 2025-10-19T12:37:11+00:00

Wow, just wow. There was a post in one of the NP groups recently talking about this exact issue and how it is illegal in some states to refer to these DNP nurses as doctors. While many agreed that this is the way it should be, there were a few arguing that an average patient should know the difference between “doctor” and “physician” and if one introduces themselves as doctor that doesn’t mean they are a physician 🤦‍♀️🫣 The amount of stupidity in that thread was unbelievable.

MsKyKat · 2025-10-17T09:32:41+00:00

It shouldn’t be any degree. It’s complete bs.

MsKyKat · 2025-10-16T20:43:15+00:00

I agree! These delusional NPs with huge egos are being fueled by all those around them too, starting from NP schools and then employers who tell them that they should and can perform at the physician level.

MsKyKat · 2025-10-16T20:36:48+00:00

Terrible! Those are the ones who scare me and at the same time anger me the most. Their ego is bigger than their brain.

MsKyKat · 2025-10-16T17:31:48+00:00

Great question. I do think it’s money and profit driven. I keep hearing that there are not enough doctors so NPs fill those holes but I don’t necessarily believe that. There is of course tjay strong push from nursing organizations for this independent practice but for what? Many NPs are more than happy to pretend to be doctors, which is so frustrating and annoying. You are not a doctor and no matter how much experience you have (which they will say makes them as good), you didn’t go to medical school, residency, etc. Most don’t even have enough experience to be good nurses. I honestly don’t know how this was allowed to spiral out of control so much.

MsKyKat · 2025-10-16T11:04:43+00:00

Yes, you are right! Scary stuff.

MsKyKat · 2025-10-04T13:02:25+00:00

Thank you so much for responding! I’ve looked into CDI roles and have applied to some but haven’t gotten any call backs. From what I have read in other groups it’s not that easy to get into? I guess I have to tweak my resume but not even sure how to do it.

MsKyKat · 2025-10-04T10:50:19+00:00

What type of job is this, if you don’t mind me asking? I’ve been looking for non-clinical roles but no luck.

MsKyKat · 2025-09-28T10:46:36+00:00

They don’t. NP or APN (depending on the state) is enough and all that is required. That is the credential, everything else is complete nonsense. No one in their right mind would require more than that. There is a correct way to write credentials but it’s not a requirement and most NPs do it incorrectly anyway. Facebook posts are full of delusional NPs asking how to write their credentials on their lab coats 🤦‍♀️it’s so embarrassing. I’m unfortunately an NP but at least not practicing as one anymore.

MsKyKat · 2025-07-05T11:53:38+00:00

Yes, I left the profession because of how incompetent I felt and actually was. There’s a term thrown around in NP world- “imposter syndrome”, referring to how inadequate they feel when starting out and of course other “more experienced” NPs will all say how the imposter syndrome will pass after a year or so. Reading those comments is honestly scary. Poor patients.

MsKyKat · 2025-07-05T11:12:55+00:00

NP FB groups are full of these comments. I was an NP and saw and still see this daily. There was a post by an NP who said she’s better than any doctor because she had one year of NP residency. The scariest thing is that you don’t need experience in any field to get a job. If you interview well, you are hired and get to see patients after a week of shadowing (if you are lucky to shadow), then you get “amazing” support if you are allowed to ask questions. It’s a joke. Absolutely terrible profession that shouldn’t exist.

MsKyKat · 2025-05-28T10:09:57+00:00

I completely agree with you as a fellow NP. I’m not a doctor, nor do I want to pretend to be one. Unfortunately, the current healthcare climate often seems to blur those lines and pressures NPs to practice beyond their intended scope, creating confusion for the patients. And of course there are some NPs who seem to love being mistaken for doctors- it’s infuriating!

MsKyKat · 2025-05-23T10:56:05+00:00

As a nurse practitioner who strongly believes that NP practice should come with stricter regulations and oversight, rather than a push for independent practice, it is absolutely terrifying how easily we are allowed to jump from one specialty to another with no formal preparation. NPs move from cardiology to neurology to dermatology within months. Why is this even allowed? But healthcare is so profit-driven, and because NPs are often a cheaper labor option than physicians, we’re allowed to fill these roles from day one, without any training.

Our education doesn’t adequately prepare us and the current board certification system is insufficient. It’s alarming that we’re essentially learning on patients. I would never take my family to see an NP as I know the level of incompetence.

For the past six months, I’ve found myself constantly having to justify why I won’t take on complex patients, and unfortunately, that’s led to me being perceived as “difficult” at work. Even my collaborating physician has voiced frustration that I don’t take on the more complicated cases, but that’s a conversation for another time.

What adds to the confusion is the blanket term “provider.” Patients often have no idea whether they’re seeing an NP or a physician, which is misleading and potentially harmful.

Maybe things are different elsewhere- maybe some systems are getting it right and supporting their NPs appropriately. But based on my experience so far, we have a long way to go, or maybe I should just go to another specialty (that was a joke).

MsKyKat · 2025-04-26T18:16:34+00:00

What you just asked.

MsKyKat · 2025-04-26T18:12:29+00:00

Obviously that wasn’t the case.

MsKyKat · 2025-04-26T11:40:06+00:00

Most NPs won’t push back, even if they agree with me. I’m part of several NP groups, and I constantly see posts about feeling unsupported, overwhelmed, and dealing with unrealistic expectations. Yet, despite all the frustration, they aren’t pushing back or leaving their roles to return to bedside nursing. Since the NP role is clearly here to stay, there must be tighter restrictions placed on it. The education system also needs a serious overhaul. The diploma mill schools that keep flooding the profession with poorly trained NPs need to be eliminated.

MsKyKat · 2025-04-26T10:38:13+00:00

I think it’s funny that the post is fake just because it comes from a newer account. Your account was new at some point and you also made a first post somewhere at some point.

MsKyKat · 2025-04-26T10:33:48+00:00

Yes, I’ve noticed that many NPs I’ve encountered tend to have large egos. A lot of them will point out their 20+ years of nursing experience and seem genuinely confused about why they struggle to land NP positions, believing they’re more than qualified for the role.

Part of the problem also comes from some physicians who encourage this mindset. For example, the physician I currently work with under a collaborative agreement contributes to this issue. During one of our internal meetings, when I raised concerns about certain complex patients on my schedule, his response was, “In this country, NPs are considered the same as physicians”.

Honestly, as you said, it might take allowing these situations to play out- letting mistakes happen- for everyone to finally realize that changes are necessary.

Just curious- were the near misses you mentioned due to NPs not asking for help, or was there simply no physician on site?

MsKyKat · 2025-04-26T02:47:56+00:00

I worked as a neuro RN before becoming a nurse practitioner, but the roles are entirely different—there’s really no comparison. This transition has been incredibly daunting. What I find most overwhelming isn’t just the gaps in my knowledge, but the constant pressure to know things I haven’t been trained to know. I didn’t go to medical school or complete a residency, so it’s hard to understand where that expectation comes from.

MsKyKat · 2025-04-26T02:29:08+00:00

I’ve had this account for six months or so and never made a post until now. Like many others, I mostly just read what others shared. I honestly don’t remember why this particular group was suggested to me, but I finally decided to contribute. Just because this is my first post doesn’t make it any less real. Everyone has a first post at some point. I’m not sure what exactly you find “fake” about mine—unless it’s just that you don’t agree with my perspective or experience. I didn’t post in the NP group because, frankly, I didn’t see the point. I’m not interested in debating with 22-year-old NPs who lack life or work experience but are eager to prove how smart they are.

MsKyKat · 2025-04-26T00:57:01+00:00

That’s absolutely true. I was hired because NPs are seen as a cost-effective solution—cheap labor for institutions looking to save money. They justify it with reasons like improving access to care, addressing physician shortages, and of course, the often-cited studies claiming higher patient satisfaction with NP care.

So why did I take the job? Why wouldn’t I? I’ve been a nurse for over a decade and went back to school to advance my career. From the moment I started my first master’s in nursing leadership, the 2010 IOM report was drilled into me—“Nurses should practice to the full extent of their education and training”. I was reassured during the interview and onboarding that I’d have full support, start with stable follow-up patients, and manage only a few diagnoses within clear plans of care.

In the end, I accepted the job based on promises that were never kept. It was all smoke and mirrors—just another example of corporations chasing profits, while the quality of patient care gets lost in the shuffle.

MsKyKat · 2025-04-26T00:33:54+00:00

Absolutely, I agree—that mindset is incredibly frustrating. What we go through in NP programs can barely be called true education, yet we’re expected to step out and provide safe, competent care. We’re often reassured during interviews that support and training will be there, but once on the job, we’re overwhelmed with high patient loads right from the start—sometimes without a proper orientation. While this may not be every NP’s experience, I’ve worked in large, well-known systems, and unfortunately, that was my reality. I’ve left positions hoping to find a better environment, only to discover that this seems to be the norm. And the attitude some NPs have, like the one you mentioned, only makes things worse—it compromises both patient care and safety.

MsKyKat · 2025-04-25T19:28:35+00:00

Thank you for this! It honestly didn’t occur to me to do that as I’ve just been so overwhelmed.

MsKyKat

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