When I think of how the economy is affecting NPs' decisions to pursue a doctor of nursing practice degree, two scenarios come immediately to mind: Someone who has recently lost a job might decide that now is the perfect time to go back to school. Alternatively, someone who has a job might be reluctant to leave it and pay those tuition charges. ...

''Dear Career Coach, I have been offered my first NP job. I have to admit I am a little disappointed with the salary ($34.78/ hr). The average salary in my area is $85,000. My questions are: What would be a fair salary? Should I counter? The position is part-time without benefits. I have been in the medical field since 1985. I would appreciate any ...

I am really starting to see fallout from the economic crisis at my own college. Students, nursing and allied health, are being forced to drop out; not due to finances per se, but lack of health care coverage. Many of these students are working part time, can't afford coverage of their own, or have been dropped from their parent's plans. Older ...

Yesterday was my birthday.  I spent most of it deciding whether or not to continue in my NP program. With the economy in its current condition, I have to question the continuing expense of school, especially after finding out that my spouse may be laid off or furloughed from a state nursing job. My own employer has a current hiring freeze; ...

Today's Minneapolis Star Tribune features a guest editorial with an intriguing but radical proposal for stimulating economic recovery: Pay off all federally backed student loans. Wy Spano, director of the Masters of Advocacy and Political Leadership Program at the University of Minnesota in Duluth, argues in this editorial that college graduates ...

After being off over the holidays, it was difficult to get back into the swing of things for a new semester, both at work and in my own studies. Fortunately, however, I'm one of the lucky number who has a job to go back to! Watching the news every evening, I'm reminded of just how many people have NO job and are turning to new careers and going ...

A compilation of 100 blogs by RNcentral.com is called ''100 Best Blogs for Nursing Students.'' I'd venture to say that many of the blogs would also be interesting to NPs or NP students, such as ''The Nurse Practitioner's Place'' blog (number 37). Other NP blogs I follow from the ''top 100'' include ''What school doesn't teach you ...