Am I too young to go straight to get my Masters degree

RobNRN · Mar 18, 2014

You could work as a nurse for at least a year or so and find out if you like the reality of nursing first before you make a big time and $$ commitment.

But everyones different so...

Dudenurse73 · Mar 19, 2014

Ashstev,

I started my NP program at 23. I had less than a year of nursing experience. This is a hot topic on this website, but I did it and I've been successful in school to this point. I honestly believe that my lack of experience will not jeopardize my patient care in the future or I would not of pursued my graduate degree this quickly (Maybe I'm too naive to know the difference). I love being a nurse, however I do not want to do it for the rest of my life. I am becoming a nurse practitioner instead of a physician assistant because of the word "nurse" in the job title and the connotation that comes with it. Both good and bad.

I was lucky and graduated nursing school with 0 debt due to a football and academic scholarship so I did not have to worry as much about the financial commitment of graduate school with no previous debt.

I have read 100's of people saying you should wait to get experience and 100's of people saying RN experience doesn't matter. I work full time and go to school part time on certain semesters and full time during other semesters. I do think my short RN experience has benefited me in classes especially when critical thinking is needed (something that I don't believe can be completely developed in nursing school and something I have not mastered yet). I work in an ER where nurses have great autonomy and physicians work side by side with RNs and include them in patient treatment planning. The physicians encourage a nurse to think instead of the paternalistic approach that is sometimes seen.

Ultimately you will know if your ready to begin an advanced degree. You need to seek consultation from your undergraduate advisers who do have those advanced degrees and ask for honest constructive feedback. Shadow other NP's, challenge yourself to learn above what is required, ask millions of questions, and be honest with yourself. Best of luck!!!!

PatMac10,RN, RN · Mar 19, 2014

I became a nurse (ADN) at 20 (about 4 months before turning 21) and hope to start grad school in the next year, before I turn 23. I will have been a nurse a little over a year if I start in August of 2015.

I don't think I'm to young. I did want to get a year of experience for my own personal goals. I've learned so much, and still have an incredible amount of stuff to learn, but I am building a great base of knowledge.

I think you will be the only one that can answer that. People told me that I wouldn't be serious enough to start nursing school at 18. I did it and graduated. They told me that I wouldn't get a job, especially in a critical care setting. I got my first choice job in a CVICU managed by Duke Medicine. It's all about what you are willing to do.

My point being, take the advice you revived seriously, but also stick to what you kno/c. Not b/c they don't mean well, but you will get as many varied answers and reasoning as there are stars.

I found a few experienced individuals I trusted and talked with them. Evaluated what I knew about myself and created a plan off of that.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses

Retired APRN, MSN, RN, APRN · Mar 19, 2014

Why do you want to become a nurse practitioner? How do you know you want to?

I am admittedly old school. After a year in med-surg, I spent a few years as a staff nurse, then charge, then head nurse in psychiatry. I came to realize that

* I was a better nurse than I was an administrator;

* I had a good sense for connecting with different kinds of patients and working with them therapeutically;

* I was fascinated by psychopharmacology; and

* I was straining at the reins in pursuit of more independence in my practice.

Those are the factors that decided me to become a psychiatric and mental health nurse practitioner. I would not have been able to make that decision at the very beginning of my career.

However, I had already started on my MSN before making this decision. I knew that I was academically oriented. I figured an MSN would be useful if I went into education, administration or advanced practice.

I can't tell you if you're too young; maybe you're more mature than I was as a new grad. All I can do is share my experience and hope it gives you some kind of perspective.

allnurses Guide · Mar 19, 2014

I say go for it. Get this done now. I've given this advice to many local high school kids who were interested in nursing and becoming a nurse practitioner. Some actually came back to the valley and are working and doing well. So far, no one has regretted getting all their education completed before marriage and family, while they were young.

Edited to add: Of course my experience is anecdotal as is the other nurses who have posted here so take all the advice given and come to your own conclusion! Whatever works best for you.