Becoming a (d)NP with only OR experience?

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Ive been considering switching from my generic MSN to a DNP program. But my biggest worry is I never did bedside nursing.

I have no experience (at all) starting IVs, I very rarely give medication, hell the only medication I pretty much see regularly is local + ancef/vanco.

My assessments are very different from bedside assessments

Im a little worried about whether the move would be viable for me. I know many of the surgeons/anesthesiologist have NPs, but I have no idea the backgrounds.

Could I still be successful becoming an NP ? Or would going from OR > NP be a bizarre leap?

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You don't need to be a Nurse Practitioner in order to earn a DNP. The DNP is a doctorate in nursing practice and, depending on the program you are enrolled in, can be earned after you complete your MSN. Of course, there are seemingly a ton of different programs which go from BSN to DNP, MSN to DNP, etc... In any event, if you want to be a nurse practitioner I would highly suggest getting a nursing job on the floor. It will allow you to piece together the various pieces that you will be learning about as a NP student. I don't know about the surgical NP's in terms of their backgrounds. To answer your question, going from the OR to being an NP is, in my opinion, doable but it will be a significant leap.

Do you want to be a surgical NP? Or do you want to transition into medicine? In either event, you'll be doing clinicals either in primary care or the hospital depending on whether you pursue primary care or acute care NP education. I'm not familiar with any programs that have surgical experience as part of the NP curriculum. My understanding is that NP's that work in the OR have been "taken on" to be trained by a MD.

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You don't need to be a Nurse Practitioner in order to earn a DNP. The DNP is a doctorate in nursing practice and, depending on the program you are enrolled in, can be earned after you complete your MSN. Of course, there are seemingly a ton of different programs which go from BSN to DNP, MSN to DNP, etc... In any event, if you want to be a nurse practitioner I would highly suggest getting a nursing job on the floor. It will allow you to piece together the various pieces that you will be learning about as a NP student. I don't know about the surgical NP's in terms of their backgrounds. To answer your question, going from the OR to being an NP is, in my opinion, doable but it will be a significant leap.

Do you want to be a surgical NP? Or do you want to transition into medicine? In either event, you'll be doing clinicals either in primary care or the hospital depending on whether you pursue primary care or acute care NP education. I'm not familiar with any programs that have surgical experience as part of the NP curriculum. My understanding is that NP's that work in the OR have been "taken on" to be trained by a MD.

Oh I know, im thinking of going the full DNP NP rout.

Id like to be either a surgical NP, or an NP working with/for surgeons/anesthesiologist seeing post op patients and that kind of thing.

What I dont want to be doing is becoming a house physician and seeing random patients to be putting in chest drains and such.

Im not necessarily dead set on being a "surgical np" but I do enjoy the surgical/outpatient aspect much more. And dealing with relatively healthy people who actually get better is the part that im kind of dead set on the most

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Sounds like working on a surgical floor or even inpatient PACU would teach you a lot.

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I assume that as an NP with only OR experience id still be better off than some of these BSN > DNP students with no experience, no?

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Okay I have no advice, but I can say that I am in the EXACT same situation that you are in right now!!!!!

Which programs are you looking at? Brick and mortar or online?

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Have you thought about becoming a PA? I see more PAs involved in the preoperative realm than NPs. You would actually gain valuable surgical experience and have opportunities for postgraduate residencies in a PA program. The closest NP education model for the job you are describing is ACNP.

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Not sure if it's different in other places, but in my area PA schools are EXTREMELY competitive and you cannot work while in school---for that reason alone I would not be able to consider it.

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Are you thinking about becoming a First Assistant or another field all together? Or do you want to round on pre op and post op patients? Maybe see them in the office post op? Do you have a surgeon contact who would hire you to do just that? Maybe a DNP would be overkill in this arena.

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Have you thought about becoming a PA? I see more PAs involved in the preoperative realm than NPs. You would actually gain valuable surgical experience and have opportunities for postgraduate residencies in a PA program. The closest NP education model for the job you are describing is ACNP.

PA wouldnt be as financially viable plus more prereqs and stuff,

Not to mention with the DNP id have a terminal degree, so teaching down the road would be a very viable option. Which is also something that interests me

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Okay I have no advice, but I can say that I am in the EXACT same situation that you are in right now!!!!!

Which programs are you looking at? Brick and mortar or online?

Im actually looking at Stony Brook

Its local, cheap (state school) and ive gone there before so I personally know some of the faculty (whose opinions ill be seeking in February)

Its a blended program online + brick/mortar

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Are you thinking about becoming a First Assistant or another field all together? Or do you want to round on pre op and post op patients? Maybe see them in the office post op? Do you have a surgeon contact who would hire you to do just that? Maybe a DNP would be overkill in this arena.

Im not completely certain, but all of the things in this realm (minus the other field) interest me.

I actually know an anesthesiologist who desperately needs an NP for his patients, but of course i wouldnt be able to become one for a few years

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