How to be an APN in ten easy steps....or how to spend oodles of $$ on your education

How to become an advanced practice nurse in ten easy steps! Nurses Announcements Archive Article

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Heogog53

200 Posts

Specializes in CCU, OR.

Well, thanks Cingle, I'll look into it.

As for what do I like about nursing and what do I do for a living as a nurse?

I'm an OR nurse. I did Critical Care out of school, got into some political trouble with the Director of Critical Care, transferred to the OR over her strenuous objections and have now worked in 5 OR's. I've also done some home health care(was DON of a small home health care agency), tried out LTC and tried working for a few months as a psych nurse(biggest mistake I ever made).

I've been in the OR since 1984. I'd love to be a Nurse Educator(but not where I work now!) or possibly a NP working with pain management(large interest of mine).

My back is a mess, I have fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, have had shingles, vertigo and missed lots of work for them as well as the back injury(a patient fell on me).

I'm getting much too old for this staff nurse stuff. Right now I am able to work 3 8's a week, hoping to go to 3 10's soon. I fear that I may never be able to work fulltime again.

As to going to grad school and working----I'm not sure how I'd manage it; working alone takes all the stuffing out of me.

This seems to be some kind of a crossroads for me. Am still contemplating my navel about school, about what I'd be looking for in a MSN program....

A very confused RN

cingle

86 Posts

Speaking of navel gazing...this quote has kept me going through some difficult times over the past couple of years of school.

"A lot of people will try and talk you out of pursuing your dream. The world has too many people who are happy to discuss why something might not work, and too few who will cheer you on and say, 'I'm there for you.' The more time you spend navel-gazing, the longer you have those negative gravitational forces to keep you in their tether...If there is something out there that you want to do...don't focus on the obstacles. Don't ask for permission. Just dive in."

--John Wood, "Leaving Microsoft to Change the World: An Entrepreneur's Odyssey to Educate the World's Children"

longbow.shelly

89 Posts

Bravo! Or should I say, BRAVA! Talk about persistence! I guess the Chinese would say your sign is Water since no matter what is in the path, Water finds it's way to where it's going, and if it gets holed up in the process, eventually becomes so strong in one place that it overpowers the obstacles. As in a dam.....Dams being man made or animal made. Anyway, not to ramble, but very impressive, and 50 years young! Fantastic!:yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah:

CANRN, MSN, RN

238 Posts

Specializes in Hospice and Palliative Care, Family NP.
Exactly Island40 - I'm still paying off my BSN student loans! One of the reasons I'll be working till I'm 70! lol - glad to know I'll have company.

Well move over girls and make room for me! I will also be in my 70's and paying off student loans.

I graduated hs in 1970, got married, two kids, divorced, remarried, another child and nursing school. Got my ADN in 1997, I will have my BSN in October and I am in the process of applying to MSN school. Thinking of Education because of the grant money available for nurses who want to teach, but also like the NP. HEck, maybe I'll just do both!

:coollook:

Itshamrtym

472 Posts

Well move over girls and make room for me! I will also be in my 70's and paying off student loans.

I graduated hs in 1970, got married, two kids, divorced, remarried, another child and nursing school. Got my ADN in 1997, I will have my BSN in October and I am in the process of applying to MSN school. Thinking of Education because of the grant money available for nurses who want to teach, but also like the NP. HEck, maybe I'll just do both!

:coollook:

Go For IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:yeah::yeah::yeah:

Itshamrtym

472 Posts

Thanks Soozul - good luck with YOUR path!

Hello!!! Just curious why do you think going ADN-MSN is better than ADN-BSN-MSN? Love your blog.......... Thanks....

anandmar

1 Post

hi, i hav Msn(Medical Surgical Nursing) from India with three years Of ER experience and teaching experience in us. what should i do to get apn licensure or certification

MaritesaRN

427 Posts

Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.
How to become an advanced practice nurse in ten easy steps!

My very different educational path has probably furnished some professor with a new BMW or Lexus. I am not endorsing this route but rather explaining why you should look before you leap...we have to start in the beginning...

I am now middle-aged (ouch, even hurts to type those letters). But, let's face it; my 50th birthday was last year and unless I plan to live to be past 100, I AM middle-aged. As such, I think I have earned the right to reflect back on my path..

Graduated from high school in 1977 and went right into nursing school. Got a little apartment, worked nights as a nursing assistant (before they had to be certified) and toiled away at school. Okay, now its May 1978 and I've been in school for over a year and have just one semester left (I had done my pre-reqs while in HS). I'm getting tired of the grind and want something different. So...I wandered into the military recruiting office. The Air Force guy was on the phone, the Army people were out to lunch but hey, here is a Navy man, all decked out in his whites - not too shabby! "How would you like to be in the Navy?" Okay what do you have to offer me? $$$ for college (sounds good to a broke student), chance to travel and meet new people. So..he sits me down and I take this aptitude test: "wow, he says, you are smart." Being all of 19, I was flattered. Like a used car salesman, he then tells (sells) me that "he doesn't want me to waste my life" and that I could get valuable experience in the Navy. And...I would get a regular paycheck and my rent, meals, uniforms would all be paid for by the Navy. What a deal! Less than one week later, I was in Chicago and then Orlando for boot camp. First big mistake of my life: Florida in May, June and July! Hot, hot, hot!

Anyway, fast forward to 1980, met my husband, got married and oh oh...since he was in the Air Force, we couldn't be stationed toether. Ooops, forgot to figure out that one should fall in love with someone in the same branch of the military. Okay, I'll get out and follow him around..done deal.

Again, fast forward to 1990 - after moving all over the world (literally), I head back to school. Now, I KNOW I want to be a nurse. However, stupid person that I was, I didn't drop my classes when I joined the USN, I just quit going to school, leaving me with a 0.7gpa. Needless to say, few schools were impressed. Did pre-reqs again, got accepted into an LPN program on academic probation. I'm now a serious student and do fine, gpa-wise. Hubby still on active duty, we keep moving..went from the LPN program right into an ADN program and voila....I'm an RN! Moved yet again and took an ER job..after a few years, I realized that going back to school was going to be necessary...

Had I been smart, I would have looked into an ADN to MSN program. Nope, not me..type A person that I am, I just jumped into an online BSN program, finished that, then went into an MSN program. However, when I finished the MSN program, I realized that I didn't like management and it was a non-clinical MSN track. Oh oh, goofed again! Back to school for a post-MSN adult heath CNS. Ok - finished that and oh oh again, no jobs! Took a job outside the ER and figured I would get back to the ER sometime..fast forward to now and I'm heading back to school to pick up yet another post-MSN CNS, this time in child/family.

My convoluted path has caused many problems: spent too much time, money and effort in school. Looking back, I wished that I had stayed in school the first time. However, then I consider I would never have met my husband (we are at our 29th anniversary in two weeks), never would have had my two sons, never would have had my grandchildren. Life happens for a reason....and I'm just now accepting that. Well....I have another 50 years or so to accept it I guess!

:yeah:I just can not say thank you. I love your attitude, an acceptance of your pathway. Yes, I guess at times, life have other plans for us. You have not wasted anything---- it was your pathway to get where you are now! A thousand kudos to you !!!! :bow:

neyquick

3 Posts

You are a strong smart lady.

MaritesaRN

427 Posts

Specializes in psychiatric, UR analyst, fraud, DME,MedB.
Go For IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:yeah::yeah::yeah:

Wow, I am 62 and still working and plan to until I crawl to work! I am not sad about it. I have a daughter and grandaughter that depends on me, and you know what ?? it is a privilege to be able to do this. If you are healthy and have a good attitude inside you about yourself , then you may live longer to 600 like Moses! What was he taking to live that long and build an ark?

Anyhow, you are an inspiration to me dear lady. go for it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :bow:

In my desk I wrote in bold black letters, as a reminder always, "ALL LIMITITATIONS ARE SELF IMPOSED! "

jpRN84, BSN, RN

123 Posts

Specializes in Psychiatric, Detox/Rehab, Geriatrics.

I hear that many of the RN-MSN programs are more expensive than doing, RN-BSN, then to MSN. Anyone know of any truth to this ? Thanks in advance for the advice

hmbanks

2 Posts

I work for South University's Online extension and we may be able to help you, actually. I can't BELIEVE all the stories I'm reading from people just like you who have been through the ringer in the 70's and 80's as far as school goes. It amazes me! It seems like things are not very straight-forward for people who want to be nurses and that is very sad to me! I admit, I am new to this University and working with the Healthcare degrees is also new to me, but one thing I've noticed in my short time: Nurses and those who want to get into the healthcare field are VERY motivated, very dynamic people. Please give me a call directly after checking us out at http://online.southuniversity.edu at 1-888-333-5645. I would be delighted to speak to you and see what we can do to help you.......any of you, actually!