Increase admission chances: Direct entry CNL

Nurses General Nursing

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hi everyone,

this is my first time posting to this forum but have already become enthralled with all the helpful topics. i am interested in pursuing a direct entry clinical nurse leader program next year in hopes of later pursuing a career as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. my biggest concern is that i have absolutely no nursing experience and due to patient confidentiality rules, i haven't been able to find a clinically relevant volunteer opportunity. i come from a heavily research-based background having been a research assistant for 4 years including conducting experiments in an infant development lab and spending a summer interning in a cognitive psychology lab. i graduated college with honors and degrees in psychology and molecular cellular developmental biology. i also spent a year volunteering with a schizophrenic community and another year with children with mood disorders. i plan on taking 3 prerequisite classes over the course of a year and a half while i work full time as a manager for a neuroscience lab. i want to be the strongest applicant that i can be however i can't help but feel that i am severely lacking in my clinical experience. is there anything i can do to strengthen my chances? what do you all think? could my background hurt my chances? i have a passion working with the mental health community and i feel as if i have found the perfect career, and i am also excited to learn all the skills of an rn as well. any help is greatly appreciated.

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Why not look for an accelerated BSN program (since you already have your bachelor's), become an RN, then find a grad school to do your MSN to become a psych-mental health NP? It is not necessary to be a CNL to be a PMHNP.

There are also direct-entry programs that will take you from RN to MSN/NP, but use caution in being locked in so early (your passion may change as you experience the clinical environment). Also, working as an RN for a few years may be important in your local job market vs. going straight through to being an NP.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

Agree with PP.

Don't lock yourself in.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
Why not look for an accelerated BSN program (since you already have your bachelor's), become an RN, then find a grad school to do your MSN to become a psych-mental health NP? It is not necessary to be a CNL to be a PMHNP.

There are also direct-entry programs that will take you from RN to MSN/NP, but use caution in being locked in so early (your passion may change as you experience the clinical environment). Also, working as an RN for a few years may be important in your local job market vs. going straight through to being an NP.

Yes and while this is only my experience the BSN new graduates I have worked with have been much better nurses when it comes to actually doing clinical things on the floor. I'm not sure if they have more clinical hours or the fact that many of the CNLs are led to believe they will be stepping into management positions but that has been my experience. FWIW with your background you sound like a very desirable candidate.

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BSN 1.5 yrs or less, and your idea 3 yrs for CNL, plus additional 2-3yrs on top of that even for Mental Health NP. So 5-6yrs of school with your idea vs 3-4 if you just start with BSN. BTW a lot of NPs I know think Family NP is the way to go...you can work in mental health with FMP or anywhere really. FMP is a flexible NP can work anywhere really

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Instead of volunteering, you might consider trying to actually get a job as a mental health partner on a psych unit. On the locked unit where I did my clinicals, they conducted group sessions, did 15 min checks on the patients, checked vitals, etc. and were great at dealing with nervous nursing students :) They were kind of like the nurse assistants you would find on typical nursing units. Most positions like this ask for an undergraduate degree in psych, and it sounds like you have lots of relevant experience that would easily get you in.

Plus, you'd be making GREAT contacts for when you graduate!

Best of luck! We really, really need people in psych who are dedicated and motivated to the field. You are doing angel work. :redbeathe

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Specializes in ICU, M/S,Nurse Supervisor, CNS.
BSN 1.5 yrs or less, and your idea 3 yrs for CNL, plus additional 2-3yrs on top of that even for Mental Health NP. So 5-6yrs of school with your idea vs 3-4 if you just start with BSN. BTW a lot of NPs I know think Family NP is the way to go...you can work in mental health with FMP or anywhere really. FMP is a flexible NP can work anywhere really

This is just what I was thinking. Why go through the extra few years of school (and the added expense) when you can just go straight for the BSN then the NP. Believe me, I know from experience. When I finished my BSN I wanted to pursue a CNS, but could not find a program in my local area. I didn't realize these programs can be done completely online (except the clinicals) nowadays. So, determined to get a MSN, I went to school and got a dual MSN/MHA degree though I never really gave up my desire for a CNS. Now, I've accepted a job as a nurse clinician which is essentially my employer's stepping stone to a CNS; I now have 3 years to obtain my CNS for this job. Sooo, back to school I go...again! I really wish I would have just done a little better research a few years ago and just went straight for the CNS...would have saved me a ton of time and money.

Your goal is to be an NP, so get your BSN, get a job in psych for a while and then start applying for the NP program. It has been my experience (as well as some of my friends) that MSN programs are not as difficult to get into as say any of the RN programs, meaning you are not likely to have the long waiting lists. As long as you meet the criteria and submit the required information, you'll probably get in. Good luck!

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BSN or CNL. You have very great background to succeed. You will get the clinical experience once you enter into the program (whatever you decide). One thing though, your background is just the right background needed for a Clinical Nurse Leader and I can tell you once you graduate and get some on the floor experience it would be real easy for you to practice as a CNL. You can also go on to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

Consider the expenses of going for a CNL vs BSN.

Once again your background is real strong and I believe you will do very well.

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Thanks everyone for their thoughtful responses! In terms of the BSN vs. the CNL, my only option is the CNL since the school I am applying to only offers the CNL (and it is a highly regarded program!) and is in the town I live in while the nearest school that offers the accelerated BSN is over an hour away. When I consider the expenses of going for a CNL vs. BSN, it becomes clear that getting a CNL in my town where I can take the bus to school for 2 years is better than driving over 2 hours round-trip for a 1 1/2 years. Plus, I will be able to apply for financial aid in either program. The BSN seems to have no clear benefits over getting the MSN with the CNL program.

The reason I am looking for volunteer opportunities is because I already have a full-time job that I absolutely love. I think it would be risky in this job market to quit my job and find a job in healthcare that may not pay as well. I understand wanting to get that experience, but I simply cannot quit my job- I love the work and the people too much!

This brings me back to my original question of what opportunities can I pursue that will allow me more clinical experience? Would a volunteer position in a hospital help? I have tried contacting multiple hospitals and organizations in the area but they have repeatedly turned me down due to patient confidentiality. Surely there must be some way for a potential nursing student to gain clinical experience. It's a double edged sword! Admissions say I need a letter of recommendation from a healthcare professional, but how can I get one if I am not allowed to work under a nurse?

This is the career I desire, I want to go to nursing school and be a nurse and then a nurse practitioner.

Thanks so much!

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