Masters Degree with no experience in nursing ?

Nurses General Nursing

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Making a masters degree without previous experience in nursing? I earned a BSN 5 years ago, but I found it wasn't the right career for me, so I never took the board exam (nclex). I know it might be challenging to pursue a masters without having any experience as a nurse. After graduating I started working in warehouses and retail stores trying to think what to do with my career. Doing an associate or another bachelors doesn't make sense. So, I'd like to know what I can do. Suggestions? This is a little frustrating. That's why I'm continuing researching around. Some advisors (some online schools) will tell anything 'perfect' to enroll without thinking that I will have debts after plus finding a job won't be easy. I need alternative routes with good advices.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I don't understand exactly what you are asking for. Are you deciding that you want to be a nurse now? If so, talk to your state board about what would be required for you to take the NCLEX at this point. You might not need to anything but study -- or you might just need an inexpensive refresher course. If not, why even consider getting an MSN?

What did your state board say? Or did you not even bother to ask them what was required?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

It can be done, but as evidenced by another similar post, you will have trouble finding a job. You will be overqualified for a staff nurse position, but under qualified (lack of nursing experience) for a graduate nurse role.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Actually pursuing a completely different degree would make far MORE sense than getting an MSN without any experience or even a license, especially when combined with the fact that you hated nursing enough to work out of the industry completely for five years after graduation. WAY more sense.

Time to accept you made a mistake. You won't find it better for getting an MSN. You would just be throwing more money on a pile that you burned long ago.

Go do something else. Be happy. Seriously.

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I'm not talking about going back to Nursing or doing an MSN. When I say master's (MA), it means something different than nursing. I'm kinda asking, what could be a good masters (NOT related to Nursing ) I can pursue...

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I'm not talking about going back to Nursing or doing an MSN. When I say master's (MA), it means something different than nursing. I'm kinda asking, what could be a good masters (NOT related to Nursing ) I can pursue...

Anything you want to do. What are your interests?

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Specializes in PICU.

Since you did not take the boards you did not become a Nurse, so not having nursing experience is understandable. What you do have is a Bachelor's degree in the health care field. This can open doors for you in jobs and for degrees that don't require you to be a Nurse. Depending on the Master's degree program, you would have the same chances as other bachelor prepared prepared students. Do you have a specific field you are interested in? Many Master's program will list out there requirements, for example, GPA requirements, degree requirements, work experience, essays, recommendations, resume. Don't discount your work experience, it sounds like you have been working since graduation. Has anything you have worked on sparked an interest in learning more? You could consider, business, finance, management, HR, etc. maybe Industrial Organization Psychology, HR, Project Planning, Public Administration.

Good Luck!!!

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I'm not talking about going back to Nursing or doing an MSN. When I say master's (MA), it means something different than nursing. I'm kinda asking, what could be a good masters (NOT related to Nursing ) I can pursue...

Depends on your interests. What about a Master's in Public Health (MPH)?

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Oh, now I understand. Thank you for the clarification.

What type of work do you want to do? That's the real question. Don't invest time and money on a degree in any field unless you are serious about working in that field after you graduate. Too many people make the mistake of getting a degree in "whatever," believing that they will figure out what to do with that degree later. Once they graduate, they realize they don't really want the jobs that their new degree qualifies them for. So first, figure out what type of work you want to do. Try out a little of that type of work if possible (even if it is just as a volunteer) to find out if you really like it. Then and only then should you invest in a degree that will qualify you to work in that field.

Good luck

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