New nurse - RN to MSN, or BSN to DNP?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi friends!

I am a fairly new nurse. I have 1 1/2 years of RN experience under my belt. Six months of that was spent on an adult medical surgical floor. The other year has been spent in a pediatric cardiac ICU. I have decided that floor nursing is not my ultimate goal. I am not only interested in education and management, but also in advanced practice nursing! I am so stuck. I have an interview coming up for a labor and delivery position. I love women's health and family. There is the FNP, Women's Health NP, and Midwifery programs in my state. But, as usual, there is also an education track and a leadership track as well. So, my first question is, do you need a masters degree in order to run a unit as a nurse manager? My current manager only has a BSN and we work in a magnet hospital. My second question is, is it more wise to go straight from RN-MSN? Or BSN-DNP? I currently only have my ASN, and I have been working on prerequisities towards the BSN. My ultimate goal is to have a higher degree than the BSN, so I'm wondering if I should change to RN-MSN or just get the bachelors, and decide from there if I want a masters or DNP. Thank you for any advice in advance!

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

I have been ER director and Supervisor, several DON positions, I'm a 1972 diploma RN , but I've 4.5 decades experience

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

I am halfway through MSN and I will probably do my DNP. It will take one calendar year to get DNP. I did ADN, then RN-BSN (it took me one year), now in part time MSN 2 years and then one year for DNP.

My manager does not have an MSN.

I am in the informatics program, so my timing may be different. I hope to be involved in clinical ed and some development of EHRs

Right now at Magnet teaching hosp. so lots of opportunities for me.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

I think you need to decide what you want to do FIRST- while getting that BSN. You're going on your third job in 1.5 years? You've hardly given yourself an opportunity to really to get good at something.

Settle down, decide what it is you want to do, THEN worry about what degree comes next.

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