Re: Second degree BSN, Direst entry MSN, Nurse Practitioner! Help! Originally Posted by lulu123 
Thank you so much for all the advice. I have been looking into all the options, there are just so many to choose from and they all seem to have advantages and disadvantages. I've looked into psych/mental health NP programs. I've worked in mental health before and truly love it, and really believe it's what I want to do long term, as a career. Psychologist wasn't for me and neither was psychiatrist, they didn't involve what I was looking for. I even investigated a masters in social work so that I might be a counselor, but psych NP seemed the most like what I wanted to do. Now if I went after an accelerated BSN , I would work after receiving it as an RN? And then go back to school to obtain a MSN to become a NP? I'm just trying to get the logistics of all these options sorted out...is that what most of you would advise? Would I be more able to get an NP job? Or would I simply have more experience? Would I be better prepared going this route over the direct-entry MSN? Thank you again for all the good information, and I'm willing to listen even more from you all! Thanks!
I am doing an accelerated BSN program and then after working for a while as an RN going on for the advanced degree and NP. I'm not quite sure what specialty (though I'm leaning to ANP or FNP). But because I wasn't sure, I chose to do the accelerated BSN so that I could get exposure to the field first so that I would be sure when applying for grad school. Also, I missed certain deadlines and my application for grad school with letters and statement of intent weren't complete, so I wasn't prepared to apply to direct entry programs. And because I want to go to a really excellent graduate program, I felt my application would be strengthened by having an RN and a little experience first. I think I will be able to get into a top program with the RN first. And the best of the direct entry programs are very very hard to get into, requiring excellent letters of ref, good GRE scores, good grades, volunteer exp or knowledge of nursing, etc. If you've got all those things mentioned above and you already know what you want to specialize in, I'd go for the direct entry option. This is my personal opinion, but I don't think experience as an RN is required for success as an NP. However, I don't think it can hurt either. Also, there's cost of the program to consider and time as well. I wish you well on your path and that you find the perfect program just for you!
Cheers J
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