BSN vs. MSN - Nurse Practitioner?

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A little bit about myself: I am a Nursing/Army ROTC student/cadet at the University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY) at the UK college of nursing. My course is a 4-year BSN track...

After a 4-year BSN, is it possible to become an NP, or does becoming an NP require an MSN?

Does anything change if you are an Army/Military nurse, because they have their own specialty programs.

Any other BSN vs.MSN info?

Thanks, for the help, y'all!

I am abbreviating Nurse practitioner as NP.

I understood that. It just seems from your questions that you may be unclear about the role differences between an RN and an NP. They really are very different roles.

Specializes in CNA.

Oh, sorry for the confusion..

As I understand it, an RN is a graduate of a nursing program that has taken the board exam, and an NP is an RN with a more advanced nursing degree.

Specializes in ER, progressive care.
It's 2015....BUT....that is a recommendation by the ANA, who isn't a credentialing organization. So far, no one has said definitively that anyone will need a DNP (Doctorate of Nursing Practice) by 2015, it's just a recommendation and a conversation.

But if it is true, I wonder, will current NP's with an MSN have to go back to school to get their doctorate to "fulfill" the NP requirements?

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

No - if and thats a big IF, the DNP becomes mandatory, then those currently in practice with an MSN will be grandfathered in.

Back to the OP: there is no "on the job training" for NP. Even in the military.

Bottom line is you have to have at least an MSN.

Specializes in CNA.

TraumaRUs --- THANK YOU! Exactly the answer I was looking for, confusion = clarified.

Thanks for all your help everyone!

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