high school student needs all info

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My dream is to become a pediatric nurse practitioner, but i am so confused on exactly what steps to take, how to become one, everything about schooling. I am a junior in high school and i rerecently finished a nursing 2 course at my school. I completed the first course my freshmen year, i am applying for the 3rd class that is provided by American red ccross, if i am accepted into the course & finish it i can become a CNA by the time i finish my senior year. My question to everyone is can anything please explain to me what type of colleges i should be looking into, nursing schools included, what is the difference in me going to a nursing school right after high school and a regular college? I am aware that i will be going to get my BNS to become a RN, then i will need to go back to school to get my MSN to become a NP. Can anyone just explain the stuff i will need to be doing after high school and which kind of colleges or nursing schools to look into.

Thanks

-Nay

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Becoming a CNA is a great start, so you can get some hands on patient experience.

You are right, you need a BSN, now how you do that can vary.

What do you mean by nursing school vs regular collage?

You need to get your prerequisite done 1st, but how that is done varies by what schools you are looking at.

Have you tried calling the schools you are interested in and speak to one of their nursing advisors?

You could go to community college for preqs then get into an ADN program or transfer into a BSN program

Or do all your schooling at a university and get the BSN

You could become a LPN then do a bridge program to a RN

Once you have the RN to could do RN to BSN program.

There are various was to get the BSN, just have to figure out what works for you.

You have the right idea

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For colleges i meant should i look at colleges that have a PNP program? I want to go to a university for four years, i thought it went like this;

University for four years- get BSN

Go to a program to become a RN

Get experience, then go back to a university to get my MSN and become a NP, am i right?

I want to go to a college in NYC, i live in Massachusetts. I want to travel so im looking at schools all over the east coast. Thats a great idea i will call schools and talk to nurse advisors.

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University for four years- get BSN

Go to a program to become a RN

If you go to a 4 year school for your BSN, you'll be an RN (as long as you pass NCLEX).

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

There are two ways to become an RN. Either you can go the Associates - Associate of Science (AS), Nursing Major or Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Bachelors route - Bachelor of Science (BS), Nursing Major or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). After degree completion at an accredited (by CCNE and/or NLNAC) institution, you will eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN, also know as the nationwide nursing "boards" exam. Generally, the associates degree takes 3 years and the Bachelors degree takes 4 years. When choosing a program, it's important to check your state board of nursing's website to ensure that the institution's NCLEX pass rates are up to par. Before becoming a nurse practitioner, it's important to get hands on RN experience. When you are in RN school, I recommend getting a job as nursing technician or student nurse at a hospital, preferably on a pediatric floor that hires new grads. This will give you exposure to your patient population of choice and open up doors. Usually after your first semester, you can apply for your CNA which is required for a nursing technician job, but I see you are able to do this in high school and if you get a CNA job before nursing school that's great. Do you want to become a primary or acute care pediatric nurse practitioner? You will have to see what your job market looks like.

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Over all i want to have my MSN, i want to take the BSN route because i want to go to college for a whole four years and live the college life, i really just want the break down of everything, i think i understand what i am doing with my first four years, getting my BSN, taking the nursing exam then becoming a RN, but after that what are my options and requirements to being a PNP, and i would like to become a primary.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Pretty much look into MSN programs in your area and see what their requirements are. Some programs will require at least a year of RN experience and some will let you go straight in from your BSN. Make sure the program is approved by your state's board of nursing. Again, look at their website. You will usually need . You will need to submit a resume with your application. Traditional programs may or may not find preceptors for you. Most online NP programs do not find preceptors for you. As a primary care NP student, you will pretty much be precepting in clinics, doctor's offices, outpatient centers, and maybe EDs. There is also a boards exam for PNP, which you take after graduation. Meanwhile, make sure you are a well rounded student.

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I understand a little more, im acually not looking at schools in my area, i want to move to NYC after high school so im looking at schools there, thank you so much.

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I've heard that a doctorate will be required by 2015 for new NPs. Might be something you want to ask schools so you can include that in your plans :)

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You may be able to find information about the type of program you want by checking the US nursing section of this site. Then you can select New York and there are plenty of discussions on schools in NYC.

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Specializes in GI,Telemetry, Trauma ICU, Endoscopy.
I've heard that a doctorate will be required by 2015 for new NPs. Might be something you want to ask schools so you can include that in your plans :)

This is not a requirement, and may never happen. A few years ago, I believe it was ANCC, recommended all NPs have a DNP, but there has been no push to make this a requirement, and there aren't even enough DNP programs to educate the flow of NPs. I will believe it when I see It.

To answer the question, get your BSN first. I would work at least a few years so you have some nursing experience under your belt. Most NP programs want experience and use that to distinguish you from other candidates. Try to get that experience in Peds either in acute care, PICU, or pediatric outpatient settings. Once you have experience I would apply to several different PNP programs and be prepared to move if that is what you truly want to do because there are not a plethora of PNP programs. The other option is to become an FNP, which trains you to work with pediatric patients, but you also have the flexibility to work with adults or women's health. Good luck to you. Work as hard as you can and enjoy yourself. Nursing can be a tough but very rewarding profession.

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It is a two step process. After nursing school you graduate with a degree (either Associate or Bachelor's) and then you take the national licensing exam to get the RN title. So you must pass nursing school AND then pass the NCLEX to become a registered nurse. Nursing school (which would be your last couple years of your bachelors) is "RN" school.

If you want to continue on afterwards to become a NP, then make that BSN your priority. Consider looking into a CNA job for when you become certified. This will help you become more familiar with healthcare.

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