Is this the path I should take?

Nurses Career Support

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I'm new to this forum, so hello everyone!

I would like some advice. I decided after I finished undergrad that I wanted to be a PA. I am now married and have a 5 year old daughter. Currently, I am taking some pre-req classes and won't be finished until next fall. I still would really like to become a PA, but frankly... it's expensive and I would rather not take out any more student loans. Furthermore, it might take me another year or even two years to get into school, not to mention 2 or 3 years (dep. on the school) of PA school. That is about 5 years, and that is a long time not to be working full time to help support my family financially. My husband is in the military and though we are taken care of benefits wise, he doesn't make that much money. Right now we live with my parents which is great and we all get along so well. But we crave a place of our own!

I work in clinical research now and really enjoy it. Now I am considering going into nursing. The biggest reason why I did not consider it before was that I did not want to go back to school to get another Bachelor's. But now there is an entry level MSN program where I live. I feel like it would be a good fit for me because I would have the flexibility to continue in clinical research, or do patient care if I chose to. THe MSN program would also mean that I'd be able to work full time in about 2 years.

My other option is to get a Masters of Science in Clinical Research. This program is part time and would allow me to work full time. I would be done in 2-3 years. Though I enjoy research, having an MS in research would obviously limit me to that job and would allow very limited contact with patients. There are RNs with Associates degrees that are able to do more in clinical research AND get paid significantly more than I do with my BS. Not that I don't think it's fair; they are obviously more clinically skilled. I just feel that the clinical research field finds more use out of a nurse.

I would like to hear anyone's opinions or advice. I am just at that point in my life where I would like to advance my education and skills so I can be satisfied with my career. At the same time, I am ready for my family to have our own house and I would like more children! My husband and family, thankfully, are supportive of whatever decision I make.

Any words of wisdom or suggestions?

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i would go for the msn.

it will afford you the most flexibility in the least amt of time.

best of everything.

leslie

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MsJLH,

I moved this thread to the Nursing Career Advice Forum. Good luck to you!

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Based on the info you provided in your post, I would suggest you go for the MSN because, in the long run, it would provide the possibility of more opportunity.

BTW welcome to allnurses, hope you enjoy the site.

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Another pro for going the MSN route would be that if my husband gets stationed somewhere else and we have to relocate, I should be able to find a job wherever he goes. Having already relocated a few times, it hasn't been always easy to find a job right away.

I think I am leaning towards the MSN. I would think that it should not be very difficult to continue onto NP from there.

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I remember being where you are at now a few years ago when I decided to go back to school to get my BSN. I already had a Bacheor's in Biology. First, what type of nursing program are you looking into? Are you doing an accelerated BSN or a bridge program which bridges you from you current bachelors to a masters in nursing? Usually the bridge programs are 3 years. In my opinion, I think that nursing is definitely the route to go instead of PA school because you have more flexibility in terms of career options. With a nursing degree you can become a clinical nurse specialist and educate the staff, a clinical research nurse and work with drug trials, a nurse practitioner and see your own patients, you can teach, go into an administrative role..the list goes on, there are endless things you can do as a nurse which is why I decided it was worth it to get my 2nd degree. I did a traditional B.S program that was 2 years long. I wanted to vomit when I thought about going to school that long to get another bachelor's degree but it really does go by fast...you are so busy with things to do. It's not just the time you are going to be in class and the time studying, but you also have clinical which is usually 12 hours a week and you have to go to the hospital the night before your clinical and get info on your patient and do a write up which takes hours. And after clinical you usually have a care plan or something to write up afterwards. You just get bombarded with all these little assignments that you have to do on top of your 2-4 chapters per week that you are trying to learn for class. If you are doing a bridge program, you will be extremely busy because they will be craming all the nursing material that we learn in 2 years into 1 year and then you will have to take the NCLEX before going to the masters portion which usually has about 180 hours a semester of clincial. If it's really what you are interested in, you will enjoy it but it is a lot of hard work and your time with your family will be very limited. I think a lot of people underestimate how difficult it is to go through a nursing program...it's a lot of hard work and studying. But you can do it! I did it, I worked full-time for the first year and part time for the remainder and I had a baby during the process...but I'm finishing this fall and I have so many job opportunities..it really feels worth all the drama! Ironically, I'm looking to get into clincial research once I graduate. I started working on some research studies in March and I really enjoy it, I worked for 2 years as a drug rep for Merck so I'm familiar with the drug trials. I am trying to network my way into a research position...what did you do exactly? Any helpful tips? Good luck with your decision.

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I remember being where you are at now a few years ago when I decided to go back to school to get my BSN. I already had a Bacheor's in Biology. First, what type of nursing program are you looking into? Are you doing an accelerated BSN or a bridge program which bridges you from you current bachelors to a masters in nursing? Usually the bridge programs are 3 years. In my opinion, I think that nursing is definitely the route to go instead of PA school because you have more flexibility in terms of career options. With a nursing degree you can become a clinical nurse specialist and educate the staff, a clinical research nurse and work with drug trials, a nurse practitioner and see your own patients, you can teach, go into an administrative role..the list goes on, there are endless things you can do as a nurse which is why I decided it was worth it to get my 2nd degree. I did a traditional B.S program that was 2 years long. I wanted to vomit when I thought about going to school that long to get another bachelor's degree but it really does go by fast...you are so busy with things to do. It's not just the time you are going to be in class and the time studying, but you also have clinical which is usually 12 hours a week and you have to go to the hospital the night before your clinical and get info on your patient and do a write up which takes hours. And after clinical you usually have a care plan or something to write up afterwards. You just get bombarded with all these little assignments that you have to do on top of your 2-4 chapters per week that you are trying to learn for class. If you are doing a bridge program, you will be extremely busy because they will be craming all the nursing material that we learn in 2 years into 1 year and then you will have to take the NCLEX before going to the masters portion which usually has about 180 hours a semester of clincial. If it's really what you are interested in, you will enjoy it but it is a lot of hard work and your time with your family will be very limited. I think a lot of people underestimate how difficult it is to go through a nursing program...it's a lot of hard work and studying. But you can do it! I did it, I worked full-time for the first year and part time for the remainder and I had a baby during the process...but I'm finishing this fall and I have so many job opportunities..it really feels worth all the drama! Ironically, I'm looking to get into clincial research once I graduate. I started working on some research studies in March and I really enjoy it, I worked for 2 years as a drug rep for Merck so I'm familiar with the drug trials. I am trying to network my way into a research position...what did you do exactly? Any helpful tips? Good luck with your decision.

Thanks for all the info, it was very helpful! Hats off to you for being able to juggle work and a new baby. I have a 5 year old and currently juggle a part time job and school part time (to finish pre-req classes). It definitely makes you a super-mom. If am not in class, I'm at work. If I'm not in class or work, I'm at home with my family and every free minute I have is spent studying. It definitely takes precise time management skills!

I am planning to do an MSN program. I know most of, if not all, post-bac nursing program are accelerated and pretty intensive so I am fully expecting nursing school to be very challenging and I think that I am ready for it. I know it's going to be hard. I am really attracted to the versatility and career options a nursing degree would provide.

As far as clinical research goes, I'm not sure I have any helpful tips to give you. But if you are already familiar with drug trials, that is very helpful. There are many opportunities out there for clinical research nurses an I think the hours are great. There are also a lot of opportunities for study monitors, but that requires a little more travel. It pays quite well, though. I kind of fell into research and found myself very fortunate to do clinical research at Mayo without having any connections. My job there helped me to get a position in Chicago when I had to relocate. I do the same now at another hospital in Chicago. I work with Alzheimer's patients, recruiting study participants, doing cognitive testing, etc. Research nurses I work with do exams on patients, follow ups, administer drugs, etc. Nurses work closely with the PI and help out not only in the research, but in clinic also.

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