Any RN's applying to MSN/NP prog without a BSN???

Temeika, LPN · Jan 26, 2010

Medical College of Georgia(Athens and Augusta locations) got a 3 year program where you can get your BSN/MSN at the same time in 3 years. This route is designed for people holding a bachelors degree in a different field other than Nursing, being an RN already, I'm not sure if that would lessen the time in the program for you. If this is at all of interest to you.

khrissi17 · Jan 26, 2010

Medical College of Georgia(Athens and Augusta locations) got a 3 year program where you can get your BSN/MSN at the same time in 3 years. This route is designed for people holding a bachelors degree in a different field other than Nursing, being an RN already, I'm not sure if that would lessen the time in the program for you. If this is at all of interest to you.

Thanks but I was thinking 2 years, not to mention I already did all the course for a BSN when I was in a BSN program but then I withdrew after not doing well in Pharmacology. I just completed an LPN to RN program and went to speak to the Dean at my old BSN program to see if I can just redo the Pharm and get my BSN and she said she doubts it because my credits are now 5 years old...so that's why I want a Masters program instead of a Bachelors program..

Moogie · Jan 26, 2010

There are several RN to MSN bridge programs, but it is my understanding that in such bridge programs you might still need to repeat at least some of the baccalaureate-level courses, depending on your grades as well as the school policy. Additionally, from what I understand about many RN to MSN bridge programs, you would be competing for slots with nurses who already had BSNs.

Do a check of the programs in which you are most interested and see if they offer RN to MSN bridges. Many schools do but sometimes it takes a little digging to find out that these options exist.

UVA Grad Nursing · Jan 26, 2010

Here is a listing of 160 RN-MSN programs in the US (broken out by state): http://www.aacn.nche.edu/IDS/pdf/RNMSN.pdf

I would encourage you to first determine what sort of NP you want to be. You mention that your interests are FNP, ANP, GNP, or Community Health. That is a wide variety of practice areas. Once you determine what you want to study, then you can better focus on where to go

khrissi17 · Jan 26, 2010

Thanks for the link. I really hope I can find info on getting into a Masters program as a RN with Bachelors in another field but I already did most of the classes of a BSN program that's the frustrating part

The good thing is a lot of these schools want Health Assessment, Statistics and/or Pathology, which thank God I have..

Chaoticdreams33, MSN, RN · Jan 31, 2010

Yeah, if I only had one semester left to do for my BSN I would try and work something out with that school. So the dean says she "doubts it" is that a firm no? But anyway, in my area (CT) The University of Hartford has a MSN program (not NP) and accept non BSN's. Saint Joseph College which is right down the street from Uhart also accepts non BSN students but doesn't advertise it like Uhart does. So even if you see a school that says it requires a BSN, I would still check with the dean (not an administrative person! They gave me the wrong info the first time) of the nursing program and see if they would accept you, especially since you have so many of the courses that they would require.

Saint Joseph requires an undergrad nursing research course, and their grad community health course plus an extra 2 credit clinical for community. So just 5 extra credits. Uhart has "mini-courses" that equal I think 4-5 credits too, but I think you would probably be covered for most of this with your courses.

UCONN also accepts non BSN, but not sure on their extra requirements, and I think that Southern CT Sate Univ. has a bridge program, which you can see on their website.

Good luck! It is definatly possible, but I still wish I had just got my BSN.

MERRYWIDOW46 · Jan 31, 2010

Good Luck.

tlstudent · Apr 6, 2010

I was looking into these programs too. In the ones I've seen, the Science credits have to be no less than 5-7 years old. And they're laid out so you get your BSN in the process of getting the MSN. Transferring from one school to another, especially from one state to another is always risky. Like here, in TX, the public schools make you take 2 semesters of TEXAS gov't. A friend with a degree from West Virginia didn't get into a program because she didn't have this. Before submitting an application, I'd have your transcripts evaluated by their admissions dept. GOOD LUCK!!

SCSTxRN · May 5, 2010

I'm looking at this program:

TWU - College of Nursing - Post Baccalaureate RN to MS Program

They have FNP, ANP, and Education, as well as nurse management as options. They also have an option where you can challenge certain courses: TWU - College of Nursing - Advanced Placement - Course Challenge

Since you don't get a BSN, you may not have to do the Texas history TWU - College of Nursing - Admission Application - Post Baccalaureate RN to MS

Good luck

Steph

HappyNurse2005, RN · May 6, 2010

Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing! They have a great reputation, they are all distance learning-except for your clinicals which are done with an NP in your area and two visits to the campus in KY. They accept RN's who have a bachelors in another degree-you fill out the application, but then you have a portfolio of things to do since you have a diff bachelors than nursing, and if you get accepted that way, you are in the same class as all the students admitted with a BSN. 2 years full time classes. They admit students several times throughout the year-check out the website!

bear_mom · May 7, 2010

I'm currently doing a bridge program where I only had to take two undergraduate classes and as long as you pass with a 'B' then you can go on to MSN classes. If you go straight through it will be 7 terms (I started in Jan '10 and would graduate in May '12). I'm not going straight through though so it will take me a little longer.

Emily