Not happy at my nursing school

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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It's only been a month, but I'm not happy in my excellerated program. I just looked up the ranking and it is lower than 2 schools that I got into, one, which is Samuel Merritt. I am thinking of applying to Univ of Minnesota because it's in an urban environment with a late application deadline they are ranked relatively high at 21. I'm looking for a 3 year program so I can go straight into an NP program.

I'm not sure I like the teaching style, being that I seems to have to rely on a lot of nstrction from fellow classmates. I do try to wait until the teachers can come by and ask questions and I try to stay late towards the end of lab.

is this typical?

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Many NP programs require a few years of working as a nurse before applying/ just saying!

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Most programs require a lot of self-teaching (there are a lot of threads about this in the general nursing student forum).

Is this the actual BSN program?

SMU has a pretty good reputation, locally, but the cost is astronomical.

Just don't get caught up in the whole "grass-is-always-greener" mentality. Every program has its benefits and drawbacks.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
Many NP programs require a few years of working as a nurse before applying/ just saying!

True! There are some programs that "strongly prefer" experience, and with how many experienced nurses apply to programs every year, you're better off getting that experience to be competitive and be that much better as a NP.

It's laughable to think of having a master's in something you've never actually done in practice. How can you have "mastered" it?? I realize some people manage to do this, but there are a lot of reasons it's frowned upon. Have zero RN experience as a new grad NP is even worse on the market than having no RN experience as a new grad RN.

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True! There are some programs that "strongly prefer" experience, and with how many experienced nurses apply to programs every year, you're better off getting that experience to be competitive and be that much better as a NP.

It's laughable to think of having a master's in something you've never actually done in practice. How can you have "mastered" it?? I realize some people manage to do this, but there are a lot of reasons it's frowned upon. Have zero RN experience as a new grad NP is even worse on the market than having no RN experience as a new grad RN.

And yet, there are kazillions of the "direct entry" MSN programs for non-nurses (which I believe is what the OP is referring to), which take people with no nursing background or experience at all and graduate them prepared for licensure/certification and entry into advanced practice. These programs are extremely popular, and the graduates seem to do fine professionally and clinically. Obviously, it's not "frowned upon" by everyone.

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Specializes in ICU.
And yet, there are kazillions of the "direct entry" MSN programs for non-nurses (which I believe is what the OP is referring to), which take people with no nursing background or experience at all and graduate them prepared for licensure/certification and entry into advanced practice. These programs are extremely popular, and the graduates seem to do fine professionally and clinically. Obviously, it's not "frowned upon" by everyone.

It is my understanding that those that attend direct entry masters programs enter the nursing field to work bedside along with BSN and ASN trained nurses. Their pay is not any different and they are not considered advanced practice RNs because they have no experience. So I don't understand I guess why they do it. To me the whole point of getting a masters would be to end up an APRN and a NP. That is why it is frowned upon. Yes, there may be tons of programs but coming out with a masters with no bedside experience? You are a masters in theory maybe but not in practice. To me it is a money making scheme to say you have your masters but don't really have the experience. Nursing is not like other fields. It really depends on your practice. Doctors do years of residency before getting their degrees. They get actual practice in the field.

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It is my understanding that those that attend direct entry masters programs enter the nursing field to work bedside along with BSN and ASN trained nurses. Their pay is not any different and they are not considered advanced practice RNs because they have no experience. So I don't understand I guess why they do it. To me the whole point of getting a masters would be to end up an APRN and a NP. That is why it is frowned upon. Yes, there may be tons of programs but coming out with a masters with no bedside experience? You are a masters in theory maybe but not in practice. To me it is a money making scheme to say you have your masters but don't really have the experience. Nursing is not like other fields. It really depends on your practice. Doctors do years of residency before getting their degrees. They get actual practice in the field.

What you're describing is the "generic," CNL MSN program. There are tons of advanced practice direct entry programs, for people who have no nursing background or experience, attend a program that is basically an accelerated BSN and MSN stuck together, and graduate prepared for advanced practice certification and practice. Once in a while, someone who is having problems finding a job works as a generalist RN for a while, but most of them go directly into advanced practice jobs fresh out of school. These programs have been around for decades (I'm always surprised when people post on this site that they are unaware of the existence of these programs), are v. popular, and no one seems to have any serious problems with the graduates (except the people who object to these programs on principle). I'm not a big fan of them, myself, but they are out there and their graduates don't seem any less prepared, competent, or safe to practice than any other advanced practice new grad (including those with years of generalist nursing experience).

BTW, people with graduate nursing degrees aren't "not considered advanced practice RNs because they have no experience;" they're not considered advanced practice nurses because their MSN didn't prepare them for an advanced practice role and licensure (e.g., CNL programs, management/leadership programs, any MSN other than the four AP roles (CNS, NP, CRNA, CNM)). Graduates of the direct-entry MSN programs with advanced practice concentrations are considered advanced practice nurses at graduation. It's about your educational preparation, not the amount of experience you have.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical/Addiction/Mental Health.

"Just don't get caught up in the whole "grass-is-always-greener" mentality. Every program has its benefits and drawbacks."

The grass is greener on the other side- generally it's because it sits on top of a septic tank!

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Specializes in Medical Surgical/Addiction/Mental Health.

True- although I hear it is incredibly difficult to land a job because of lack of experience.

What you're describing is the "generic," CNL MSN program. There are tons of advanced practice direct entry programs, for people who have no nursing background or experience, attend a program that is basically an accelerated BSN and MSN stuck together, and graduate prepared for advanced practice certification and practice. Once in a while, someone who is having problems finding a job works as a generalist RN for a while, but most of them go directly into advanced practice jobs fresh out of school. These programs have been around for decades (I'm always surprised when people post on this site that they are unaware of the existence of these programs), are v. popular, and no one seems to have any serious problems with the graduates (except the people who object to these programs on principle). I'm not a big fan of them, myself, but they are out there and their graduates don't seem any less prepared, competent, or safe to practice than any other advanced practice new grad (including those with years of generalist nursing experience).

BTW, people with graduate nursing degrees aren't "not considered advanced practice RNs because they have no experience;" they're not considered advanced practice nurses because their MSN didn't prepare them for an advanced practice role and licensure (e.g., CNL programs, management/leadership programs, any MSN other than the four AP roles (CNS, NP, CRNA, CNM)). Graduates of the direct-entry MSN programs with advanced practice concentrations are considered advanced practice nurses at graduation. It's about your educational preparation, not the amount of experience you have.

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Specializes in Medical Surgical/Addiction/Mental Health.

What is it about the accelerated program you dislike? I am trying to make sense of it so that I can provide some feedback.

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If it is the teaching style that you do not like, you should make arrangements to sit in on classes at the programs you are considering applying to, but I suspect that this is too much effort for little return. There is no guarantee that you will have the same instructors by the time you start at a new program or that they remain during your time there. School is school and they tend to be similar. Since you are not digging in for a lifetime relationship, you should adjust and get what you came for, the degree at the end. If you absolutely feel that you must transfer, do not do so without doing sufficient investigation beforehand. Best wishes.

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Specializes in ICU.

That's what I was wondering though elkpark, don't these people who graduate the masters programs with no experience just end up at bedside with the ASN and BSN nurses? Not that there is anything wrong with that, I just only want to be a bedside nurse. You won't find me in management which is what I would think those with a masters would want or to be a nurse practioner. To me, it would be just a waste of money to get your masters when you would be doing the same thing with someone who spent much less money on their associates. I contemplated going for a masters or doctorate someday but much of the masters classes are in nursing management and leadership. I have done my stint in management and I don't think you could pay me enough again to sit their and be a babysitter again. Listen to one person complain about another. I just want a job where I clock in, do my work, and go home at the end of the day.

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