Chiropractor to FNP - Page 8

Thanks ChiroMed0. Unfortuantely, I can not relocate because of multiple obligations at this time. Therefore, it looks like the ADN/RN community college route would be just as fast and alot less expensive than the WBU BSN/RN for DC eduation for me. I am in Oregon, where are you? Are you currently in a program? If you ever hear of a hybrid online initial RN degree for DC's that is not WBU, please let me know. I am more than willing to fly to another city for my clinicals. However, it just doesn't seem very productive to take 8 humanities courses for WBU when a local community college said all I had to do was to repeat two A/P courses (5 year limit requirement) to be considered in their ADN/RN program.

Good luck on your journey.

University of Portland has a direct entry MSN, no previous nursing needed. Full time though. I just finished my ADN, taking my NCLEX in June. I was the last D.C. admitted to Excelsior College's nursing program-I hope to change that in the future. I do think it's a huge mistake for them to not admit D.C.'s but they do have their reasons. I won't approach that argument until I'm actually working as a nurse and in an MSN program later this fall though. It's no use preparing a business case w/o credibility. If I'm already in a Master's program working as a nurse it's hard to argue D.C.'s don't have what it takes to pass their program. Right? Anyway, it would be your answer...it's 1 of 2 such online programs currently in the U.S. (the other is rural North Dakota). For a D.C. the exams are very, very doable...the clinical CPNE is another story and what usually has killed chiro's getting through the program. Some have, like me, but many, many haven't. I think I know the reason why and it can be solved. I would suggest pursuing a local LPN/LVN program that's usually less than a year, then gain direct entry into Excelsior's program under that criteria. You could still be an RN in less than 2 years w/o doing the CC route. This way you could also get the nursing skills down with other nurses. I don't know what exposure you've had to nursing but it's really different-not harder/easier-just different. As chiro's we tend to assume like MD/DO's that nursing is basic medicine but it's not...they have their own field with a different way of looking at things. Once in Excelsior you can go from ADN to MSN and pick up an FNP certification online somewhere else. Just getting in the door is the issue. You can call the school if you'd like, they weren't too receptive when they made the policy change in 2006. Maybe things have changed but their stated policies haven't yet. I'm going the route of preparing a business case for them to look at sensibly. After all if other schools are already in existence, obviously D.C.'s have what it takes. Anyway, look around for the LPN/LVN training, you might be able to get credit and coast through that in less than a year (I don't know the licensing criteria for educational standards in Oregon) and jump right into Excelsior. Unless you plan on practicing in California, Excelsior would be an option.

What is the name of the online nursing program in North Dakota?

Thanks again ChiromedO. I looked in to the option you discussed regarding LPN locally, then to Excelsior for the ASN/ RN. That approach seems feasible. You mentioned DC's were having trouble with the CPNE. Why do you think that is and how could I not have that trouble? Also, what MSN/NP certification program are you focusing toward with your ADN/ RN? Do not most NP certification programs have BSN/RN admission requirements?
Again, thanks and wish you the best on your continued education/practice.

First, the CPNE, I think it's attitude. Out of 6 paramedics, me and LVN/LPN's only two of us passed. I knew I didn't have the bedside experience that the others had just more education. That's not an asset with the CPNE. It's an on location, live exam...not like PIV boards in chiro. These people are real and real sick. If a chiro approaches it humbly and does the grunt work to learn the hospital environment then they can/will do better than most. I think what helped is knowing there is nothing in education that I can't handle and no level of stress I haven't already faced. I've got my issues with Chiro but it did teach me how to learn and instilled confidence. The main problem I encountered was knowing the hospital environment, machines, procedures (simple stuff like making a freaking bed...if you've never done it nurses have procedures for this stuff and you have to do it right). What will help (and what sank my co-testers) is a chiro's ability to adapt and read the instructor watching you...we've been through all this before. Each proctor is different and feels they are experts (and they are) at different skills...give them their props, massage some egos and move on. It's 3 days and extremely stressful. Main thing is when in the program - start learning the CPNE from day 1, don't wait until after your done with the 7/8 Nursing exams b/c you might blow through those extremely fast (it's possible). It will take 10 months to get a test date for the CPNE, faster if you're flexible. Also, you MUST (my advice) take a workshop somewhere or you'll be flying blind. All in all I spent about $6K and took 3 years too long. I did it in my spare time (there's a very liberal time limit) and wasn't in a rush execept when I got real disgusted with my job then I'd buckle down. For example, I took 1 test in an entire year-then the following year I got mad at my boss, took a week off from work and knocked out 4 tests in 1 week. I crammed for the CPNE for 1 solid week (10-15 hours/day) and then took the test. It's possible but I'd recommend doing it the right way/less stress.

Getting the LPN will get you started sooner, no intimidation b/c you will think most of it is beneath you to start b/c of your education. But simple things are difficult if you don't have the tactile skills to do them. This route will get you that w/o disrupting your life too much plus guarantee you entry into Excelsior's program. Excelsior is a good school, has been around decades and 10's of thousands of practicing nurses graduated. Only a few states have issues with the school, most don't and there are work arounds.

All FNP cert. programs will require a Master's degree before but do not require a BSN (some may but there's tons out there that don't) just an RN. You've got to be practicing somewhere to do FNP b/c most of it's mentorship with another nurse/doctor. You may already know some M.D.'s who might help. Heck, Excelsiors MSN is cheaper than most and they don't require a BSN...it's just administrative so you'll have to pick up a FNP cert afterwards. Many options though. Most have migrated to Samford University in Alabama for the MSN/NP and they have been chiro friendly (so far...there are always cheating chiro's who screw up any program...I don't know what it is about our profession that attracts people like that but we do). It's doable I've done Excelsior and I was lazy, smart but lazy. A friend/neighbor is a D.C. and did MidAmerica and now is 1/4 the way through the Samford's MSN-NP with a BSN. So don't think it's not an option for you, it is. It's a lot of work but I've noticed if you want to be in mainstream healthcare, there are few short cuts. Chiro school, to me, was a series of short cuts that I had second thoughts about way too late.

Not sure of your reasons for looking into nursing but I would say it's a good, progressive career field where your education, efforts at least have the ability to pay off. Yes, you can bank a lot of coin being a chiro but you & I both know what you have to do/become to do that. I, simply, could not change my ethics to make that happen. It's very possible, IMHO, to be a professional nurse and still practice chiro (appropriately) part-time and do very well. My opinion is chiro can be ethical, but done ethically you will not be able to do the volume to be wealthy. The two just don't co-exist b/c of time. I'd hardly call racking/cracking a pt. in 1 minute an ethical office visit but that's reality. I just can't sleep at night anymore being a "crack" dealer.

I'll help you with info if you need it. I crawled all over the internet for years to find info/forums/people. Good luck.

Hi, Troy. I am a DCM who is also becoming an FNP ( I plan to blend my professions rather than leave chiropractic.) I graduate in 9 days. Woohoo!

Anyway, I went into an immersion program for those who have college degrees outside of nursing. Our first year was spent becoming RNs and then we spent a year and almost half doing our NP work. Many schools offer this route if you are interested. There are also some naturopaths graduating from my program.

And here I thought I was one of the very few who was doing this. Good to see that there are other DC's doing the NP thing. I don't see a reason to drop chiro after getting the NP. It only gives you that much more earning potential as well as flexibility working with MD's. I'm finishing up the BSN portion of my education in August and going straight through to the NP part. Not sure which one is better though, Acute Care NP of FNP. What I wanted to say though, is that when I was rotating through the ortho and neurosurgery OR, when the surgeons knew that I was a chiro, they treated me with much more professional respect and as a colleague, as opposed to simply as an RN student. They recognized that our DC education provides us with more ortho and neuro knowledge that most MD's have.

I'm trying to figure out if I can keep my 5 year-old practice going while I'm in the NP program. EVERYBODY that I have spoken with (and I know a lot of people in nursing) says that you need hospital RN experience if you want to work as an NP in a hospital setting. They simply do not hire new grad NP's that are wet behind the ears when it comes to hospital patient care. Those NP's end up working as RN's with fancy, expensive NP degrees that they cannot use. Now, if you plan on working in private practice only, then you can avoid the whole crap-cleaning, bed-changing, pill-giving part of nursing.

I am not in the NP program as of yet, but from my understanding, it is best if you work as a RN prior to becoming a NP. You need the hospital experience, which is not limited to just bed -changing. Can you switch your office hours to three days per week, instead of five days. That way, you can work as a RN. Plus, it gets your foot in the door, especially if you want to get into ortho (which I do).

I plan on keeping my office running while I am in school and just condense the hours when necessary to fit everything in. I think most of us plan on keeping our office, plus do NP or merge it in to the practice.

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I'm new at this whole DC-to-FNP idea. I remember seeing an ad for a program in Dynamic Chiropractic newspaper about a year ago but haven't seen anything since. Anyway, I'm looking for some basic info about how all of this can work. My ideas for such a future practice are like some others on this forum: maintain ability to do chiro-type work but augment that practice with additional skills and scope which the FNP provides. I am not interested (at least not currently) in hospital-based practice; I foresee private practice only in my future if I were to do this.

From some preliminary searching, I gather that there are several ways to approach the FNP, ranging from going to RN school then enrolling into an MSN, to entering into a 'BSN for non-nurses program' then on to MSN. Do I have this right? Are there programs that provide advanced standing for DCs, or are these some type of scam? (I recall that is what the aforementioned program in the ad was promoting.)

What is the best case scenario for how long the DC-to-FNP will take?

Can any of this be done while still practicing chiro at my current practice?

Any insights and guidance are appreciated. With the way healthcare is changing, I see the FNP degree being a worthwhile thing to pursue.