WGU MSN Education to NP. Any advice? Am I making a terrible mistake?

[RNADN, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, NP]

I graduated in 2015 with my ADN, earned my BSN a year later and am currently about to enter WGU's MSN Education program. I've been working in NICU for a year an a half, and Mother/Baby before that. My goal is to become an FNP. I chose to return to WGU for the MSN because I enjoyed my experience with my BSN, and was able to complete it in one semester and pay for it out of pocket.I am planning on doing a Post-Masters NP. I'm worried that I might be making a mistake not going directly into an NP program. I chose to continue with WGU because I thought that I might want to teach later in life, and I thought getting the MSN portion of the NP out of the way right now would be feasible. I begin my MSN at the end of the month. Am I making a horrible mistake not directly pursuing an NP? Has anyone else done this route? Am I taking on way more education than I need to achieve my end goal? Any advice would be really appreciated!!!!

[lavendou]

I did my ADN, then BSN, then my MSN in Health Care System Management and then started by post-Master's FNP (graduate next month). I am very glad I did MSN then FNP because they are very different programs that give me different skill sets. My goal is to open my own practice and my MSN in HCSM gives me a lot more of the business side of healthcare than the FNP program does.

I do not regret going this route at all, as each layer of education has helped me learn and grow. Is this route for everyone? No, but like you, I believe it gives me additional career opportunities.

[RNADN, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, NP]

Thank you so much for your response, I really appreciate it. I'm so glad to hear that this route worked for you, I find it very encouraging. May I ask you where you did your FNP?

I'm currently working in NICU, but I'm finding the stress of critical care and the fact that I can't adjust well to night shift is making me feel trapped. Although I love working with babies, I'm not cut out for years of night shifts, which is also why I'm not going for the NNP. I'm on days right now, but I took such a huge pay cut that I feels like I'm working for the experience right now. I'm in Los Angeles, and the cost of living here is sky high. I'm hoping the MSN will open up some new possibilities, and I really want the intellectual challenge. I'm also really looking forward to gaining the education from the FNP and being more autonomous. Thanks again!