Accelerated Masters with no Nursing background

[Katie_dogluvr]

Hello,

just wanted to see if anyone has taken this path and how it worked out.

My undergrad is Biomedical Engineering. I would have to take some of the prereqs.

Once I have a masters, would I be able to bypass bedside nursing? Due to an old foot injury, I would be unable to be a bedside nurse safely-for myself.

Thanks for for any input!

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

Bedside nursing is a part of nursing school. What are you hoping to ultimately accomplish with your MSN after you obtain it?

[roser13, ASN, RN]

How could you ever be a nurse without undergoing clinicals - which are bedside?

What experience will you draw on to bolster your advanced practice nursing degree? You can't be advanced anything without being the basic version first.

I continue to be amazed by the number of folks who want to *be* a nurse without actually, you know, *being* a nurse.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

How could you ever be a nurse without undergoing clinicals - which are bedside?

What experience will you draw on to bolster your advanced practice nursing degree? You can't be advanced anything without being the basic version first.

I continue to be amazed by the number of folks who want to *be* a nurse without actually, you know, *being* a nurse.

True, but there are plenty of direct entry programs who will be happy to take their money and turn someone with zero nursing experience into an "advanced practice nurse." I'm assuming SOMEONE must be hiring these people.

[Extra Pickles]

whatever it is about your foot that would make you unsafe to be a bedside nurse would also keep you out of nursing school and out of clinicals. If you can pass the physical exam for school admission you also have to be deemed safe to participate in your school's clinical assignments. there is no advanced practice career for someone who cant get through school.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

Doesn't sound like a good idea unless going into direct MSN/nursing informatics program. Accelerated MSN programs do have their place, but they are most definitely not good for someone without any base and any direct care experience at all.

[loriangel14, RN]

What kind of job can you forsee doing well with a Masters and NO nursing experience? As others have pointed out you would still need to get through clinicals.

[CecileSF]

As someone who has done an accelerated program, you cannot bypass bedside nursing. Some have done it, but most job applications state they require 1-5 years of bedside nursing. Some of my friends have gotten jobs in community health and health offices without bedside nursing, really depends what type of nursing you want. You WONT be using your masters degree in nursing untill at least 5 years down the line because no one will hire you for an advanced position with no experience. I really want you to reconsider if nursing is for you. I loved my masters portion of my clinicals in school, but most of my mentors had years of experience in bedside nursing before getting a job as an advanced masters practice nurse. While youre in the beginning of your career you will be be working with RN's who are community college, bachelors, and some masters all starting in the same place. They wont have the same goals or schooling as you and being promoted is hard.

[chacha82, ADN, BSN]

If this is the best option you have to become an RN, you could do it but it will be expensive. Your first job though you will be working as a bedside nurse - there is no way around it. I can't speak for everywhere else but where I live, they do not hire new RNs for doctors offices or clinic. Those jobs require a few years of experience because you have to work very independently. They are also hard to get where I live and these jobs go to experienced nurses (as they should). There are home health jobs and jobs in case management where you have little to no bedside requirement, but you have to do your years of bedside first.

[Marshall1]

Is this post for real?

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Is this post for real?

Yes, and unfortunately, this question keeps cropping up due to schools offering a direct entry MSN degree to non-nursing majors. I'm guessing that those poor suckers who graduate have never looked at the market for non-nurse nurses.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

Roser13,

These "non-nurse nurses" are hired, and in large numbers, by cheap physicians who do not want to negotiate higher salary/benefits, as well as by, for example, public health departments to do what is named in medical sphere as "scutwork".

It is another thing that many of them remain on the level "not knowing what they do not know" forever, paid 1/3 less of what they would make under other circumstances, get $60000/year with $120000 college debt, etc. But the question of "no jobs for those who never did bedside", as well as "no jobs for grads of online-only programs" can be very different depending on region, place and circumstances.