ADN all the Way to MSN/NP

Trauma Columnist · Feb 21, 2008

Hi Jerry and welcome. I will try to answer questions 4 & 5:

4. Your income is very specific to what you can get in your market. I graduated in 2006 with an adult health CNS. However, where I live is saturated with APNs from several schools. Much depends on your networking skills (make friends with your preceptors). The salaries can be very region-specific too. I live in central IL and obviously I could command a higher salary in Chicago. However, my cost of living would rise also. Are you willing to move if your area is not favorable for hiring APNs? The liability is very real. I just paid my malpractice premium for this year and it was $717 up from $538 last year. This is a very litigious society and APNs are named more often nowadays in lawsuits. Always, always have your own malpractice insurance and there is no need for your employer to know you have it either. As to whether its worth it - I say yes with the caveat that it is much more responsibility and though the salary is higher (sometimes) it is balanced with this responsibility.

5. Personally, I liked bedside nursing very much. I still miss the ER dreadfully. However, have you seen a 60 y/o ER RN? Not too often - lol. While the mind is willing, I knew that in 10-15 years I would want more options. That is why I went back to school. School (MSN) gives you the option to teach, manage, be an APN, etc.. We all have to re-invent ourselves over and over throughout life. This is a good path.

Good luck.

Jerry99 · Feb 23, 2008

Thanks for the advice. That does make a lot of sense. I do want to have a lot of options for later in my career, and so far this seems like the path I would like to pursue. The only thing I need to do is find a good online program that I could handle with my night shift hours, oh and then make myself go back to school.

Thanks J

dhigbee · Feb 23, 2008

I went to University of Southern Indiana. Had an ADN, plus a non-nursing bachelor's. I pretty much went straight through their bridge program, and graduated Summer/2005. It took me around 4 years, although I didn't have to take any general ed classes. I like USI because it's totally online, plus they only charge in-state tuition for distance students. It's a good program, and it's a good value.

Dana

PackMule · Feb 28, 2008

In reference to your second question. I did that, had a couple kids in the middle and here was the breakdown for me:

ADN: 3 years total

RN to BSN: 1 year (YUK!-This was the worst year EVER because it was pointless)

MS/NP: 3 years (I think this was part time-working 20 hrs per week)

Bonus: 2-3 years for Post Masters in another NP specialty. This should have only taken another year if I hadn't have worked full-time and gone at a snails pace.

I think what makes the difference is if you have to work or not. I did, through all of it. I think it could go faster.

Good Luck!

(Sorry, I re-read your question and you were specifically asking about on-line, so my answers are probably not helpful....)