Advice on going to Grad school right after undergrad

Atl-Murse · Jan 16, 2015

What do you think?

Jules A, MSN · Jan 16, 2015

At the very least I would urge you to work as a nurse while in grad school. The experience you will gain as a floor nurse especially with regard to dosing and reactions of medication will be invaluable, imo.

stickit34 · Jan 16, 2015

I highly suggest to work at least a year or two before applying. While there are programs that will accept you without work experience, I think you will feel more comfortable with a year or two of experience under your belt. Like Jules A stated, the experience with medications, especially the effects of different types of medication put together, possible side effects and linking the prescribing of different antibiotics with different infections and sites will be invaluable. As much as I disliked floor nursing (everyone is different, mind you. Some nurses LOVE the floor), what I learned from there I still apply to my practice this day. Any experience will do nothing but benefit you. Besides, having some money for graduate school never hurts :)

BirkieGirl · Jan 16, 2015

I have openly said before (and gotten criticism) that I FIRMLY believe you need at least a few years in depth experience before you have the knowledge base and skills necessary to go into advanced practice.I know there are others who don't agree with me. Many docs in my area state they will only hire NPs with a good amount of nursing experience under their belts, and want to know that they are confident in their practice.

nyc2011 · Jan 17, 2015

I don' think there are any programs that even allow for BSN directly to become FNP? I have never heard of that. But I would not suggest this at all. But then again, there are physician assistants who don't have any experience either. It won't be a deal breaker but it will give you something you cannot get anywhere :CONFIDENCE.

I have become a stronger, more assertive, and knowledgable confidence person after 5 years of nursing experience and now in my FNP school!

zmansc, ASN, RN · Jan 18, 2015

I don' think there are any programs that even allow for BSN directly to become FNP? I have never heard of that. But I would not suggest this at all. But then again, there are physician assistants who don't have any experience either. It won't be a deal breaker but it will give you something you cannot get anywhere :CONFIDENCE.
I have become a stronger, more assertive, and knowledgable confidence person after 5 years of nursing experience and now in my FNP school!

All direct entry programs and several other programs are designed to take individuals with no prior nursing experience to the role of advanced practice nurses. Personally, I would not have felt like I was ready to pursue my education as a NP without some experience as a RN, but there are many programs that are designed to do so, and their are many competent NPs who have traveled this road.

TammyG · Jan 20, 2015

I applied for grad school right out of BSN school, but I worked full time during the five years it took me to ear my MSN/NP degree. By the time I was ready for clinicals, I had a couple years of experience and by the time I graduated, I was an experienced nurse. I agree that having some background as an RN really helps in clinicals, but for many people going to school part-time while working as an RN, that winds up not being a problem.

Thinking back, had I worked as an RN for a few years, I am not sure I would have ever went to grad school. I enjoy the RN role and don't really feel a need to change that.