Advice!!

GrumpyRN, NP · Dec 31, 2015

Read your post, it tells you exactly what you should do.

I want to care for patients indenpendently in the examination room. I want to prescibe medicine and diagnose without having to hold someone hand walking me thru it. I want to be on call and have nurses calling me in the middle of the night because my patient is krumping (spell check). I want that kind of responsibility.

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Dec 31, 2015

I have no real desire to be a registered nurse other than the pay while still in school to obtain my desired degree (PNP).

Wow, you will be such a good nurse! Why are you working towards something you have no desire in? Be sure to mention that in your interview for nursing school. Please stay away. This is actually super insulting to those of us who love our jobs.

I know there are RN-MSN programs out there that does not require a BSN degree; can I get into one of those programs while having an ASsociate degree in nursing from a junior college?? Right now I am currently finishing my last science class for entry into BSN program in the fall 2016 but I still keep thinking its a quicker path to obtain my MSN. Then again I am being very impatient financially and rather work a year as an RN making good $$$ while in school.

Being an RN is hard work, not a hobby. It is unrealistic that you work as a new grad and go to school at the same time.

I want to care for patients indenpendently in the examination room. I want to prescibe medicine and diagnose without having to hold someone hand walking me thru it. I want to be on call and have nurses calling me in the middle of the night because my patient is krumping (spell check). I want that kind of responsibility.

You mean you have a TV fantasy about being important. Do you actually want to help anyone?

GrumpyRN, NP · Dec 31, 2015

I have no real desire to be a registered nurse other than the pay while still in school to obtain my desired degree (PNP).
Wow, you will be such a good nurse! Why are you working towards something you have no desire in? Be sure to mention that in your interview for nursing school. Please stay away. This is actually super insulting to those of us who love our jobs.
I know there are RN-MSN programs out there that does not require a BSN degree; can I get into one of those programs while having an ASsociate degree in nursing from a junior college?? Right now I am currently finishing my last science class for entry into BSN program in the fall 2016 but I still keep thinking its a quicker path to obtain my MSN. Then again I am being very impatient financially and rather work a year as an RN making good $$$ while in school.
Being an RN is hard work, not a hobby. It is unrealistic that you work as a new grad and go to school at the same time.
I want to care for patients indenpendently in the examination room. I want to prescibe medicine and diagnose without having to hold someone hand walking me thru it. I want to be on call and have nurses calling me in the middle of the night because my patient is krumping (spell check). I want that kind of responsibility.
You mean you have a TV fantasy about being important. Do you actually want to help anyone?

Amen brother, could not have put it better.

CarlHester · Dec 31, 2015

I am sorry i offend anyone..I initially went to school for pre-med. I would like to reinterate and say that I ideally want to become a registered nurse as a stepping stone to my desired master degree. It may sound like a TV fantasy but it is my passion to work in this profession. I have a deep desire to heal and comfort the sick. Maybe i could have left the "nursing calling me..." And "have no desire to be a nurse" out of the post but nonetheless I still find nothing wrong with my post. I was hoping to get advice on what path to take to reach PNP or should I do med school to become a Prdiatrician.

Nurse Leigh · Dec 31, 2015

A lot of nurses (myself included) think the NURSE part of nurse practitioner is pretty important.

What one learns from practicing as a nurse for a substantial amount of time is often what makes a nurse practitioner so valuable.

Also, about the RNs making so much $$$ - not always the case. We are severely underpaid in many parts of the country.

And we don't often get the opportunity to "comfort" the way we would like to.

Grumble88 · Jan 1, 2016

You have to walk on egg shells when you mention that your end goal is NP and that you don't want to be an RN when talking to nurses, many of us take it the wrong way. There are lots of folks out there like you that are searching for the most efficient path to become a health care provider, some for genuine reason, others not so much. If you know being a pediatric hcp is your goal, there's no shame in pursuing the PNP license straight through, just be sure you find a state that allows for independent NP practice as it sounds like that's what you want. As far as working while earning your MSN, prn or part time work is expected and a great way to further your education and experience, full-time work is doable but difficult if you're a full-time student as well.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Jan 2, 2016

If you are wanting to become an MD, that will take a heck of a lot more schooling.

If you can obtain a position as an associates RN, then I would. But you may find that most large specialized hospitals are looking for BSN as opposed to ADNs. As an ADN, if you can obtain employment, would get you some clinical hours under your belt, as well as the time needed in practice to specialize.

In the meanwhile, while generally practicing as a nurse, I would get as many applicable certifications as you can. PALS, NALS, pediatric critical care....whatever it is you are looking to do. Once you have your time in, then see if you can transfer to pediatric ED.

Only then would I move onto a master's degree. That is all fine well and good that you would like to do these things. Finding a job that is specialized with no experience is quite another.

The world is awash with NP's. And there are many places that don't use them. There are facilities that would rather a PA. And to be a PA you have to have multiple clinical hours, as well as the programs are highly competitive.

The course of study for a MD and NP are like apples and oranges. 2 totally different trains of thought. If it is the adrenaline rush you are looking for you may want to be one with a paramedic course once you get your RN. There may be more jobs available at the get go that would give you what you want.

Spurse32 · Jan 2, 2016

The course of study for a MD and NP are like apples and oranges. 2 totally different trains of thought.

Can you explain this a little further? I always thought the NP education and MD would be very similar.

Grumble88 · Jan 3, 2016

Can you explain this a little further? I always thought the NP education and MD would be very similar.

the pathophysiology and pharmacology will be the same, but there are stark differences. Med school is more in depth and you'll receive extensive training as a generalist, far more than you'll receive in an NP program.

The most touted difference is the "medical model" and "nursing model" of education. This basically boils down to disease-process focus vs. holistic-care focus. Med school trains you to efficiently identify the presenting problem and fix it, nursing school teaches you to attempt to address the whole patient. In practice these differences are little more than frivolous ideology, the care that a hcp provides is totally dependent on the individual. Plenty of MDs go the extra mile to help their patients and plenty of NPs plow through patient case loads as efficiently as possible and don't explore beyond the presenting issue.

Bumex, DNP, NP · Jan 3, 2016

If you don't want to be a nurse, you shouldn't want to be an NP. As previously stated, being and having the RN experience is huge towards the NP. You build off of that education and experience. It sounds like you should go MD. The whole "I have no desire to be a nurse" sets you up for failure in the profession.

Bluebolt · Jan 4, 2016

Hello all..I am currently deciding which path I want to pursue rather it be PNP or Pediatrician Physician. So I am currently an undergraduate, I have no real desire to be a registered nurse other than the pay while still in school to obtain my desired degree (PNP). I know there are RN-MSN programs out there that does not require a BSN degree; can I get into one of those programs while having an ASsociate degree in nursing from a junior college?? Right now I am currently finishing my last science class for entry into BSN program in the fall 2016 but I still keep thinking its a quicker path to obtain my MSN. Then again I am being very impatient financially and rather work a year as an RN making good $$$ while in school. The impatience come from me being in college since i was 18 and still an undergrad at 22.
The confusion I am having with the whole
PNP vs Pediatrician is the autonomy difference I guess since what I read they basically do the same duties. What are the major differences in a primary care setting from the two lets say working at Children Hospital of Pennsylvania? And a urban clinic?
I want to care for patients indenpendently in the examination room. I want to prescibe medicine and diagnose without having to hold someone hand walking me thru it. I want to be on call and have nurses calling me in the middle of the night because my patient is krumping (spell check). I want that kind of responsibility.
P.S.P.S- so I am a male interested in the nursing field and I have tattoo artwork on my forearm (nothing inappropriate); do you know health care professionals who display their body art? Should I cover always? Is it inappropriate to display it while seeing patients?
**Sorry for the Rant; ALL ADVICE ARE WELCOMED AND HIGHLY APPRECIATED

I understand where you're coming from with your thought process. You like to help people and want to work in the medical field but you aren't looking for the typical (not so glamorous) aspects of the bedside nursing field. I was pre-med myself back in college before I switched into nursing. In fact I took a summer off from the BSN program between 1st and second semester and did a med school internship through UAB. My nursing professors were not pleased. In retrospect I understand how it seemed insulting and offensive to the old school nurses.

In the past the two fields of medicine and nursing were starkly different and there was no crossover, that isn't true at present and is quickly becoming more joined. If you're looking to be a pediatric CRNP you could certainly get your DNP with pediatrics being your focus, move to a state (there are many) that allows very autonomous practice and open up your own pediatric clinic. Actually my hometown has a pediatric NP who worked with an MD for years in his clinic until he developed such a following that he opened his own peds clinic and just pays a service fee for an MD to review (maybe 10%?) of his charts a month. He is a very busy, very well paid and respected member of the medical community in that rural town.

I recommend getting into a good BSN program, precepting in an area like the ED or ICU where you get to be very autonomous and then apply to work there upon graduation. While in CNRP school work part time in this area attempting to grow/learn as much as you can. You will deal with some things you don't necessarily enjoy but for a few years it won't be so bad, you'll actually get to where you won't mind it. Just remember that even MD's had to go through med school and residency where they have to do digital rectal exams and other undesirable things, it's part of the helping people thing when they can't help themselves.

Once you graduate with your CRNP you can team up with a pediatrician who will essentially help you learn to be the best pediatric NP you can be just like he would do with a new unexperienced MD. Then if you want and if you're good enough you can strike it out on your own. It's certainly not a quick and easy process and it will take you years and tens of thousands of dollars in tuition but it should come out to a little less time than the MD route and probably half the student loan debt. Good luck to you and keep your mind open about the nursing field, I think you'll find it's more rewarding than you realize.