attempt to debunk misperceptions about direct entry

romie · Oct 8, 2006

I finally had the opportunity to meet my classmates for a direct entry program that begins in Jan 07 during a 2 day orientation session. I really wish the naysayers of direct entry could meet my classmates, as they are not your typical straight out of highschool going to community college student. Here is what I learned:

1. Out of 40 students, more than a quater of the students have master's degrees, in fields including public health, sociology, and psychology-- all very very useful in nursing!

2. More than 10% were currently involved in conducting research. They held positions as researchers or research assistants.

3. Most were successful in their current field of work.

4. With few exception, these were among the most articulate and intelligent human beings I have ever met and they would not have been out of place on an ivy league campus.

It is these qualities in the students that enable direct entry programs to exist. They truely find the best and brightest students and provide them with incredibly intense learning experiences that traditional nurses students couldn't handle.

Gennaver, MSN · Oct 10, 2006

I hope this isn't off-topic, but I'm a little confused by this John Hopkins site about their MSN.
http://www.son.jhmi.edu/academics/academic_programs/bacc/BS_MSN/
Look under the section titled:
Why a BS and MSN instead of a regular master's program?
One of the bullets states:
Employment in many government and military organizations require nurses to have a BS in nursing in addition to an MSN.
Does this mean that someone with a direct-entry MSN would not be considered for some jobs without the BSN, even though an MSN was obtained??????

Hello,

Sadly I just found out that yes, that is exactly what that means.

After having spent 6+ weeks on my application packet for the Active Duty Army as an Army Nurse Candidate, (usually grandted to junior and senior BSN students) AND with the Colonol of the Army medical department writing an appeal, my application packet was rejected immediately.

The Army will NOT recognize my degree. I am tryign for Active Duty...

Thing is, the Army will grant waivers for criminals yet, will not grant waivers for MSN entry nurses.

I was told it will take "years and years and years" before they change the terminology and that they may not even change it at that.

So, if you have any hopes of a military career you are wasting your time, energy and money on the MSN entry.

I asked my undergraduate institution if there was any way that they could confur the BSN to me and was told, "why? your MSN supercedes it", so I am going to try to ask them again, otherwise, I am not eligible for Military duty.

Again, Criminals are granted waivers yet MSN entry students are NOT!

Learned it the hard way,

Gen

edite to add: just posted an update https://allnurses.com/forums/1873057-post1.html thank you

romie · Oct 11, 2006

Wow, Gennaver! I am so sorry that you are having a hard time with the Army Nurse Corps. The US military service doesn't have a good reputation when it comes their decisions about whom they think should be allowed into their club. There was another post about a celebrated military nurse being discharged because she is a lesbian. They clearly don't have their head on straight about accepting your MSN from DePaul. Apparently they think they are above the Board of Nursing and the national accredidation boards that grant DePaul the power to confer an MSN on you.

Perhaps a letter from the dean or the BON describing the curriculum and program would help.

Gennaver, MSN · Oct 11, 2006

Wow, Gennaver! I am so sorry that you are having a hard time with the Army Nurse Corps. The US military service doesn't have a good reputation when it comes their decisions about whom they think should be allowed into their club. There was another post about a celebrated military nurse being discharged because she is a lesbian. They clearly don't have their head on straight about accepting your MSN from DePaul. Apparently they think they are above the Board of Nursing and the national accredidation boards that grant DePaul the power to confer an MSN on you.
Perhaps a letter from the dean or the BON describing the curriculum and program would help.

Hello Romie,

The head of the Army Nurse Corps and the Nurse Corps does recognize the degree. Congress does not recognize it for funding purposes as they do for ROTC and Junior/Senior BSN candidates.

My recruiter told me that the Army nurse corps does indeed want me so they are going to try to repackage my application and send it in this Friday for the Regular Entry for Army Nurse Corps to sign now but not commission until graduation and NCLEX. Thing is, they cannot be 100% certain that it will get approval before the Board-which is for the Army not the Nurse Corps.

Yeah, I was so bummed, the Nurse Corps and the Medical recruiting worked so hard on my application and sent appeals for waivers for my MSN versus BSN student status and so on...

Believe me, I will update regardless when I find out about the Regular application versus my failed Candidate student application.

Gen

update:

-my packet should go in next week

-there is a regulation where the regular Army does recognize the MSN entry but, not for candidacy or ROTC programs

-by going regular Army the bonus for me will be over 50K versus the

PANurseRN1 · Oct 12, 2006

I finally had the opportunity to meet my classmates for a direct entry program that begins in Jan 07 during a 2 day orientation session. I really wish the naysayers of direct entry could meet my classmates, as they are not your typical straight out of highschool going to community college student. Here is what I learned:
1. Out of 40 students, more than a quater of the students have master's degrees, in fields including public health, sociology, and psychology-- all very very useful in nursing!
2. More than 10% were currently involved in conducting research. They held positions as researchers or research assistants.
3. Most were successful in their current field of work.
4. With few exception, these were among the most articulate and intelligent human beings I have ever met and they would not have been out of place on an ivy league campus.
It is these qualities in the students that enable direct entry programs to exist. They truely find the best and brightest students and provide them with incredibly intense learning experiences that traditional nurses students couldn't handle.

Nice. :uhoh3:

Nursing school is hard, no matter what route you take. Just because some people come with a degree in another area doesn't make them better. If they graduate and pass NCLEX, it makes them what the rest of us are...nurses, each with unique backgrounds and something to contribute.