Becoming an NP with little to no nursing experience??

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Hello to all!!! I have worked as a parmamedic for 20 years, have a B.A. in Economics, and I wanted to advance my career in healthcare. I was originally looking to pursue the PA route, but for certain practical reasons (including my union not helping to pay for it) I have been looking at other options, nursing/NP.

I was very excited to learn of a school near me that has a combined BSN/NP program for people with non-nursing bachelor degrees. I was about to start looking deeper into this program when a good friend of mine who is a member of an interview committee at a nearby hospital told me that I shouldn't do the program because I would have trouble getting a job.

The reason stated was because I wouldn't have been seen as having "paid my dues" as a nurse first.

Is this true?

I could understand why someone might feel that way about someone who went through this type of program never having worked in healthcare before. However, I like to think that to a certain degree I've paid my dues (I know it isn't nursing, but from a time in healthcare perspective).

My friend did say that I might be considered an exception to that rule. The program is at a VERY well known school and I was told by my friend even then it wouldn't matter. I was wondering what people here thought regarding this topic.

Thank you for any guidance you can provide.

I don't know any PA programs that require a medical work history before acceptance...maybe volunteer hours in a hospital or something like that but nothing like being a CNA or tech. I know some people that went to grad school for PA as well and just had to take the GREs and the required pre-reqs.

Jobless, don't believe this line of bull... :heartbeat

Thanks ebear...lol. I'm happy I'm getting honest responses though, because truthfully, the harshest critics I've encountered about this issue are nurses----nurses in clinicals, nurses that teach in college, nurses on this forum...

I really hope there's not a theme of nurses trying to knock each other down. This NP issue reminds me a lot of when I first started nursing school and faculty told us we all have to absolutely start in med-surg, then my group started hearing about grads getting specialty positions right out of school and doing well in them. God forbid any of us have to be put under by a CRNA since their 1-2 years in critical care pales in comparison to any kind of training a real anesthetist goes through...;)

Specializes in Hospice / Psych / RNAC.

PA's work under the doc's license and the doc is always available to assist and in many instances they work together in the same building. Nurse pracs work on their own and don't justify there actions to a doctor. Nurse pracs are independent and I believe they need years of RN experience and if they don't then definitely need a preceptor for the first few years.

IMO advance practice nurses are experts in their field. How can you be an expert with no experience whatsoever?

Exactly. OP, while I applaud you for wanting to set your sights on advanced practice . . . advanced practice is built upon mastery of the basic nursing in whatever area you wish to specialize in.

For example, I worked with an NP who's area of specialization was cystic fibrosis and lung transplant. She knew the disease, its treatment and its complications, all the current genetic research and gene therapy trials, the pro's and con's of lung transplantation . . . as a new grad RN, who then goes on to get an NP . . . you will know nada, zippo, NOTHING. Nursing school gives you the tools to build your nursing practice . . . experience gives you the knowledge and expertise. Capiche?

Specializes in SICU.

Not all PA schools require a health care back ground, but a lot do.

As for CRNA's, they do require clinical experence, a very vigorous interview selection process ( only few get accepted) and a huge amount of clinical hours. NP schools on the other hand do not require experence, as long as you have the basic pre-req's just about anyone can get accepted and have minimal amount of clinical hours.

I think that once you get a job and start working you will have a greater understanding just how little nursing school prepares you for actually working as a nurse and just how much you still need to learn just to fuction as an independant working floor/unit nurse.

I don't know any PA programs that require a medical work history before acceptance...maybe volunteer hours in a hospital or something like that but nothing like being a CNA or tech. I know some people that went to grad school for PA as well and just had to take the GREs and the required pre-reqs.

You may not know of any . . . but, I know of one, check out the Stanford/Foothill College program . . . it requires 3000 hours of direct healthcare experience to apply for the program. I'm not saying that ALL programs have this requirement, but here's one that does.

Foothill College Primary Care Program Minimum Prerequisites

I agree with all of you. I mean I certainly do want to put my time in as a RN.

I'm still confused why the nursing community would allow NP programs (that require no RN experience) to exist if there is a perceived deficiency in the graduates' knowledge base and competence. Maybe they should make all NP programs like the ones for CRNAs. If you want to do FNP, you have to do 2 years in primary care or ER... CNM?---two years in L&D...etc.

You may not know of any . . . but, I know of one, check out the Stanford/Foothill College program . . . it requires 3000 hours of direct healthcare experience to apply for the program. I'm not saying that ALL programs have this requirement, but here's one that does.

Foothill College Primary Care Program Minimum Prerequisites

Not a fan of this program or should I say it is not for everyone.

That is an accelerated certificate program open to those who have some type of medical certificate. It is 16 months in length and bypasses the degree if the other prerequisites are met.

Degree based programs generally are not accelerated and are designed for the student to have a strong science background along with many, many clinical hours. Once you complete the degree you can also apply for a post grad residency in a specialty for additional patient hours as a PA and not as an EMT or Medical Assistant.

*clip*

Please share your insight because if master's programs are producing unhire-able NPs or NPs who don't deserve the respect of other health professionals simply because they haven't done their time as an RN, then maybe we should just do away with these programs. :uhoh3:

Not being an NP, I don't know what the job requirements are for a NP position. I'm replying based on common sense assumptions . . . how can you apply as a cardiothoracic NP, for example, with absolutely no CT experience? Maybe they will train you, who knows? But, if your goal is to become an NP, go for it!!

Specializes in Endoscopy/MICU/SICU.

Jobless, you are getting good advice here. Understand that this is not others trying to knock you down, it is real advice based on their clinical experience. The same goes for med/surg. Being a new grad, I believe it is good advice to do med/surg/telemetry for a year or so to get your feet wet. Just because people aren't telling you what you want to hear doesn't mean their trying to knock you down.

The problem with being a new grad is that you don't know what you don't know. There is so much to learn, and going on to grad school with no experience...well, I just cannot imagine it and would never want to do it myself. The best advice I can give you is to keep searching for that first RN job.

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I agree with all of you. I mean I certainly do want to put my time in as a RN.

I'm still confused why the nursing community would allow NP programs (that require no RN experience) to exist if there is a perceived deficiency in the graduates' knowledge base and competence. Maybe they should make all NP programs like the ones for CRNAs. If you want to do FNP, you have to do 2 years in primary care or ER... CNM?---two years in L&D...etc.

Uhm...$$$?

FWIW, I would never go to an NP with no experience. Then again, I'm not really an advocate of any midlevel practitioners, period. If I'm sick, I want a doctor directing my care.

Thanks ebear...lol. I'm happy I'm getting honest responses though, because truthfully, the harshest critics I've encountered about this issue are nurses----nurses in clinicals, nurses that teach in college, nurses on this forum...

I really hope there's not a theme of nurses trying to knock each other down. This NP issue reminds me a lot of when I first started nursing school and faculty told us we all have to absolutely start in med-surg, then my group started hearing about grads getting specialty positions right out of school and doing well in them. God forbid any of us have to be put under by a CRNA since their 1-2 years in critical care pales in comparison to any kind of training a real anesthetist goes through...;)

I don't think anyone is being critical of you, they are just responding to your questions. NP's have been in existence for more then forty years. Until 2000, programs actually required applicants to have several years of clinical experience. And when I went to graduate school, in 1974, physician assistant programs also required several years of practical experience- such as EMT,nursing,military MASH. Also, until then 1980's,most hospital specialty units required general med-surg experience, plus in-house training. And CRNA's, they had to have several years of clinical general med-surg plus two years of critical care. I am assuming you mistyped anesthetist. Physicians who administer anesthia are required to spend several years in their specality residency. And upon passing their speciality board, supervise CRNA's.

I have reservations about anyone jumping right into a speciality program without any clinical experience. Yes, there are some who can manage to do it and provide good care. More power to them. But it has been my experience, of some forty plus years, the vast majority are not. And now that I am retired, I don't want to depend on someone who has no experience taking care of me in a special area, suc as ICU or an NP or PA with only the clinical experience in teir program. I need someone who has several years of practical clinical experience plus advanced education, to draw on this, to make the correct decisions about me and my care. Sorry but that is just my way. I also require any physician to be board certified and we know what that takes.

Color me a :jester: that way.

GrannyRN65

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