BSN-MSN..questions..advice

[sophie<3]

i am currently in the BSN program and am considering doing a BSN-MSN program after i graduate. i have no current healthcare experience and was wondering if i should work as an RN for a few years to get some experience under my belt before i decide to advance my education or should i just leap into a MSN degree head first while i still have nursing school fresh on my mind? i really would like to become a neonatal np but have no neonatal experience..once again, do you think i should try to work in the NICU before deciding to go on? i am so torn on the issue and i do have time to make the decision but i would just like the input of other nurses. i am afraid i will make a mistake by not getting any experience behind me. any thoughts?? thanks so much

[elkpark]

IMHO (and the opinion of lots of others here :)), "leaping" into an MSN program is a really bad idea. Most MSN degrees lock you into a particular role or career path, and most people aren't even aware of the wide range of career options and possibilities within nursing until they've been in nursing for a while. It's extremely common for people to enter nursing school, or begin their nursing careers, confident that they want to specialize in a particular area, and, after a few years of experience and becoming more familiar with nursing overall, they find they're much more interested in something else entirely. I've known a few people personally (and I'm sure that the few people I've happened to know are not the only people in this situation :)) who did a direct-entry MSN program or rushed into a Master's program just because they wanted a graduate degree, only to find after the fact that they didn't like doing what the degree had prepared them to do. Now they're stuck with a graduate degree (and the loans to pay for it!) and career track they don't particularly want, and are trying to figure out what degree to get next to be able to do something they do want to do. That's not a happy place to be ...

Also, someone correct me if I'm wrong :), but I believe all NNP programs require you to have a couple years (or some minimum amount) of experience as a NICU nurse before you're eligible. Most advanced practice specialty programs don't have that mandatory requirement, but CRNA and NNP programs do.

I agree with your concern that it would be a mistake to not get some basic nursing experience before returning to school. Best wishes for your journey!

[llg, PhD, RN]

:yeahthat: