Can a School Nurse become an FNP?

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Hello all,

The reason I am asking is because I am a school nurse and I want to become an FNP before 2015 when they change the degree requirement from MSN to Doctorate. But with a school nurse's schedule, is it possible to go back to school? There is an online program I am interested in but I would still have to do clinicals during the week? I have never worked in a hospital, so I would not be able to work on the weekends bedside bc I have already tried and they have all told me "you need to drop the school nurse job because we need to train you and training is 12-18 weeks following a mentor's schedule"...not something they could do if I'm working 7-5 M-F. So getting a hospital job on the weekends is out of the question. Havve any of you school nurse did this before? And if so how? Any other suggestions?

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I completed my FNP program as a school nurse. I had a very supportive group of nurses and supervisor and was able to request days off as leave without pay to do my clinicals. I did plenty of clinical time during school vacations, and weekends when possible. I would say it is definitely possible depending on how flexible your district is willing to be.

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Specializes in Family Practice, Urgent Care.

Are you looking for an easy route? You can manage to work full time until your clinical requirement, but most programs require primary care based clinical experiences and those clinics are usually open during the week with urgent cares/hospitals/ER open on the weekends. You will not be able to work 7-5 M-F during the second half of your program (heavy clinicals). My last semester alone I was in clinic 3 days a week. Believe me, its all worth the sacrifices! The above poster is right, being a school nurse, you could definitely take advantage of the breaks allotted to squeeze in clinical hours!

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I was a school nurse, I worked my way up from LPN, to RN BSN, and now going to school to become a FNP, and is a work in progress. I believe is possible if you take the online route.

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Specializes in ICU, CVICU, Case Management.

Just wanted to comment on your statement:" I want to become an FNP before 2015 when they change the degree requirement from MSN to Doctorate".

DNP is being discussed but is not required starting 2015, there are NP programs that offer DNP and there are programs for MSN.

Choose what best suits you and please don't feel the need to rush to become an FNP by 2015 because of misinformation. There is no requirement in 2015 that NPs must have DNP

There are other posts on this board that can give you more info and better clarify the DNP recommendation.

Take care and best of luck in whatever you pursue. I will graduate in December 2013, MSN- FNP from Univ of Alabama at Birmingham.

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There is a FNP in my town who started out as a school nurse in a very small school district. She has a rather large practice for a NP too.

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