Completing DNP While Working Full-Time

Published

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Hello everyone! I was accepted into a hybrid MSN to DNP program that starts this fall. I am required to attend on campus sessions twice a semester and these sessions last 3 days per occurrence. For the fall I will have to take off from work Monday-Wednesday once in August and once in November. Since I will be working a full-time primary care job, I plan to work Monday through Friday. Are employers usually accommodating towards school situations and allow employees time off for educational advancement? What have your experiences been? Any insight would be helpful. Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in psych/medical-surgical.

My prog is hybrid as well. The problem is clinical. Any serious school will tell you work is discouraged or make you sign no work agreements. Most of my cohort is at most doing prn work. Full time work and school is impossible when you start having clinical and working on your capstone. Unless somehow your clinical hours are less than the 1200 I have to do in 2 years. I have to get 20 hours per week between patient and project clinic.

I have 320 clinic hours this semester. Over 17 weeks that is 18.8 hours. Mind you have to work around multiple preceptor schedule. So how you would work full time on top of doing school work is beyond me. Also I don't see why work would support you going to school. They are paying you for your full attention and ability to produce. On the other hand you pay the school and should hope to learn and grow the most you can so you can have better prospects in the future.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I would need more information. you have a MSN...are you already an NP? If it is just the DNP portion ...you can certainly work full-time. However, if you getting your NP portion that would really depend on your work scheduled as those clinical rotations are hard to fit in addition to the diadatic work . I worked a .75 FTE (12 hour shifts) for my MSN and work was able to accommodate me, but it was very stressful. Doing the DNP is busy.....but it has not been difficult to manage.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
On 3/22/2020 at 12:04 PM, Rnis said:

I would need more information. you have a MSN...are you already an NP? If it is just the DNP portion ...you can certainly work full-time. However, if you getting your NP portion that would really depend on your work scheduled as those clinical rotations are hard to fit in addition to the diadatic work . I worked a .75 FTE (12 hour shifts) for my MSN and work was able to accommodate me, but it was very stressful. Doing the DNP is busy.....but it has not been difficult to manage.

I already have my NP. I am just concerned about the on campus days in my program. I don't think most employers want their employees taking 3 weekdays off twice a semester for academic related campus visits. If this is a potential problem, I will consider a job in urgent care where I would work 3-12 hour shifts instead of working in a primary care office 5 days a week.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
5 hours ago, MsBrain said:

I already have my NP. I am just concerned about the on campus days in my program. I don't think most employers want their employees taking 3 weekdays off twice a semester for academic related campus visits. If this is a potential problem, I will consider a job in urgent care where I would work 3-12 hour shifts instead of working in a primary care office 5 days a week.

I don't know where you work, but that would be no big deal at all where I work. I am guessing you are not working as a NP yet based on the tone of your post. Life is nice on the advanced practice side of nursing :)P With floor nursing they have shifts that have to be filled, when you are an NP...they just close your schedule. It took me awhile to get used to the ease of getting a vacation.

The DNP portion is really a lot of busy work....but not hard. I do think there is value. I am definitely starting to understand the leadership role of nursing with classes I have taken.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CVICU, MICU, Burn ICU.

Since you already have your APRN MSN, the DNP should be very doable for you. Most of the APRNs in my DNP cohort are working full-time. But you need to work it out with your employer - as there are the on-campus requirements you mentioned and there also will be more clinical hours (500 for the doctoral portion, I believe per AACN).

Honestly, my MSN clinical hours were way more stressful than I think my DNP hours are or are going to be going forward. I worked part-time during my MSN and it about killed me. That said, I have a year left on my DNP and I'm probably not going to pursue an APRN position (unless it's part-time) until I'm done with my DNP. The flexibility of bedside RN job is feeling pretty perfect as my capstone ramps up.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion