Corporate to Nursing

Hi everyone,

I am a career changer seriously exploring nursing with a long-term goal of becoming a PMHNP. I have a background in data analytics, a prior bachelor's degree, and some direct care experience working with adults with developmental disabilities. I am based in New York City and am trying to figure out the most realistic path forward given my life situation - I have a newborn at home, and real financial obligations that make going full time and walking away from income very difficult.

I have been researching NYC-area programs pretty deeply and keep running into the same wall: most programs are either full time and incompatible with working, or take too long and are exposes.

I have a few specific questions for anyone who has been through this:

1. Are there any NYC-area nursing programs - BSN, ABSN, or ADN - where students have genuinely been able to work full time or close to full time during the program? I know clinicals are the hard part and I am not expecting miracles there, but I am curious what has actually worked for people in practice rather than what programs advertise.

2. For career changers who have gone the ABSN route and then applied separately to a PMHNP program versus those who went direct entry MDE/DNP (like Columbia's program): which path do you wish you had taken, and why? Specifically interested in whether the RN experience before NP school made a meaningful difference in your clinical confidence and also would NP school theoretically take you withoany RN experience.

Any first-hand experience or insight would be genuinely appreciated. Happy to answer questions if more context would help.

Thank you.