Direct-entry MSN programs

HIYA!!

Whoop, whoop! First quarter done, :rotfl: :rotfl:

Wow, I can hardly believe it. 10 weeks of buckling down and studying. It almost seems unreal. I know how crazy hard it was and so do my classmates but, I am sooo happy to have gotten through this first one.

Jess, how is it going for you? I wanted to let you know that two of our three moms are going part time. It is a lot.

Wow, I also start a new job, (two actually but, one is per diem, a couple days a month and the other is as a nurse extern). I am totally thrilled!!

I am going to sleep all I can this Holiday weekend!!

Nice to finally post again.

Gennaver

p.s. I am very happy about how the grades turned out and again, i am so glad that UIC didn't accept me!! Thankyou:) Just shows me that the statement is true about not getting what we think we want being good because what we really need then becomes available!

Yay Gen!! Congrats on your first quarter done! I am hanging in there till 12/15 when I have my last final. It has been an interesting and challenging, but not brutal semester because I have only had the two classes to focus on. It makes me strangely feel better to hear that other moms in similar programs have chosen to go part time. These programs are just so intense, they require all your focus and that is just *really* hard with kids. Even with just the two classes, the week when both my kids and husband were sick *and* I had a Patho test- which then *I* got sick for the night before. Arg!! Everything seems to be going smoothly and then the pathogens get involved! LOL!

Enjoy your rest, relaxation and turkey today!!

-Jess

Hey Jess!

It's great to hear that things are going at least relatively well for you. I'm glad that the program has been so accomodating - that's nice to hear.

So... I'm finishing up the last of my applications. (And waiting for my boss to get me my rec - it's been like 6 weeks!!) The only one I'm still working on is for BC, and I'm stumped on the essay questions. I'm having a really tough time figuring out exactly how to separate them.

Here they are:

1. Describe personal experiences that have contributed to your desire to seek a career in nursing. What types of contributions do you think you will be able to make to the nursing profession?

2. Elaborate upon your reasons for wanting to become an advanced practice nurse. Describe the specialty and/or patient population you wish to study and how educational preparation in this specialty will enable you to acheive your future goals and plans.

It just seems like everything I have to say fits in BOTH of those categories. For example, my experiences working with disabled adults is a major drive for me to go to nursing school, but it also has defined the patient population I wish to work with. How do I separate that? Any suggestions???

Happy belated Thanksgiving :wink2:

janony

Here they are:

1. Describe personal experiences that have contributed to your desire to seek a career in nursing. What types of contributions do you think you will be able to make to the nursing profession?

2. Elaborate upon your reasons for wanting to become an advanced practice nurse. Describe the specialty and/or patient population you wish to study and how educational preparation in this specialty will enable you to acheive your future goals and plans.

It just seems like everything I have to say fits in BOTH of those categories...

I had the same problem- with experiences that fit in both categories. I just decided to somewhat artificially focus my responses as follows:

For Q1: I answered the general question "why nursing?" by talking about the experiences I had with nurses during the pregnancies and births of my two children. I had a difficult labor and delivery(c/section) with my first child so I talked about what was special about the nursing role and how nurses can provide care both for physical and emotional needs. I talked about post- partum "teaching" roles of nurse/lactation consultant and the more holistic practice of nursing to address the needs of the whole person (and families).

For Q2: I needed to work in my volunteer stuff for this one and wanted to demonstrate I understood the role of and leadership opportunties for the advanced practice nurse. I think this is key because the roles of an RN vs an NP are so different, and I think it is important to show you know what you are signing on for. So if the Q1 essay was an answer to the question "why nursing?", the Q2 essay answered "why advanced practice nursing and why ?"

I talked about the NPs I observed in my hospital volunteer role and the leadership they showed in helping to shape hospital policy as well as advocating for staff nurse training and ongoing education in order for the hospital's new quality initiatives to be successful. I also talked about my nurse midwives who provided my prenatal and postpartum care for my pregnancy with my second child. They were very knowledgeable, respectful and great at thinking "big picture" and helping me secure a healthcare team of both traditional and "alternative" providers to meet my specific needs and goals. Again, I tried to highlight what was unique about nursing and the unique ability for nurses to meet the OB/GYN needs of many women. I also put a paragraph in at the end of this one touching on what academic research topics were of interest to me in my specialty and that I hoped to participate in faculty research while at BC, if possible.

I hope this helps you a little. I think you just need to write from the heart and try to show that you have passion for nursing and your chosen specialty. If you can tell stories from your experience that illustrate your points, that's great because that gives the readers an idea of who you are and makes the essay more memorable. I'd be happy to chat more offline if you like- just PM me your email info.

-Jess

Glad to see everybody is enjoying their direct entry nursing programs. I am enrolled in on right now and I will be graduating in June. It's a lot of work but I really feel it's worth it, particularly if your planning on doing some type of advanced practice nursing in the future. I am enrolled at depaul. If anyone is there feel free to send me a PM or reply to this posting.

Have a great break! Isn't it SO NICE not to have any studying or papers due?!

Yup, that's right, I sent the last of it off this morning. Yay!! In total, I did 5: BC, Northeastern, Simmons, MGH, JHU. I'm hoping for BC or MGH at this point.

Now I just have to sit back and wait. How long it it take yall to hear back from the schools?

Hi all

I've really enjoyed reading this thread (and the old ones) and seeing everyone's progress. You all have great advice, and so I thought maybe you could help me out.

SO - I'm seriously considering/have decided to apply to direct-entry MSN programs this fall, with the goal of eventually becoming a FNP. However, I'm NOT the typical applicant, and I'm wondering what my chances are and/or how I can improve them quickly (ie, in the next few months).

I'm a 4th year phd student in cell biology at Harvard, but I'm not planning to finish the phd. I want to become a NP instead. It's a bit of an unual switch, I know. My numbers are good - 3.95 undergrad GPA, 3.7ish grad GPA. GRE (pre-writing section days) 800A, 790Q, 640 V. I obviously have a ton of lab experience and a strong science background. Haven't actually taken A+P, but doing that this fall.

I have limited health care experience. Worked in a clinic in high school way back when. Currently volunteer doing outdoor education for people with disabilities - does that count? Am starting a hospital volunteer program next week. Grad school commitments mean I can't spend to much time on anything else without pissing off my advisor - and I know I'll need a good rec from him to get in.

Despite my lack of on-paper experience, I've researched this well and it's what I want to do. But do I even have a chance? Should I go back for an associates first? Become a CNA?

I'm thinking of appling to: UCSF (do I have a shot in hell? should i even bother?), Simmons, Northeastern, UIC, and Hopkins. Any comments on these schools?

Thanks, and hope school is going well for everyone-

janony

why not finish your phd then go the nursing route?

why not finish your phd then go the nursing route?

wish i had a good answer for that one. if you figure it out, let me know, ok?

Yup, that's right, I sent the last of it off this morning. Yay!! In total, I did 5: BC, Northeastern, Simmons, MGH, JHU. I'm hoping for BC or MGH at this point.

Now I just have to sit back and wait. How long it it take yall to hear back from the schools?

Congrats on finishing your apps! I think we all heard back mid-March from BC and MGH. I heard from Regis first (early March I think) then MGH the second week of March- then BC last a few days later. After March first I would get so antsy when I'd see the mailman on my street. Those were the looooongest weeks.

-Jess

wish i had a good answer for that one. if you figure it out, let me know, ok?

well if you have your doctorate in biology and then also get a ms in nursing you could be very marketable as a proffessor especially in nursing where teachers are needed. just a thought!

well if you have your doctorate in biology and then also get a ms in nursing you could be very marketable as a proffessor especially in nursing where teachers are needed. just a thought!

Hi BCzito,

I would bet that this is not the first time Janony has heard this. :)

Janony,

Congrats also on sending out your apps!! Remember to feel free to check in with them a time or two. There is a fine line I am sure between checking in and being a pain but, figure that they way you check in can make it non-pestering. One of my classmates and myself both would have missed that we were in had we not checked in!

Also! Do not forget that where you really think you want to go may not necessarily be where you should go. For me, UIC passed me up, (apparently because I had an interest in pursueing the PhD eventually) and I was pretty darn crushed. Really, I knew they were tough to get in but, truly thought I was a strong contender. Well, I was strong until in my interview I asked about the phd. Anyhow, remember you will probably have to pick and choose which acceptances you want to accept!!

Wishing the best for you.

Gen

Hehe -yah, I had actually heard / thought of this before, BCzito. And pretty much any reason to stay / not to stay under the sun. I was being facetious.

In all seriousness, it's not an easy decision and I *may* end up requesting a deferment from NP school for a year to finish the PhD. Having that deadline of going to nursing school will hopefully get me out of here sooner that I would otherwise. My program tends to draaaag on forever (6.5-7 years is the average grad time), partly cause the grad students are good cheap labor and partly because most of my classmates want really competitive postdocs and stick around until they get their Science or Nature paper. So the standards end up being pretty high. I gues it IS harvard, afterall. Having the plan to go to NP school will hopefully lower those standards a bit with my committee if I choose to stay and attempt to finish.

Just out of curiosity, what is your background, BCzito? (and do you go to BC? or from BC?) I haven't met many people who have made this kind of transition and would love to hear your story.

Genn - thanks for the words of advice! I will definitely keep an open mind as to which school I want to attend. For now I'm just relieve the application process is (mostly) over with. I say mostly because one school contacted me yesterday wanting yet more transcripts and syllabi from two of my classes to make sure they fit their requirements. Come on - A+P 1 and 2 may not fit your requirements???!!!

Hehe -yah, I had actually heard / thought of this before, BCzito. And pretty much any reason to stay / not to stay under the sun. I was being facetious.

In all seriousness, it's not an easy decision and I *may* end up requesting a deferment from NP school for a year to finish the PhD. Having that deadline of going to nursing school will hopefully get me out of here sooner that I would otherwise. My program tends to draaaag on forever (6.5-7 years is the average grad time), partly cause the grad students are good cheap labor and partly because most of my classmates want really competitive postdocs and stick around until they get their Science or Nature paper. So the standards end up being pretty high. I gues it IS harvard, afterall. Having the plan to go to NP school will hopefully lower those standards a bit with my committee if I choose to stay and attempt to finish.

Just out of curiosity, what is your background, BCzito? (and do you go to BC? or from BC?) I haven't met many people who have made this kind of transition and would love to hear your story.

Genn - thanks for the words of advice! I will definitely keep an open mind as to which school I want to attend. For now I'm just relieve the application process is (mostly) over with. I say mostly because one school contacted me yesterday wanting yet more transcripts and syllabi from two of my classes to make sure they fit their requirements. Come on - A+P 1 and 2 may not fit your requirements???!!!

I go to BC right now in the direct entry masters program. I have a BS in neuroscience and before this I worked with women with borderline personality disorder, and I also did neuroscience research on DA pathways related to cocaine addiction in rats writing papers etc.., I also dabbled in pharmaceutical research and clinical research at Brigham and Womans (it was actually the harvard endocrinology/sleep lab with Dr. Cziezler, know him?). I find its a diffificult transition into nursing, but one I am happy with. I thought that being from a biological background would give me an advantage in my classes, but I find although I am glad to have that background knowledge it is not helpful on tests for the most part. Its basically like learning a totally new language. You need to embrace it or you will find yourself at a loss. I think one thing that often holds me back is that I am constantly thinking about things in a test tube instead of clinical situations (if that makes sense). Its definately doable though, but my best words of advice would be to go into it thinking that your bio backround is not pertinant once you are in a program (at least at first, I'm not at the NP part yet) and be open minded about a new field. Study everything even if it is biologically familiar because its guarenteed to be presented in a way that is foreign to you. I learned my lesson after having a slightly cocky attitude about exams that I felt would be very biologically based only to find everything is related to a clinical situation, and sometimes the lab data takes a back seat to a pt's immediate needs. Its also hard to get used to the idea that at least for your first year (maybe second) depending on the program, you are learning to be a bedside RN NOT an NP or CNS. You are not giving the orders. But its also important to embrace this role because it is an extremely important part about learning to be a nurse, and I think you need to feel comfortable in those shoes before you can move on to the CNS or NP role. Hope thats helpful. Feel free to ask me any other questions you have. As far as BC, I am really happy with it. I also think MGH seemed like a great program as well although that is a 3 year program as opposed to the 2 at BC. However, many people at BC take a year to go part time the second year to get more RN floor experience before they move on to the NP role, but this differs from person to person, and prbpably from specialty to specialty as well.

Take care,

BCZIto