Direct Entry MSN vs. 2nd-degree BSN

Karotte · Jun 19, 2006

Congrats on deciding to become a nurse!

I just started a direct entry MSN program last week, which has been very exciting. I decided to go the direct entry route because I was sure of my specialty (midwifery) before I even loked into the options...

Take some time to look at what your role as a nurse vs. an advanced practice nurse in the different specialties looks like. Are you drawn to any in particular? The more you inform yourself via the internet and people in those professions, the clearer your ultimate goal may become. Also, I know that there are direct entry programs that don't make you chooe right away (UPenn comes to mind)...I'm sure there are more.

Good luck!

smile123 · Jun 19, 2006

i graduated about two years ago with a ba, and now i want to go back to school to become a nurse. i'm really excited about the decision, but i'm not sure which way to go about doing it...direct entry msn or 2nd degree bsn. i feel like a masters is the next logical step, but don't think i'm ready to pick a specialty right away, which most dem's make you do. opinions, please! what are your plans, or what would you do? any insight is appreciated.

i was accepted at johns hopkins university for their direct entry msn. everyone does a bsn first. (i did the accel'd bsn in 13.5 months) i have the option to go straight through (3 years counting the bsn portion) or to work for a year as a bsn rn and then go back to work on my msn (2 more years fulltime). it's one of the few schools i know of where you have that flexibility. you can also go in "undecided" for your master's track specialty and change it later on. other places make you decide before you start which can be a bit intimidating when you haven't had much experience in the health care field (since 99% of the people are 2nd career people with a bs or ba)

http://www.son.jhmi.edu/academics/academic_programs/

they also allow you to go to school part time and work full time or part time. so there are nursing students who work at johns hopkins hospital and take classes acress the street at the nursing school. (johns hopkins hospital nurses can get their tuition paid for if they work while going to school). so look around and research other programs. good luck.

Megsd, BSN, RN · Jun 20, 2006

I went for the accelerated BSN because I have no clue what I want to do and I didn't feel comfortable committing to a specialty right off the bat in a direct-entry MSN. My accelerated BSN program will actually give me 17-19 credits toward my MSN, so I'll at least have a little head start when I decide to go back for that.