Direct-entry NP program participants - where did you come from?

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I am posting this thread to solicit responses from people who have taken a direct-entry NP pathway from an unrelated background. With an engineering BS degree and 20 years wasted working in IT, I now have an opportunity to do something else that has been in the back of my mind for a long time.

I'm currently working as an EMT and I absolutely love it, and now I am pondering what comes next. Since I already have a BS, I have the option of a 3-year, direct-entry grad school NP program, and this is my first choice. I love being back in school and have a straight 4.0 in all the prereqs I would need for either the NP or BSN program.

But I am discouraged by the posts I see here disparaging these direct entry NP programs and claimed unrealistic goal of becoming an NP without already having spent many years working as an RN, hense the purpose of my post: I would like to hear from other present or past students of direct-entry NP programs to get a sense of where you came from and what your experience was like taking this step from an unrelated background.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I think that if this is the road your heart is telling you to take than go for it! I am an RN who went back for my BSN after 5 years of work and is now in an ACNP program (with a total of 10 years of RN experience). My program has both direct-entry and "traditional" students. I do think that experienced the RN may have the upper hand at times. However, the experienced RN also has some biases and routines ingrained that sometimes act as obstacles. I have heard from direct-entry graduates that the first year or so after graduation are hard but I know several that are more than a few years out and are awesome and functioning quite well in their role.

The fact that you are working as an EMT and loving it speaks to the fact that will will probably enjoy the nursing profession. Good luck with whatever you decide!

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I am not saying that it can't be done, but as for myself. I draw probably 90% of my diagnostic knowledge from my nursing experience, not NP school. I would be lost without being a nurse first.

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I think the ultimate question here surrounds the marketability of graduates from the program the OP is looking to be a part of. Obviously an entry-level program will work, or it wouldn't exist. The crux of the issue is are people hiring graduates of the program and at what rate?

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Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.

Im a grad of a direct entry NP program (May 2009). I had no trouble getting a job. Most places I interviewed with did not care that I had no RN expereince; not having NP experience was a far greater issue. Most naysayers were sadly, other nurses. Be prepared for that should you decide to go this route. My background was in laboratory medicine and health care mgmt. Both degrees were very helpful to me, and I think your EMT experience will certainly be of value to you. To be quite honest, I use very little of what I learned in the RN portion of my program in my current position as an NP. That is not to say that RN experience is not valuable; it certainly is. However, I think the most important quality an NP needs is the ability to think critically. Working as an RN can certainly give you that, but that skill is not exclusive to nursing. You have to think critically as an EMT, right? Also, every single direct entry grad of my program had jobs within 3-4 months of graduation. Many of us had jobs before graduation. I don't know if that is region specific or not. Should you go this route, be prepared to work your butt off and pretty much give up all else in your life while you're in school. I have no regrets about going this route. I love being an NP and going back to school was the best decision I ever made. Best of luck to you.

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I'm in the exact same situation. I've been accepted to two great programs - one a direct-entry NP and the other a MSN. I'm so torn as to which road to go. I have worked in a hospital setting for the past 2 years and half the nurses I've spoken with really urge the RN before going any NP route and the other half reassure that NP is completely different. After numerous pro/con lists, I still haven't made up my mind. I hope you have an easier time figuring it out! :)

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I think it depends as well what field of nursing you plan on working in....more acute care---definitely RN experience would help, but more outpatient peds/obgyn/family etc may not be as much a factor.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
I am not saying that it can't be done, but as for myself. I draw probably 90% of my diagnostic knowledge from my nursing experience, not NP school.

I hope you're not serious when you made this comment.

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Specializes in PICU.

I firmly believe that this decision needs to be made based on your own self-assessment of your skills and personality. Some people are ok diving right in and learning trial by fire. If you are like that, then a direct entry program might work great for you. If not, you might want to consider getting your BSN first. There are 12 month BSN programs for people with a prior BA or BS degree.

Nursing is a second career for me as well and I looked at a direct entry program. I am very glad that things worked out for me to do a 15 month BSN program, then I applied to NP school after working for 5 months as an RN. For me, this was best because I am a very practical learner and having RN experience to apply to my MSN classes helps me get a lot more out of those classes. Also, I don't like just being thrown into something and having to either sink or swim. My RN experience provides me with a lot more confidence in my basic skills. I wouldn't want to be asked to put in a chest tube if I couldn't even start an IV. So it really depends on which route is right for you.

One other thing to consider is if you do a direct entry program you are limited in which specialty you can chose, because acute care programs require RN experience. If you like the intensity of being an EMT, you might not be happy working in a clinic. Just one other thing to consider.

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Specializes in ER.

What are the clinical requirements during these direct entry programs?

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Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.

For my program, we did 2 semesters and then a 120 hr synthesis for the RN portion. During the 2 semesters we rotated through med-surg, peds, psych, community health, and ob. I don't know exactly how many hours we did. You could choose to do your synthesis in an area of your choice. I did mine in Ob/nursery, L&D. Then we had to do 600 hours for our NP clinicals. My placements were in internal medicine, pediatrics, college health services, and ob-gyn (all outpatient). I actually ended up doing closer to 800 hours of clinicals, cause I wanted all the experience I could get and my preceptors were very accomodating. Keep in mind that all these clinicals were being done while taking classes at the same time. That's why I said to be prepared to give up most everything in your life!! My concentration was FNP, so I had to have clinical experience from birth to death. ANPs only worked with adults, PNPs with kids, etc.

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Specializes in ER.

Thanks, I was just curious about how it compares. I'm about to start my last 16 week term of my didactic year in PA school and then start clinical rotations this summer. We will do 1700 hours of clinicals over the next year. Just looking at the similarities in as much that a direct entry NP program takes someone with little to no nursing experience and makes them a NP and PA school takes someone with limited health care experience and makes them a PA. Thanks for the info.

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