I've enjoyed this forum and hope that I can get help from all of you regarding starting a career in nursing.
I am 29, Bachelors in Bio/Phil from a good university, taken graduate level classes in medical sciences and public health and have worked since graduation college as a research assistant, clinical research coordinator and always in academia/hospitals- all in the Boston area. And since Jan., have decided that I want to pursue nursing.
My question is really a ploy to get a general survey of what other students, nurses think about Direct Entry programs. Which ones do you think are good or bad. Specifically, I am looking into Columbia, Georgetown, Northeastern U. and I think I want to work in the field of acute care or anesthesia. Now, I know this opens a whole new can of worms: the idea of a direct entry into NP programs let alone anesthesia, which I understand. This is why I sometimes think the best way for me to train to gain the skills is perhaps through a BSN and then work for a few years and then apply into masters programs- whether that be in acute care or anesthesia. I just don't know what pitfalls I may run into. I want to get a good idea of what realistic opportunities there are and what difficulties I have to overcome. I certainly want to be a well-prepared advanced care nurse so I don't want to by-pass any necessary training. Some nurses I've talked to tell me that I should respect the field and pay my dues, which is to work on the floor for a few years like most RN's before getting the masters degrees. I also have heard others with opposing views who tell me that if I know what I want to do and have seen what the nursing field looks like, then I should go and do the direct entry and be focused. I'd like help sorting through all of this.
Also, if there is anyone out there that have gone through direct entry programs such as those I've mentioned above, I'm really keen on getting your input as far as admissions. What grades, gres and experiences you've had and where you got into. And also financial aid: are there scholarships or is everything loaned out.
Thanks in advance. Please any little bit of input will help- I'd love to hear from everyone- former direct entry students, current students, RN's, CRNA's, ACNP's, everyone!
PS. Let me know if this is better posted elsewhere!
I don't want to sound like a bitter old nurse, having a grand total of 1+ years as an RN, but here's one story about education vs. experience:
As a tech in the ER, working thru school, we had an ambulance run for a man in his 50's w/new onset seizures. He was post-ictal when he came in, but started seizing again right in front of me.Well, we'd had the 'seizure' lecture that week in school and I totally froze. Solid. Knew intellectually what to do, but could not make my body do what it's supposed to do!! Luckily, the RN took the bag, put it in my hand, said 'you bag, I'll get the Ativan'.
You can be educated until you're blue in the face, but that doesn't prepare you for advanced practice. You need to know from experience what is happening, will happen, etc. It makes you a better nurse, practitioner, team member.
You need to get the experience of coding ppl, giving bad news to someone (or watching) supporting those who have been told their loved one has died or worse, terminally ill and seen the range of emotional reactions. If you look upon it as 'paying your dues' you will pretty much hate every minute of it. If you look upon it as an incredible learning experience, I think you'll get out what you put into it.
Go to an ER or high acuity floor, where there will always be something happening. Get your hands dirty (literally). There is no teacher like experience.
Books, teachers, role-playing, papers can't bring this point home to you. You need to have that experience to draw on.
As far as having a NM who didn't have any practical experience I would run like mad. They make the worst managers for nurses that I have ever experienced. If you NM can't back you up, or can't remember that an ABG does not need a tourniquet (true story) they cannot be of any help to you.
so you think you're ready to be a don, but haven't passed nclex yet? hey i have no problem with the second part (been there, done that). but how can you be a director of nursing without being (or even wanting to be) a nurse!!! maybe nursing isn't for you, but perhaps some kind of hospital/healthcare administration. there is one thing that nurses always look for in their administrators/managers or supervisors: their ability to 'relate' to what it's like to be a staff nurse. you will not have that at all, and it will be obvious.
nurse managers who haven't done bedside nursing can't start an iv in a pinch, or take charge, or do anything except talk to unhappy patients/family about what a rotten bunch of nurses we are. they don't know drugs, administration of some piggybacks, how to get an 18g into a 94year old, any of the details it takes to get the job done.
i've had nurse managers like that, and even with my limited amount of experience, i knew more than they did. true, i don't know what it's like to run the schedule or what to do when someone calls in sick, but at the same time, all of those things can be taught to you; developing skills takes time, practice and more than a few mistakes.
All I said is that I have no desire to work as an RN in a hospital setting. I have no problem with being an RN in a community setting, it's just hard to find a job in the community, because the surge of community nursing has not yet struck. Hopefully one day people will realize the hospital setting is no place like home and sometimes can hinder patient outcome. As far as being a DON, well, we all have things we are good at and I believe if you are good at something and like it go for it. Some people like the clinical aspect of nursing and others like administration. One is not better than the other. Nurses need to be involved in all aspects of care, and I am one who is willing to do this. There is nothing wrong with my desire to be a DON, and I will gather whatever experience I need or don't need to get the job. I know that this is the job for me and if I can gain experience in this area early on, awesome. I will be starting school soon to pursue my dreams. Rather than beat up on each other why don't you fight someone that is opposed to nursing. Because, I am not! I am for all nurses and whatever they want to do.
All I said is that I have no desire to work as an RN in a hospital setting. I have no problem with being an RN in a community setting, it's just hard to find a job in the community, because the surge of community nursing has not yet struck. Hopefully one day people will realize the hospital setting is no place like home and sometimes can hinder patient outcome. As far as being a DON, well, we all have things we are good at and I believe if you are good at something and like it go for it. Some people like the clinical aspect of nursing and others like administration. One is not better than the other. Nurses need to be involved in all aspects of care, and I am one who is willing to do this. There is nothing wrong with my desire to be a DON, and I will gather whatever experience I need or don't need to get the job. I know that this is the job for me and if I can gain experience in this area early on, awesome. I will be starting school soon to pursue my dreams. Rather than beat up on each other why don't you fight someone that is opposed to nursing. Because, I am not! I am for all nurses and whatever they want to do.
The reason it's hard to find a job in the community setting is because those jobs require nursing experience, which you won't get if you refuse to work in a hospital, because that's where the most acutely sick patients are.
If you are looking for someone to tell you that it's possible to be a NM or DON w/o nursing experience, well, that may be true. I'd never work for NM without any bedside experience. She/he is supposed to be a resource for you and if they don't have any experience then what do you do? Go bother other nurses? That will work for a while (like while you're on orientation) but after a while you are expected to put in Foley's, IV's, NG's w/o assistance.
You cannot have perspective on nursing if you've never dealt with freaking family members or had the experience of "hey, this patient just doesn't look right" and have the goods to back it up.
It is dangerous to go out into community nursing without experience to back it up -- your patient's lives depend on when you need to call 911 and when you can treat something yourself. yes, much of it is common sense, but some things are subtle and you just have to experience the ruptured AAA or the crushing CP or the subtle signs of child abuse.
I applaud your desire to be a DON, but nobody goes to the head of the pack without getting some experience. What do you have to draw on? You will not be effective in a role for which you are only book-trained.
Passing the NCLEX means you have minimun requirements necessary to begin work as a novice nurse. It doesn't grant you a $75,000 M-F 7am-3pm job upon graduation.
Get some experience on the floor. It can be fun, it will make you cry at times, it's hard work, but lazy ppl don't last in this profession very long. Having relevant experience to your ultimate goal is what you owe patients and nurses that will be 'under' you supervision.
I can understand everyone's concern on this board. I appreciate the comments no matter how rude they areand will try to separate the valid points from the anger. One thing I did learn in nursing school is that you should always first assess the situation before making a diagnosis. If your intention is to help, you may be approaching me in the wrong way, and really don't know anything about me or what my plans in nursing are. Unfortunately I don't feel I have anything to prove to you or anyone else on this link. You don't know if I have any experience in this area, what area it is, or how many people I would be managing or what my responsibilities are... The posts in my opinion are nowhere near therapeutic and appear as those you want me to be negative as well. I can't do that because I never fight negative comments with more negative comments. It seems cyclic and pointless. I will say this, I will pay what dues I need to get the position I want and will continously be working my way up the ladder and educating myself in and outside of school. I appreciate the feedback and am always willing to consider everyone's voice no matter how anger they may seem or lack of knowledge of a particular situation. And yes I can see your viewpoints based on your experiences. When you have licensure it is always that persons licensure at stake, and personally I would never do anything to risk my licensure or place a client in harm. Take care and be kind with your words especially if you have something important to say.
You don't know if I have any experience in this area, what area it is, or how many people I would be managing or what my responsibilities are... The posts in my opinion are nowhere near therapeutic and appear as those you want me to be negative as well.
I can only speak for myself, but we're all adults here, and I think that since we're all in this together (nursing, that is), we tend to try to help each other, and give advice. You were not asking for advice, rather responding to someone else's advice query. I for one, apologize, if I sounded negative. I was just really caught off guard to hear your 'plan'.
BTW do you have some other experience? Because if you do (and if you had mentioned this in your original post), this whole thing would not have escalated to this level, and maybe your dream might sound more realistic (upon passing NCLEX).
I am in my 3rd year of Northestern's DE MSN program. I have been an RN for about 1.5 years. To be perfectly honest, I can't wait until I am an NP. Not because I'm tired of school, I love school, love to do reasearch, write papers, learn, and read. I am just apalled at the working conditions in Hospitals today (I'm on my second hospital job). Floor nursing just stinks. If you ask any nurse and they tell you they love floor nursing, and it's so great, they're either 1)brand new 2) a truly gifted individual and made for it, or 3) very tough. Or maybe they're just having a good day.
Trust me, I tried to tell myself that it's just me, that it's just part of the process, it'll get easier. But it doesn't. Floor nursing is what it is, you either love it, put up with it, or have it and move on to something else. I love caring for my patients and nursing-in it's purest sense, real nursing, but the administrative bulldoody, rude comments, mean people, just make it unbearable. I'm going to finish up at NEU, move out of Boston, get a part-time NP job and go back to school for something else when I manage to pay off my 100+ K in loans.
Stitchie
587 Posts
I don't want to sound like a bitter old nurse, having a grand total of 1+ years as an RN, but here's one story about education vs. experience:
As a tech in the ER, working thru school, we had an ambulance run for a man in his 50's w/new onset seizures. He was post-ictal when he came in, but started seizing again right in front of me.Well, we'd had the 'seizure' lecture that week in school and I totally froze. Solid. Knew intellectually what to do, but could not make my body do what it's supposed to do!! Luckily, the RN took the bag, put it in my hand, said 'you bag, I'll get the Ativan'.
You can be educated until you're blue in the face, but that doesn't prepare you for advanced practice. You need to know from experience what is happening, will happen, etc. It makes you a better nurse, practitioner, team member.
You need to get the experience of coding ppl, giving bad news to someone (or watching) supporting those who have been told their loved one has died or worse, terminally ill and seen the range of emotional reactions. If you look upon it as 'paying your dues' you will pretty much hate every minute of it. If you look upon it as an incredible learning experience, I think you'll get out what you put into it.
Go to an ER or high acuity floor, where there will always be something happening. Get your hands dirty (literally). There is no teacher like experience.
Books, teachers, role-playing, papers can't bring this point home to you. You need to have that experience to draw on.
As far as having a NM who didn't have any practical experience I would run like mad. They make the worst managers for nurses that I have ever experienced. If you NM can't back you up, or can't remember that an ABG does not need a tourniquet (true story) they cannot be of any help to you.