Hello Everyone! I have recently been accepted into the Arizona State University Adult DNP program. I am having the toughest time deciding if it is the right move for me to make.
Let me tell you a little about myself. I have been a nurse for 2 years. I started out working as a new grad on tele/post open heart floor. After a year and a half I have transferred to resource and float all over the hospital between med-surg/ tele/ ICU resource person/ Stress lab....and I love not knowing where I am going to be from day to day. When I originally applied to the DNP program I really didn't think that I would get accepted based on only being a nurse for 2 years but I figured I would try anyways. Well here I am accepted for Fall 2013 and still trying to weigh the Pro's and Con's to make the right decision.
So here are the things I have to take into consideration:
I am only 24 right now. The program is 3 years and I would only be 27, I know that having a doctorate degree at that age is a huge accomplishment and hard to pass up. It would be amazing to just be done with school forever considering I have never had a break from it! I know that I could always do the program later, but I am such a go getter and If I am ever going to do it now is the time, before we have kids.
My husband is in medical school and has 2 years left. This is a huge factor in many ways. When do when start a family? As a nurse my job is so flexible and since I don't have my own patients it's easier to take time off. I didn't have a mother and father growing up so it is important to me that I provide that solid foundation when we have kids. However, as a DNP I'm afraid that I would get sucked into to job and added responsibilities and my husband and I would both be working a lot which is not the type of parent I want to be. I know that I need to make this decision on my own and not because my husband is going to be a doctor because I know nothing in life is guaranteed (in our relationship and our future health).
I really don't care about having a doctorate degree, or being addressed as Doctor. If I could do a MSN NP in 2 years and never be pressured to complete the DNP portion I would. But, since I am so young I figure I better just go with the higher degree and never look back.
I CAN'T IMAGINE being a floor nurse for the next 40 something years, just shoot me! I know there are a ton of possibilities within nursing but who knows what is going to happen with the new health care changes.
NP's don't necessarily make that much more than a nurse, so is the student loan debt that I am going to take on worth it in the long run? I think it would be only because I am so young, but it is still sickening to think of. My husband won't have any debt from med school, he is doing the HPSP military scholarship so it will just be my loans and would end up being about 100K.
When we do start having kids I'm pretty sure that I want to just work part time. My husband doesn't think it's worth it for me to go through all that schooling and only work part time, and is not confident that I would be able to find part time jobs.
If I am going to do a 3 year program I really need the motivation, and honestly since I have never had a break from school the motivation is lacking.....It seems like I have never had time to fully concentrate on myself, start up some hobbies, lose weight and just enjoy life!
Any feedback, information, or advice is very appreciated! Thank You!
