Education vs Experience

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hello Everyone,

I am a BSN student who is interested in pursuing a graduate degree in the future, probably a year after I graduate. I have read some posts and found that many here believe that an RN with that little experience has no place in Advanced Practice programs. This is where I disagree.

I believe that Nursing culture is shooting itself in the foot here, and here's my :twocents: cents why. A prospective doctor does not have to leave college after a bachelors degree to gain experience in the field of biology or chemistry before going on to Med school. A prospective college professor does not have to leave college after his bachelor's degree to get experience teaching at the grade school level. So WHY do so many believe that an RN has to leave school after their bachelor's degree to gain whatever many years of experience at the clinical level before going on to grad school?

:nono:I believe that it is counterproductive for the nursing profession as a whole to discourage students who wish to complete their education (MSN or beyond) before beginning clinical or other types of practice. You would think that the sensible thing to do is get your education, and THEN get your experience. Am I the only one who feels like this?

Specializes in Med/Surg - Home Health - Education.

I believe that a BSN graduate will gain more, and contribute more to his/her graduate program if he/she has about 5 years of experience. My reasoning is based on the fact that the clinical experience we had while in our BSN program did not give us a true picture of what clinical experience is all about.

I also think that having the 5 years of experience will allow the graduate student to assertain what he/she wants to concentrate in at the graduate level.

I had 10 years of experience between my BSN and MSN, and I had 18 more years of experience between my MSN and PhD. I must admit that I am glad that I did have the experience. I do not believe that anyone needs as much as I had, but experience really counts.

You need to get your hands dirty. Learn what the basic RN is doing. You will never understand it, unless you have experienced it.

Good Luck. :wink2:

Specializes in Med/Surg - Home Health - Education.

With just a year of experience you hit the nail on the head. Keep up the good work. I hope you continue with your education.

Hye Airforce1,

It's real sad to read some of these posts! The bullies on here are registered nurses? What happened to caring and understanding? Clearly you had a problem but I don't believe blasting you out of the waters is ever appropriate or professional. Some of the ppl. who post should watch where they bold or CAPTIALISE their phrases! Did your course not teach you about using fonts in school and how people interpret them? So for all of thpose people who were real blunt and obnoxious...i hate to be your patient. Learn to treat your collegues the same way that you would care for your patient...with understanding and empathy.

As for airforce1 - I hope you do find your answer quick and don't worry you still got plenty of time to think about it. I love some of the suggestions posted here amongst the bluntly arrogant ones...

1. do one paper per semester so you can work and study at the same time.

2. its not experience vs education its more experience with education.

It sounds like your a competent student academically try and have the clincal compentencies behind you too! You'll be much sort after if you can match your academic skills with your clinical skills!

I believe you can do it and we need more ppl like you!

Hope your studies go real well as I said before think about that after you graduate and hit the floor because you never know if you were half way through your masters you probably won't like the field you studying to be in anways.

Cheers

Specializes in COS-C, Risk Management.

I think it's great that you want to continue your education and that you have solid plans to do so. You say that you have just started your nursing program and I think that once you have been in school for a while, see a little bit more about what the real world of nursing is and what real nurses do, you may refine your path to your goals a little bit more. Please come back in four years and let us know how you've updated your career path.

When I read your post I had to smile. I used to be you. When I graduated with my BSN a little over a year ago I was going to go full steam ahead and move forward with my career. I planned on applying for masters programs early on and being an APN at a young age. Then I actually hit the floor and found out just how little I really knew. It's one thing to have the education, it is an entirely different story to be able to apply the knowledge and know what to do in the plentiful times that patient care does not fit under the umbrella of the perfect scenario we are so often taught about in school. I have been a floor nurse for over a year now in a stepdown unit and I am still learning nearly every time I step on the floor. Luckily I have more experienced nurses to help me down my path. I still want to pursue something more in nursing, but I have a much better idea how education is only a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to nursing. In time you will learn to appreciate and respect the importance of experience - especially when you are getting your butt saved by an experienced associates prepared nurse (god bless them because they have gotten me through many hard times)

Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.

I have no faith in graduate program that accepts advanced practice students without experience. I also worry that the student signs up for something that five years down the road proves to be a bad decision for the student and they've sweat. tears and money on something that's not a good match for them. I also see direct MSN programs that allow for these micro-specialties without requiring the basic master's in the specialty. Lots of students are going to find that they're skills can only be utilizied in limited geographical areas.

Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.

I listen to my daughter and her friends use the same wisdom when deciding on continuing their educations; this type of thinking is proactive and doesn't come from a bad place. It sounds like a good idea to those who haven't been on the floor, had a professor without the ability to make real-life comparisons and been in a situation where your experience doesn't help even a little bit and you require assistance with a life-threatening situation or possible bad outcome.

How can an untried anything be good out of the shute?

As previously mentioned baby doctors have lots of time and mentorship to screw up and learn, nurses are not afforded that time. Their clinicals have to count during any practitioner program. I was recently advised by an NP that unlike PAs with set medical training; NP programs can vary tremendously leaving a graduated practitioner grasping for straws. Skills like reading xrays may or may not be taught-it is up to the NP to find a mentor. This is a totally different scenario then that facing an MD or PA.

Under any and all circumstances those choosing to further their careers and their scope of knowledge should be applauded. We should never be finished with our quest for knowledge and educational betterment. When nursing catches up to the rest of the professions, internships will be the natural progression. Right now it is still piecemeal leaving us to become the best by building on what we already know.

M

Specializes in Navy Nurse, Med-Surg., OR, Psych, Rehab.

How do you teach or supervise without having the experience doing what you're teaching? How do you evaluate the patient care done by others when you've never done that work yourself? Before I joined the military, I worked on a surgical ward staffed mostly by experienced Diploma RNs- myself included-and we worked our butts off and gave outstanding care. Along came a new BSN grad who worked with us for about 6 mo. and was then made our charge nurse when our boss relocated. The reason given was that "she has a degree." HUH??? She was suddenly in charge of a group of mature, experienced nurses while she was a 22 year old BSN who had worked for 6 months. There was so much resentment and feelings of betrayal by the nurses who had not even had the opportunity to apply for the job. There seem to be too many people going into nursing for reasons other than a love of caring for people, which is supposed to be our reason, right?? I went on to further education myself and I'm all for education, however, had I done it all at once, without a strong clinical background, I know I wouldn't be the nurse I am today. Just saying....

Specializes in Navy Nurse, Med-Surg., OR, Psych, Rehab.

" OLD ENOUGH"

Specializes in ICU, APHERESIS, IV THERAPY, ONCOLOGY, BC.

The topic of when to enter graduate studies in nursing has raised certain red flags- that of a traditional aspect where the art and practice of nursing knowledge gained through hard earned experience versus that of today's nursing students who are eager to explore new methods and research theories as applied to nursing practice. The fact is that nursing is a profession which does demand good clinical and academic knowledge, facilitating application of theory in practice. This type of learning is known as experiential learning where clinical and academic knowledge are fused together. This is the unique aspect of nursing practice, unlike any other, but continues to produce disagreement.

Two of the major drawbacks in continuing education costs and time. Nursing salaries and family responsibilities do not easily allow or encourage continuing education. Job securitiy, power and physical fatigue are other aspects which negatively impact and entrench nursing attitudes, inducing feelings of helplessness and powerlessness This is a topic which would be of academic research and findings would benefit the profession.

There is a need for a multilateral approach in nursing today however, pure academic learning cannot be validated without clinical experience where learning curves should continue upwards, an aspect which stimulates a nurse to pursue knowledge and advanced practice, a positive development. . The comparison to medicine is limited because of the approach to teaching medecine versus the design and content of curriculum offered in nursing studies and in the practice/art of nursing. I have met nursing professors who have little experience to offer as examples when teaching nursing students and who are defensive about it. This significant gap cannot validate academic practice or reinforce teaching. There is no need to condemn the lack of practice but there is a need to ask oneself, am I being honest with my skills assessment needs and how will this affect my choice of advanced practice. Your choice is to be lauded but I would also agree with other readers who have suggested that you discuss your decision with your professors along with your competence assessment. Good luck!!

Specializes in telemetry.

All the Grad programs i have checked..require "at least 2-5 years nursing experience" to be competitive. Thats for a clinical degree, though. Even if it's education, i really think it would be hard to get in a position even though i somewhat agree about being fresh in evidence based practice(my interpreation):yeah:

Specializes in Cardiac.

I just want to toss my thoughts into this discussion.

A registered nurse and a nurse practitioner (or CRNA, CNS, whatever) encompass two distinct fields of health care. The practice is different and the qualifications are different. While any experience toward something is always beneficial, it's not completely necessary. As an advanced practice nurse, you'd be learning new deliveries of care. Basically what I'm trying to say is that while having experience is always a good thing, when that experience is in an area that you no longer wish to pursue, it may not be as necessary. I don't think you would need to spend years working as a dental hygienist to become a successful dentist or a CNA to become a successful nurse. The same logic should apply to those nurses who wish to advance their education and expand their scope of practice.

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