Education vs. Experience

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Oct 25, 2005

I think only you know if you are able to do grad school at this time. Depending on what your goal is for youself, it may be fine to go on if you want. However, consider your child and where they are in their life too. They grow up all to soon and would love to have mom in a regular job, making money to do things with them.

Its all about what you and what your families needs are.

Good luck

fergus51 · Oct 25, 2005

If you want the respect of your peers, I would suggest having some experience before starting graduate school.

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Oct 25, 2005

Good Feedback.

jkaee · Oct 25, 2005

If you want the respect of your peers, I would suggest having some experience before starting graduate school.

:yeahthat: :specs:

Q. · Oct 25, 2005

I would suggest doing what works for you. While going to graduate school you can also be working in the field gaining experience simultaneously.

I'd hate for you to alter your life choice simply because some staff nurses may not respect you because you went to graduate school "too early" for their personal liking.

As a graduate student myself, I've found that there is a window of opportunity for going to grad school and you have to take it before it shuts.

JentheRN05, RN · Oct 25, 2005

Heres what I plan, I was in school mode too. I graduated in May, I'm working through December and planning on taking my RN - MSN program in Jan (as well as working part time. It may be only 6 months of experience, but if it were you with no experience, and me with only 6 months, well I just think I would be happy with my choice. But you have to do whats right for you.

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 25, 2005

If you want the respect of your peers, I would suggest having some experience before starting graduate school.

ITA. If you want the respect, put in some time first.

lsyorke, RN · Oct 25, 2005

Getting experience in the real life of nursing can only help when you move on to Graduate School. Nursing in school and nursing in real life are two completely different animals!!

Dayray, RN · Oct 25, 2005

I vote for experience too. I understand what some are saying about the window of opportunity but I think experience is necessary to be a good NP.

I think of it this way, MD's have years of residency so by the time they can fly alone they already have experience. Now we all know this doesn't make them experts but by the time they get out of residency they usually have at least encountered and learned about most situations.

As an NP you don't have to do a residency and clincals although extensive do not equate to a residency. I have many friends that are NP's and they all say that experience before entering an advanced practice role is important.

Most nurses will tell you that they learned 99% of what they know from working and that the things they learned in school only prepared them for learning what they would on the job. An advanced practice nurse is supposed to draw on a base of nursing knowledge so if 99% of nursing knowledge comes from OJT then where will you get it if you never worked as a nurse?

Also I have the extreme displeasure of working with a CNM that never worked as a nurse. She is awful. She doesn't know what she is doing she makes really bad decisions, has poor assessment skills and to top it off has a superior attitude. I'm sure there are some NP's that figure it out without experience but I'm also sure it's hard for them.

A bad NP is a terrible thing. I would love to see NP's receive more respect and autonomy. Bad NP's create a poor image of advanced practice nursing and make it harder for all NP's. The MD's already use political and financial power to keep NP's dependent on them and patients are a bit apprehensive of NP's in some situations so bad NP's really make it harder.

rogramjet · Oct 25, 2005

That first year of nursing is vital. You learn more on the floor than in any classroom. You will be amazed at how little you know after graduation, it is scary. Then it all starts to click, but it takes experience.

I recently requested infor about an RN-to-MN program and they require 2 years of nursing before they accept you. So it also depends on the school.

HisHands, ASN, RN · Oct 26, 2005

I think that experience puts all of those things you learned in school into perspective. It's one thing reading a book... it's another thing seeing it in real life. Once you get some experience, you will know how you react in certain situations (I'm still dreading my first code), and will give you confidence to go on and do a fabulous job in grad school. But, that's just my humble opinion. Good luck in whatever you decide.