I am considering going back for my NP. I'm just wondering if in 2015 it is still worth it. I have student loans from previous degrees, so I have quite a bit of student loans. Unfortunately the town I am in does not have too many NP jobs, but I may have the option of moving. Also, are there any great, affordable, and online programs? I was considering going to the University of Vermont, but they require DNP and it's $$$. I do like that it's 50/50 classroom/online. It's the only graduate nursing program in VT. Lastly, i'm up in the air because I actually want to become a Women's Health NP, but I am afraid of finding a job/being marketable. I always thought FNP to be marketable, but I really do not want to care for children.
Chesterton1- That's awesome you are starting your journey! I would suggest starting off the bat with a BSN program, if you are able to do so. Are you close to Castleton State College? They recently received accreditation. Also, does your employer offer tuition reimbursement? If you take your pre-reqs at a local community college, you could save money and focus on your academics, then apply to UVM, Castleton or Norwich. Save your money with the pre-reqs and spend your money on the BSN. Any ideas of what type of nursing you want to do? Anything catch your eye? I agree, everything costs lots of money. I just wish I had figured out I wanted to do nursing when I first started my college career.
I actually live about ten minutes away from Castleton State College and am taking my prerequisites at the Community College of Vermont, however I have plans to get my ASN from Vermont Technical College because I plan to do some debt reduction between degrees and stuff however I will probably get my BSN from CSC when the time comes. In regards to what type of nursing I also want to do Psych nursing and I'm thinking that after I officially become a LNA I will be applying to work part time in addition to my other job at a local mental health facility that I see is always looking for LNA's. Hopefully I will be able to stick around long enough so that when I get my LPN after my first year of VTC I can get a full time job at that facility, so those are my basic plans right now.
I actually live about ten minutes away from Castleton State College and am taking my prerequisites at the Community College of Vermont, however I have plans to get my ASN from Vermont Technical College because I plan to do some debt reduction between degrees and stuff however I will probably get my BSN from CSC when the time comes. In regards to what type of nursing I also want to do Psych nursing and I'm thinking that after I officially become a LNA I will be applying to work part time in addition to my other job at a local mental health facility that I see is always looking for LNA's. Hopefully I will be able to stick around long enough so that when I get my LPN after my first year of VTC I can get a full time job at that facility, so those are my basic plans right now.
This sounds like a very sensible plan. In my experience, as someone who started as a LPN, there is great value in working your way up the ranks as well as not graduating with a lukewarm degree and a mountain of debt. Good luck.
I had this very same question. When I spoke with the WHNP in my GYN office (she had been a WHNP for 8 years) she specifically said that unless I already have a job lined up as a WHNP, to go the FNP route because it was more marketable. She also said that as a WHNP you can only do womens health, so if you get burned out you really have no other option besides seeing only women. She did say that a FNP can work womens health, you just do not get as much school training as a WHNP. I am taking her advice and have applied for the FNP program at EKU. 100% online, they are also a brick and mortar school with an excellent reputation and a 100% board pass rate.
Thank you for your response. My friend is graduating with an FNP in a few weeks and said practically the same thing. She and I worked in the ED together and she mentioned about being burned out of WH and not being able to go elsewhere. She's also interested in WH and said she could work mostly in WH, but work in urgent care or Fast Track on the side to keep her other skills and practice her whole scope. It definitely makes sense. She said it's such a big investment that marketability is important. I do like cardiac, neuro, pulmonary. So we'll see. I'm not in a super rush.
This is something I too have struggled with. I really want to become an NP after I get my RN, and WHNP would really suit me, but I worry that I would be limited in my employment. I've also considered becoming a joint CNM/WHNP or just a CNM, which I think would allow me more job opportunities.
Have you considered becoming an APNP? You'd only work with adults, but I think you'd be more marketable than a WHNP.
Chesterton1
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I actually live about ten minutes away from Castleton State College and am taking my prerequisites at the Community College of Vermont, however I have plans to get my ASN from Vermont Technical College because I plan to do some debt reduction between degrees and stuff however I will probably get my BSN from CSC when the time comes. In regards to what type of nursing I also want to do Psych nursing and I'm thinking that after I officially become a LNA I will be applying to work part time in addition to my other job at a local mental health facility that I see is always looking for LNA's. Hopefully I will be able to stick around long enough so that when I get my LPN after my first year of VTC I can get a full time job at that facility, so those are my basic plans right now.