BSN with PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences .

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm currently in the University and just have two more semester to become a BSN before my board exam. I also plan to dive directly into my PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences since my school offers BSc to PhD direct as long as you meet the criteria.

Growing up I saw some nurses work with Pharmaceutical companies both in the area of research staff care. How much more benefiting would this pursuit take me. I need advice.

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I'm not sure about working for a pharm company... that seems to be a real niche.... bit maybe with that background you could also work in public health in regards to toxicology.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Exactly what types of jobs will you be seeking after graduation?

I've known some nurses who worked as sales reps and/or educators for drug companies, but they certainly didn't need PhD's in Pharmacology. For those types of jobs, the companies wanted nursing experience and educational experience. Those people's jobs were about selling and teaching -- not developing new products.

If you want to be a researcher developing/testing new products ... then why get the BSN? Why not just get the PhD in Pharmacology?

Just curious.

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Thanks for your response.Most pharmaceutical industry positions for nurses require at least a bachelors of science degree in nursing (BSN) and several years of experience. Nurse educators, professors, and researchers are a good fit for pharmaceutical companies too. Nurses that specialize in a therapeutic area that the pharmaceutical or medical device company manufactures products for have a better chance of getting their foot in the door. For example, a company that manufactures drugs for acute care will seek nurses that have worked in critical care or the emergency room. So I plan on working in critical care while I pursue a PhD. This advance degree only makes me look better to employer for the purpose o have mentioned above..

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Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.

Interesting information. It's going to take you a while to finish this goal. Getting into critical care after nursing school might take at least a year of med/sure if you don't get into critical care right away. Also getting a Ph.D. while working won't be easy and might take you longer than expected, unless you go per deim or something. Then that is possible. I would speak with someone in the pharmacology department and see if getting a BSN is necessary. A Ph.D. is a very intensive degree and I would think that you wouldn't need experience in nursing at all to get into a pharmaceutical company.

Definitely, check with the department and I would even try to research companies to see if any BSN trained critical care nurses to need a Ph.D. in pharmacology to get their foot in the door. Getting a Ph. D is a big endeavor and usually requires passion about the subject to sustain the effort, not just to get a foot in the door to a company. On top of that, I would consider the cost of these programs in making my decision.

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Sounds awesome you would do that. Thank you.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Float Pool/Stepdown.

I would also be ensuring that you would be getting paid PhD wages too! You'll be paying on PhD student loans right?

So what would be the difference in the BSN degree and a pharmacologist degree? Isn't the pay for a pharmacist much better?

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When accepted in to the PhD program I will be on a PhD grant /scholarship hopefully. Becoming a Nurse is a dream come true for me, trust me. A degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences only goes further to elaborate my Therapeutic skills in nursing. I really don't care about the money because with excellence comes money it self.

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Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.

Money and excellence are two totally different concepts. Ph.D. grant/scholarships are few and far between, especially if you're studying a science. But, they exist I'm sure. It's nice to have goals and a dream and things we are excited and passionate about. It's also good to reasearch things before jumping into them. If my interests were about devices and drug development, I would never have gone into nursing at all. Nursing is more about people and the human experience than anything else.

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You know, your advice has been really handy. I'm really an ambitious person that I want to do everything. I think I have to focus on one thing, which is the passion that brought me to Nursing. I have always been good with people and wanting to analyze the food they eat, their vital signs as it relates their overall health. With my experience as a nurse aid, I have always been concern about the biology of catether, chest on patient.

I want to able to look at a patient life style and their diagnosis and be able to be of help. Nursing provides me that pathway because of how diverse it is.

I'm currently doing a research in to all this I want and would hopefully decide what to do when I graduate.

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You know, your advice has been really handy. I'm really an ambitious person that I want to do everything. I think I have to focus on one thing, which is the passion that brought me to Nursing. I have always been good with people and wanting to analyze the food they eat, their vital signs as it relates their overall health. With my experience as a nurse aid, I have always been concern about the biology of catether, chest on patient.

I want to able to look at a patient life style and their diagnosis and be able to be of help. Nursing provides me that pathway because of how diverse it is.

I'm currently doing a research in to all this I want and would hopefully decide what to do when I graduate.

Not sure if you are ambitious, or scattered, "only" two semesters away from your BSN... is a long way.

"I want to able to look at a patient life style and their diagnosis and be able to be of help." You don't need a PhD in pharmacology to do that.

Have you discussed this plan with your academic advisor?

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I'm not really seeing any logical or useful connection or career pathway between RN licensure and a PhD in pharmacology. Nurses don't need to know that much (graduate-degree-in-pharmacology much) about pharmacology, and pharmacologists don't need to be RNs. It would make more sense to me if you were saying that you've decided nursing isn't for you, you want to be a pharmacologist, and you're going to use your nursing degree and license to support yourself while you're getting out of nursing and into pharmacology. Have you discussed your goals with anyone knowledgeable about both fields and healthcare careers, other than posting here? I don't think you're going to get a lot of "Yeah, that's a great idea!" responses. You're more likely to get puzzled looks and head-scratching.d

Best wishes for your journey.

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