Please help...new to nursing!

BOOYARN · Jan 6, 2011

its not that quickly, accelerated means you do a lot more schooling in less time. any BSN accelerated degree should be about 2 1/2 years then you need one year of critical care work experience in order to get into the masters programs then go on to be an ARNP.... good luck

experience really none, you will get enough when u start doing clinicals in school, then you can decide if its for you or not.

and volunteering at the hospital as you have already done, can only help

Souzou · Jan 6, 2011

What do you mean by "get into the masters program"? Doesn't BSN/MS mean it is a dual program?

Also, I plan to continue working along my PT incase I decide to go to school for my DPT. Should I do more volunteering at the hospitals even though its not important work like refilling water and making beds? I know a lot of people apply to these BS/MS programs so I want to stick out in admissions besides my GPA.

BOOYARN · Jan 6, 2011

i think a bsn/ms with dual degree you have to be an AS degree RN already and be working in a critical care setting and be going to school for the bridge where you get both a bsn and MSN in both..... i think but double check with your school..... but i do know for a fact that you cannot get into ARNP OR CRNA programs without one years of critical care experience, at least in USA schools

shaas, ASN, RN · Jan 6, 2011

Hi, Souzou.

By the looks of it, you've already read a bit about Columbia's Combined BS/MS (ETP) Program for non-nursing graduates, which is pretty self-explanatory. No, you don't need a RN license or an associates in nursing. Just your BS in biochem would suffice, if you are still pursuing biochem. In fact, any college degree with nursing prereq's would do, and a decent undergrad GPA and a reasonable GRE score to add, of course.

Anyhow, the principal question remains; whether or not this sort of private, accelerated programs are well worth it to get to your goal of NP, to which I will say that it is your preference. Nursing began as a vocation, rather than an academic pursuit, if you've read its history. So, I believe that nursing is right at the cusp of emerging and defining itself as a serious academic pursuit, and, yes, it is struggling for it at times. If you've read enough threads about nursing's reputation as an academic endeavor or a profession even in this forum alone, and how it is received internally by its participants and peers, you'd draw a more fuller picture of it. Nursing is a fascinating field, to say the least.

Columbia, Duke, Yale, UPenn, etc. all have excellent academic programs. If it jives you, then go get that Ivy education for your nursing profession. But, to be brutally frank, a research geneticist (or the like, for the sake of this argument) from these aforementioned schools would get more mileage out of their expensive, pretigeous education than a NP would, in regards to income potential, recognition for prestige among peers or while working as a nurse, etc.

Personally, if you're planning for a CRNA, Columbia is well worth it, I think. For your Master's portion (MSN), you are permitted to apply to CRNA specialty, which is an awesome opportunity for a non-nursing combined program. Had I not been so sticker-shocked, I would've applied for it just to see if I could make it at all. But, after seeing my younger sister raking up so much debt at Georgetown for her MPP just to earn a meager living as a NGO strategist, I was smarter to go for an ADN (or so I believe). Private education has its time, place, and uses, but nursing may safely be exempt from it.

As I've always told my younger sisters, it's not what school you attend but rather it's what subject you study and how you use it afterwards.

Good luck, and do your research thoroughly and you should be fine.

P.S. If you want to stick out, then participate in research even as an assistant and try your best to be published. Or, during summers, ask for a research assistant position and hone your technical/lab skills. However, know that these would not directly be applicable for nursing, per se, but would showcase your calibre and potential as these schools are known for their research prowess. Experiences as CNA, phlebotomist, unit clerk, LVN, etc. would not necessarily help you stick out as many people have done and still do it.

mentalhealthRN · Jan 6, 2011

These are good programs. I had my BS in Health Science and applied for the accelerated program where I live the first year they opened it. They had modeled it after the program at Yale, which has been around for a long time. The program was May to May, one year. Now, mind you that is not including the time it may take to get the pre-reqs you need. That alone would take at least 2 semesters. I happened to be lucky enough to not need any of them, so it just took the one year. The program I did is in the top 10 in the country and has a good reputation. I learned a lot and and liked the program a lot. Great instructors. I actually had a few people in the class whose first degree was Biology--they were pre-med and changed their mind. The program is for those with a bachelors (at least) in anything besides nursing. (We had a couple with masters and one MD--from another country who came to the states and though an attending MD in his country,unable to comem here and practice without re-doing his residency, so he was in the BSN/MSN accelerated plan.

This school has several MSN/NP programs you can continue on to once you finish the BSN portion of the program. So it can be done and these are good programs. --And BTW, the state requires a min. number of clinical hours for a BSN, accelerated program or not, so you still have to have the same number of hours as if you did a traditional program.

Feel free to PM me if you have questions about doing an accelerated BSN.

OldNurseEducator · Jan 6, 2011

NP is the only way to go into nursing anymore. New RN grads are having a hard time finding jobs all over the country. But the only way you can get a NP license is to become an RN...and you will need experience! Good luck!

Souzou · Jan 6, 2011

Thank you for all the responses!

mentalhealthRN, do you mean that they require minimum numbers of hours to go into a BSN program or just during the program?

Shaas, many people are telling me to become a CNA and gain experience as a nurse. However, this is difficult as I am already a full time undergraduate student, and as you said it won't make me stick out. So what sort of research should I get into? Do you think being an ER scribe or Physical Therapy assistant would count as experience (even though they're not directly nursing care...)?

klone, MSN, RN · Jan 6, 2011

Keep in mind that in a few years, if you're interested in becoming an NP, you will need a doctorate, rather than a master's.

mkmascare · Jan 7, 2011

Keep in mind that in a few years, if you're interested in becoming an NP, you will need a doctorate, rather than a master's.

They are really raising the bar.

shaas, ASN, RN · Jan 7, 2011

*Disclaimer: Some graphic content and TMI; reader discretion advised.

Souzou, you may ask one of your molecular or biochem professors, who do laboratory research, if they need a tech to help during summers. However, as I've mentioned, this is more pertinent for pre-med, I realize. It looks good on your CV, but I cannot say if this helps you in nursing. I don't think mine played any role.

As for nursing, being a CNA will acclimate you to the hospital setting and you have the opportunity to provide basic, direct care which exposes you to lots of fun poopily aromatic situations. :) I am not too sure how being a CNA truly plays a critical role in one's path to becoming a RN though. I am planning to be a CNA while I'm in nursing school (we're allowed to get a CNA certificate after the first semester, but I'm still deliberating on this decision as you can see) because I guess I need to train my stomach for poops. Yeah, I'm one of those people who flush frantically even while I do my own business and detest smelling others' poop being cooked in room temp. in warm bathrooms for the entire duration of their fecal elimination). I do have my issues that need to be worked on, so, that's my rationale behind the CNA for me. Surgeries, bloodies, gore don't bother me at all, but I am "afraid" of poops. Ah, well. Life goes on...

Useful advice:

1) Many second-degree student profiles indicate (I think I read this on Johns-Hopkins, Yale, etc.) that the prospective nursing students do humanitarian work for organizatons that provide healthcare for the medically-underserved areas. Or, join a mobile clinic that provide AIDS care for those who don't have access to clinics. There are tons of opportunities like that in L.A., so, this will depend on the area in which you reside. AmeriCorps is one, but I don't think it they have healthcare-related projects. I'm not too sure... Also, check out volunteermatch.org.

2) Start volunteering now through a reputable program (clinical care extender internships via Cope Healthcare Solutions) and accumulate volunteer hours (min. 250). My youngest sister applied to UPenn for BSN (Second Degree) and she is a Care Extender through the UCLA Care Extender Program. Find something like this for your area through any universities that have medical centers.

3) To be counted as 'experience,' you may have to really work in a hospital. The positions you mentioned are not related to nursing, so, it will not be counted as direct experience but it will show the review panel that you have general healthcare setting exposure, I believe. Your closest bet for experience is becoming a Volunteer Clinical Extender, CNA, LVN, etc. FYI - Many EL-MSN programs give points for those who worked as CNA and LVN. I bet some BSN programs would, too.

I really wish you good luck!