I have a bachelor's degree in Psychology and I have applied to a couple of schools that have ABSN programs. I have already gotten 2 rejection letters and I am still waiting to hear from one more. If I don't get accepted to the last one my other option was applying to a ASN accelerated program which is exactly 12 months. However, I want to become a NP.
Is there anyone who got their MSN without a BSN but had a bachelor's degree in another field. I really want to do the ABSN program but if don't want to wait another year to reapply again if I can get into an AASN program which is the same length as the ABSN program.
Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
They sound like good questions to ask the school you're applying to. Programs vary - some direct entry MSNs give a BSN after some period, others don't.
Re #3 - if you take the NCLEX and get licensed, you don't have to take the test again. However you will have to meet the requirements of the new state if you want to get licensed by endorsement in another state, which is often an assessment of your education.
Anyone know of any programs in the southern NJ/Philly/Delaware area? Drexel has an RN-MSN program with a very short bridge (3 courses, I think), but they want you to have 2 years experience as a nurse first. I think what most people posting here want is a straight-through-to-MSN/NP program.
OK, I just took a peek at the Vanderbilt program. It's essentially the same as doing an ABSN and then going right into your MSN program, similar to what you can do at the school I'm accepted to. The first year of the Vanderbilt program is the portion that will allow you to sit for the NCLEX; they don't call it a BSN and it doesn't look like you are awarded a BSN, but that is essentially what it is. Then you move into the MSN specialty program. You have to pick your MSN specialty from the get-go, when you apply. Graduate tuition is $1,500 per graduate credit -- yikes!!
I went through a "graduate entry" program but they're called different things at different schools (accelerated, bridge, etc). I had a bachelor's in Biology - but during my second half of college realized I was going to pursue advanced practice nursing so I stocked up on some unnecessary-at-the-time classes for the nursing side of things.
I was off school one year (hubby was in grad school) then went through the grad entry program - it was 2 years full-time to get my RN, (not awarded a BSN) and then another year full-time to the MSN & NP cert. I worked as an RN during that third year but not everyone does/did.
I have not had the no-BSN become an issue. Most people don't care what degrees I have at this point as I have been practicing for a while.
I have seen more and more schools dropping the years worked as a BSN to go MSN requirement. I don't know how it is affecting health care or nursing for that matter and I am not the one to judge but the trend is there.
It just so happned that the program I went to at the time required BSN than two years of working before MSN. By the the time I decided to go though the MSN program those rules had been relaxed. I do know know at the time of my program (MSN) one of the years spent was spent in classes designed to prove nursings as a profession and could have been time better used. It was as if the folks who were in charge of the programs had a fear that the nurses in the program had forgotton who they were (or something along that line)...
I have seen more and more schools dropping the years worked as a BSN to go MSN requirement. I don't know how it is affecting health care or nursing for that matter and I am not the one to judge but the trend is there.
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I have to admit, I was shocked to discover that NP programs actually accepted non-nurses for entry. I worked for years as a nurse so I could eventually get into a NP program. Believe it or not, even though the schools "back then" only required 2 years of nursing experience, the nurses who were admitted had at least 10 years of experience! Long story short, I attended Vanderbilt and that's when I discovered there were students in the program who weren't even nurses yet! I remember that they were required to pass the NCLEX before they started their NP clinicals. One of the students passed the NCLEX about 2 weeks before starting the NP clinicals!
Okay...that's just weird! I've said it before and I'll say it again...the general public assumes that an ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSE has actually worked as a nurse for a while! That being said, I know there are some studies out there that have shown that it doesn't make a difference whether the NP practiced as a RN or not! The patient outcomes are the same PLUS doctors generally prefer the NP's WHO NEVER PRACTICED AS RN'S! Interesting, isn't it?
I have seen more and more schools dropping the years worked as a BSN to go MSN requirement. I don't know how it is affecting health care or nursing for that matter and I am not the one to judge but the trend is there.
quote]
I have to admit, I was shocked to discover that NP programs actually accepted non-nurses for entry. I worked for years as a nurse so I could eventually get into a NP program. Believe it or not, even though the schools "back then" only required 2 years of nursing experience, the nurses who were admitted had at least 10 years of experience! Long story short, I attended Vanderbilt and that's when I discovered there were students in the program who weren't even nurses yet! I remember that they were required to pass the NCLEX before they started their NP clinicals. One of the students passed the NCLEX about 2 weeks before starting the NP clinicals!
Okay...that's just weird! I've said it before and I'll say it again...the general public assumes that an ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSE has actually worked as a nurse for a while! That being said, I know there are some studies out there that have shown that it doesn't make a difference whether the NP practiced as a RN or not! The patient outcomes are the same PLUS doctors generally prefer the NP's WHO NEVER PRACTICED AS RN'S! Interesting, isn't it?
Hi ANPFNPGNP,
I wonder how many students from your class, who did not have any nursing experience, eventually dropped out from the program?
I wonder how many students from your class, who did not have any nursing experience, eventually dropped out from the program?
I was in the Adult/Geriatric program and half of the students were direct entry. No one dropped out of our program. Frankly, I don't think that nursing experience is necessary for the primary care field. However, I can't imagine someone going into programs such as ACNP, NNP or Pscyh NP without experience in that specific field. In fact, I have a FNP friend who has years of RN experience and she decided she wants to get certified in psych, since it pays more. Well, she doesn't have ANY psych experience and the clinicals are "eating her lunch." She has talked about dropping out several times, b/c it's not what she expected. It just seems to me that a lot of these schools are just out to make money and that's why they're not requiring experience. They could care less if a student drops out or not, b/c they already have their tuition! It's not right, but that's the way it is.
Also, when I was in school, the NNP program didn't require previous experience. If I remember right, there were quite a few direct entry students who dropped out of that specialty. Fortunately, it is now mandatory that the students have a minimum of 2 years of neonatal nursing experience...this only makes sense! Also, I believe there were a few direct entry ACNP students who dropped out as well. I mean...can you imagine being in that environment with NO nursing experience?? I only have med/surg and psych experience and I would have felt WAY over my head!
Are you glad you did the CNL route? I am looking into MSN programs, any help will be appreciated, not sure what direction I want to go, but I am being forced to continue my education by my hospital asap.
ghillbert, MSN, NP
3,796 Posts
They sound like good questions to ask the school you're applying to. Programs vary - some direct entry MSNs give a BSN after some period, others don't.
Re #3 - if you take the NCLEX and get licensed, you don't have to take the test again. However you will have to meet the requirements of the new state if you want to get licensed by endorsement in another state, which is often an assessment of your education.