going straight into becoming an NP after BSN?

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Hi, I am in the BSN program at VCU, and was wondering if it was smart to go straight into becoming a family nurse practitioner without getting experience. I can go into any NP Program I want because I am an honors student. Would I get payed a lower wage if I didn't have experience before I got my NP? Do family nurse practitioners get payed less in the office versus the hospital? I would prefer to work in a office. I also have a medical assistant certification through a program offered at my high school, unfortunately due to the extra course work from being an honors student I haven't had time to work part-time in college. Thanks!!

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Specializes in NICU, telemetry.

People are successful without experience, but I do feel nursing experience is invaluable. I'm glad that I waited. I feel like you learn a LOT in the "real world" of nursing that you don't learn in nursing school. Doing over, I would do the exact same thing.

From one previous honors BSN student to another ;)

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Welcome to allnurses.com

Thread moved to Student NP forum where Students and NPs will reply.

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Specializes in ER.

Well, I think some experience is important. You will find programs that will take you but not all programs will take you without experience.

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Specializes in OR Nursing, Critical Care, Med-surg.

As far as NP pay, I don't believe it matters if you have RN experience or not. And with Acute care NP vs Family NP...research on salaries. Lots of things are pretty much at the tip of our fingers with all the online media. I'm sure it has a lot to do with location and demand.

I'll be a nurse for 4 years when I begin school in the Fall, and one thing that I've tremendously gained is greater communication skills and critical thinking skills. As a NP, I think those 2 things are a pretty big deal. Confidence and intelligence is what your patients are going to expect from you as their healthcare provider. Good Luck.

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I completed my ADN in May '15, BSN in May '16, and will be starting my MSN-FNP in August. I believe the experience is HUGE, but I also feel that going into the program with much of my "book knowledge" fresh in my mind can be beneficial, as well. Can I say this for certain? No... I don't even start until August, but... I will succeed. Know how I know that? I'm too stubborn to fail. :D

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I was a nurse for 13 years before starting FNP school. There is a lot that I know because I've seen it in real life, not because I read it in a book. There are illnesses I'll recognize because I've seen them well before now, there are services I'll know are available because I've used them for patients, and there are intangible things I'll know about taking care of patients that I would not have if I hadn't had a few years under my belt.

I'll be honest and possibly unpopular and say I'm distressed at the apparent trend of NP schools accepting students without prior RN experience. Not everyone needs well over a decade like I had but there is a lot to be said for earning some real-world nursing experience that's not found in a book or a practice guideline.

As far as salary, hospital NPs do tend to earn a little more than office NPs but pay also varies by region and specialty. I personally prefer the Monday-Friday, not dragging myself to work in snow or on holidays aspect enough that the lower pay will be well worth it.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Transplant..

Get some experience first. Learn, interact, observe, get in the muck. It will make you a much better provider in the long run.

IMO experience should be required for entry into any NP program.

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Specializes in Psych/Mental Health.

A lot of MSN students also work part-time or per-diem while going to school. Or maybe you can work close to full-time and go to school part-time? I think it's important to have at least some experience.

I plan on applying to NP program right after graduation as well, but most likely I would go part-time and work part-time to full-time. Even so, it would take at least 8 months after graduation before I can start the NP program, and during that time I would work full time as RN.

Although you probably won't get paid much less without experience, some places might hire experienced candidates over inexperienced ones. I feel that it's pretty hard to convince someone to hire you when you have absolutely no previous nursing experience.

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Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

My opinion, in short, is:

1. Know yourself. You will know if you need more experience or not.

2. Don't try and mix it. Your first year as an RN is incredibly important and lays the foundation for your career. The same as true as your first years as an NP in education and practice. It your try to do both at the same time you jeopardize both.

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Specializes in Emergency.

I have been a RN for a year and am starting NP school in the fall. I am glad I gave myself a year. It helped me determine this is what I really want to do. I also plan on gaining more experience by staying per diem during school. You have to do what works for you though.

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Specializes in Neuro/NSGY, critical care, med/stroke/tele.

I specifically went the ABSN route rather than direct-entry MSN route so that I could pause after RN licensure to get some experience.

3 months into my med/surg/tele new-grad RN job, I am SO GLAD that I did.

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