graduate school for nurses

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I was advised by staff to start a thread for nurses pertaining to graduate school until staff decides if there will be a forum just for graduate school.

I thought this could be a place for nurses interested in going to graduate school, nurses in graduate school, and nurses who have finished graduate school to share their experience and questions. Maybe those in graduate school or who have finished graduate school can help those interested in it.

So, what specialty are you interested in, where do you go or want to go or have graduated from? Online or traditional? What is the experience like? Anyone in direct entry MS programs? Are you in a nurse practitioner MS program or a different type of nursing MS?

I am a retired school nurse teacher and elementary educator looking to go to graduate school for nursing. After taking a refresher course in med surg, I have been considering many options including school nursing MS, pediatric nurse practitioner (Can you do this without hospital experience since nursing school?), informatics, administration, child psych.(have not been able to find such a program?), case management, patient education (PARTICULARLY FOR CHILDREN). I have looked into so many things that I am totally confused. I have even looked into a direct entry MS proigram, because my BSN is so old. So any comments or suggestions on my situation would be appreciated. For personal reasons, I cannot work right now, but I am able to go to school online. I am considering the online Stony Brook Pediatric Practitioner and Clinical Specialist Program. Anyone familiar with it?

I am very interested to get answers to my questions and also to hear where you are and what you are doing in the world of graduate education for nurses. I hope we can all help eachother.

Thanks!

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I'm not sure I can help answer your direct questions, but if there was a forum vis. graduate school, I would follow it with interest.

I got my MSN waaaaaay-long time ago (BC...before children). While working on my MSN thesis (which I understand they don't do much anymore) I had a wonderful chairman who was a PhD nurse, but her degree was in physiology. Brightest woman I had ever met. Once the kids got grown a little bit, I really wanted a Ph.D. but there were no nursing Ph.D. programs in our entire state. I ended up getting the PhD in Cellular Molecular Physiology and Pharmacology. I've taught graduate students and enjoyed it. Right now I'm in research, but planning on returning to a clinical setting.

Graduate education at the Masters level and beyond has really broadened tremendously in recent years. Are you free to go anywhere in the country you want to get your Masters or are you in a fixed location? You may have to adjust your plans according to what's available.

BUT: It's very important to know what your goal/dream is before you start. And before beginning, find out if the school you are thinking about has the faculty resources to support you in that dream.

Best of luck to you.

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I'm not sure I can help answer your direct questions, but if there was a forum vis. graduate school, I would follow it with interest.

I got my MSN waaaaaay-long time ago (BC...before children). While working on my MSN thesis (which I understand they don't do much anymore) I had a wonderful chairman who was a PhD nurse, but her degree was in physiology. Brightest woman I had ever met. Once the kids got grown a little bit, I really wanted a Ph.D. but there were no nursing Ph.D. programs in our entire state. I ended up getting the PhD in Cellular Molecular Physiology and Pharmacology. I've taught graduate students and enjoyed it. Right now I'm in research, but planning on returning to a clinical setting.

Graduate education at the Masters level and beyond has really broadened tremendously in recent years. Are you free to go anywhere in the country you want to get your Masters or are you in a fixed location? You may have to adjust your plans according to what's available.

BUT: It's very important to know what your goal/dream is before you start. And before beginning, find out if the school you are thinking about has the faculty resources to support you in that dream.

Best of luck to you.

1 tulip Thank you for your reply.

You have given me very good advise. I have to take an online program, because I live in two places at different times of the year. So I have to stick with what is offered online. My dream in nursing school was to be a pediatric nurse, took a temporary job in a school and ended up as a teacher. So I have to figure out if I want to stick with children or do something else. Boy you have quite an education. Good luck to you when you return to the clinical setting.

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Help! I need to hear from you.

Recently at my clinic an elderly lady came in from a french teritory with an injection she claimed to be an influenza shot. She said she normally gets a flu shot every flu season and that she was told by her doctor that she could have any nurse administer the shot. The trouble is the literature was written in french and I unable to read it, and also she had no prescription for the shot. I politely told her that due to ethical reasons, I did not feel comfortable to administer the shot to her. Yesterday I friend of My spouse asked my spouse whether I could administer a shot of depoprovera to his sister in law who is a visitor from the Dominican Republic. She has no prescription, however she came to the Island with her own supply, I told him that I did not feel comfortable administering due to ethical reasons. I could not help but wonder how are people able to get their hands on these pharmaceuticals. Please let me know how would you have reacted in these situations.

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It's not so much ethics as law. I think that giving unknown meds from unknown suppliers without a proper order or prescription would violate most State nurse practice acts.

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Help! I need to hear from you.

Recently at my clinic an elderly lady came in from a french teritory with an injection she claimed to be an influenza shot. She said she normally gets a flu shot every flu season and that she was told by her doctor that she could have any nurse administer the shot. The trouble is the literature was written in french and I unable to read it, and also she had no prescription for the shot. I politely told her that due to ethical reasons, I did not feel comfortable to administer the shot to her. Yesterday I friend of My spouse asked my spouse whether I could administer a shot of depoprovera to his sister in law who is a visitor from the Dominican Republic. She has no prescription, however she came to the Island with her own supply, I told him that I did not feel comfortable administering due to ethical reasons. I could not help but wonder how are people able to get their hands on these pharmaceuticals. Please let me know how would you have reacted in these situations.

In response to your question on how people get these drugs, simple. They purchase them, legally, without a prescription, in their own country. In many Middle and South America, precriptions are not required for many drugs but are for what we consider OTC drugs.t take a trip to Mexico.

Grannynurse :balloons:

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Specializes in Clinical Risk Management.

Grad school is a dream for me. I'd like to be an FNP when I grow up but am also considering Nursing Informatics. The trouble is (as for most of us) coming up with the cash in order to be reimbursed by my employer. Of course, then there's also balancing a FT job, family, & life with school. As I'm now expecting my second child, I expect that I'll need to postpone this until we don't have to pay for childcare again!

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I taught graduate students in an NP Master's program. I taught all the science content... pathophys, pharmacology etc. And as a teacher/course director, I only had a limited number of weeks to teach some life and death content. (In my view, prescriptive privileges is a license to kill. Drugs are very powerful things and can't be treated lightly.) The students needed way more than cook-book stuff.

Anyhow, my students were almost all parents with jobs. It was heartbreaking when they would tell me they failed an exam because they had a series of night shifts to work or children who were sick or a husband shipping out for overseas duty.

If and when you get the finances worked out, if you are going to continue working, be sure you are in a job where you control your schedule. Per diem if necessary, or ideally a very supportive nurse manager who will help you schedule around your studies.

BUT don't let anyone pressure you to get the degree before you are "too old". You are never too old. I've known some great NP's who are in their very vigorous 60's and I didn't even start my PhD until I was 42.

Hang in there

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.

Hi!

I am enrolled in an MN program. A pretty new idea but it is a direct entry masters degree in nursing. It is a general masters degree so it will not prepare me for NP but I can teach or go into management etc. It is also my first nursing degree, I have a BA in psychology and sociology.

When I decide to go back and get my NP (in whatever i decide to do:)) I can carry with me about 4 classes. Apparently all my classes should have transferred bc they are all graduate level and all accredited BUT here in my lovely state most of the MSN programs won't let you transfer in more than 12-16 credit hours...so I can choose which classes I want to transfer. I will definetly transfer my prof roles and leadership class and the research classes...so i'll basically just need the advanced clinical portion. It makes it kinda nice bc it gives me a great start to nursing and time to figure out where i want to be (what specialty) before I go back for my NP. I'm considering pedicatric NP or CRNA....but you know how things change once you get out there!

My program is accelerated and boy they werent kidding!! it's difficult but VERY rewarding and my profs are great!! I always joke and tell them they are a DR and a Nurse:)

There is one very interesting MSN program here in my state at Xavier Univ. it is in Forensic Nursing, I think that sounds soo interesting...i'm still researching though:) im just looking forward to gradutating with my MN and getting out there and working!:):)

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Oh I am glad to see this thread. I start my BSN program in the fall and I am very excited. I already have a BA in Psychology. But a masters in nursing is what I have my eye on - I am so focused on that goal that the BSN is really just a step for me - not the goal. I hope I can keep my eye on the prize. I have my *heart set* on the Johns Hopkins NP/Masters in Public Health program. I haven't seen much discussion at all about graduate education in nursing on the student forums, so I am glad to find this thread. I know folks are excited to become RNs/nurses - but I would like to talk to folks who have slightly different goals.

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.
Oh I am glad to see this thread. I start my BSN program in the fall and I am very excited. I already have a BA in Psychology. But a masters in nursing is what I have my eye on - I am so focused on that goal that the BSN is really just a step for me - not the goal. I hope I can keep my eye on the prize. I have my *heart set* on the Johns Hopkins NP/Masters in Public Health program. I haven't seen much discussion at all about graduate education in nursing on the student forums, so I am glad to find this thread. I know folks are excited to become RNs/nurses - but I would like to talk to folks who have slightly different goals.

I feel the same way sometimes...I mean I went into my masters program knowing that eventually I wanted to do advance practice...the only thing is that i've been in school so long now that I want to make sure that I make the right decisions this time...

I chose my MN program bc I could get a masters degree but not choose a specialty area yet since my MN will be my first degree...I just dont feel like I can make a decision on what specialty I want to be in until I have a few years practice under my belt...I think CRNA sounds great but who knows I may get out there and decide no way:) same with peds...so my plan (and we all know well things go when you plan them out lol) is to work here in Ohio for a year or so and then travel working as a travel nurse..i want to do that for a few years then hopefully ill know where id like to spend the rest of my career in advance practice..so ill return to get my MSN....i hope to be finished with all of my schooling when I am 29 or 30...Im 24 now and I'll be 25 when I get my MN, work a year or so till im 26ish then travel till im 28 then finish my adv. practice degree by the time im 29-30...so we'll see if thats how it goes!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Thanks Chrissy for starting this thread. For those that already have an MSN, you might try a post-MSN clinical nurse specialist or nurse practitioner program. If you already have an MSN, all you need are the classes to complete clinicals (pathophys, pharm, advanced assessment) plus the minimum 500 hours clinical (what the ANCC requires). I'm doing a post-MSN CNS in med-surg nursing. Good luck everyone...I'll sticky this so that it stays at the top.

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