Healthcare Experience and Admissions

[GreenMagus87]

Hello Everyone,

I am currently taking my prereqs to apply to nursing school. My ultimate goal is to be a PMHNP and I hope to get into a direct entry style program, though I will also be applying to a couple stand alone ABSNs.

My question(s) are basically as follows:

1. How important is it to have healthcare experience and/or shadowing before applying to programs?

2. How does one find shadowing opportunities for PMHNP? I have an immediate family who is an RN so I think I likely have ample opportunities for RN shadowing.

3. I was a chaplain before deciding to take this path. How is that likely to be received in regard to question 1? For the record I am NOT claiming chaplaincy is healthcare in the proper sense, but it does share a common workspace with healthcare professionals and some of the same social and decision making skills with regard to patient care.

Thanks in advance!

-GreenMagus87