Hey, Depaul MENP graduates...

Bumex, DNP, NP · Feb 1, 2016

Choose the cheaper degree. I'm in so much debt from that program it's ridiculous. No difference in pay or respect (at least not two years out). Maybe down the road it will be better, but not yet have I seen any real benefits. The program itself is alright, but I doubt it's any better than anything else.

Elsa15 · Feb 1, 2016

Thank you for your input! I'm also considering an ADN- but it seems silly that an ADN takes just as long to complete as the MENP. There is obviously a lot of cost difference though!

Bumex, DNP, NP · Feb 4, 2016

Don't do ADN, the push now is to only hire BSN graduates. I rarely find places that hire ADNs in acute care now. In fact, I have plenty of friends that have gone that route, and ended up doing their BSN since they couldn't find jobs.

noyesno, MSN, APRN, NP · Feb 4, 2016

I'm not keen on school debt. I did a BS in another field, then an ADN, then a BSN, and now I'm in a MSN program for NP.

I haven't accumulated any school debt via this route.

In my opinion, nursing experience is extremely key to becoming a well-rounded, respected NP. Skipping that component seems risky to me. I think the best NPs are the ones with a few years of nursing experience before becoming a NP but I have never met a MENP grad. Kind of seems like you'd come out kind of green like the most of the PAs I see. The NPs I've worked with did a few years in the trenches before becoming a NP and hit the ground running once they became a NP.

It does have some major appeal though because hospital nursing is very hard and this MENP route is quicker. No school debt and wanted to get a decent amount of nursing experience before becoming a NP is the reason I chose the route I did. Best of luck to you!

Bumex, DNP, NP · Feb 11, 2016

Noyesno- just to clarify, the OP is talking about the ADN v MENP program at DePaul, which is masters entry to nursing practice (RN MSN program, w/o NP component). I went through this program, worked a few years and now am in NP school.

noyesno, MSN, APRN, NP · Feb 11, 2016

Noyesno- just to clarify, the OP is talking about the ADN v MENP program at DePaul, which is masters entry to nursing practice (RN MSN program, w/o NP component). I went through this program, worked a few years and now am in NP school.

Whoops, the "NP" in the degree title threw me off. Thanks for the clarification. :)

Bumex, DNP, NP · Feb 13, 2016

No problem, totally agree though, future NPs need the bedside experience!

abouttimeRN · Apr 19, 2016

Firstly, do not do an ADN program. If you want to work at a good hospital that is perhaps Magnet certified, you will not get hired as a nurse and if you do they'll require you to go back to school for at least a BSN. That being said the DePaul program is just okay. I've found that there is a lot of confusion around the program among nurses who don't understand how you can have a Master's in nursing but no real nursing experience. I have found that people leave the program book smart and theory smart but skill/technical training is slim to none whereas Bachelor's prepared nurses seem to have a better grasp on the technical side to nursing and focus on the important aspects and not so much on dissecting journals, completing independent papers and research projects, and other nonsense. Pay is experienced based so master's or bachelor's with no experience, you start the same.

the only benefit i see is that down the line i am able to teach if i so desire and there is overlap in classload with a NP program so that would knock off some credits if i went back to school.

Elsa15 · Apr 23, 2016

Thanks for the insight. Being the most expensive program in the Chicagoland area, I want to know that it is a stellar option before I consider it.

Elsa15 · Apr 23, 2016

were you able to get a job with your ADN while getting your BSN? Or did you have to get your BSN first?

Bumex, DNP, NP · Feb 2, 2019

I will say, three years after my initial remarks, the MENP program has actually benefitted me greatly. Roughly summer of 2016 was when I really started seeing all the benefits of doing masters entry RN. I was promoted rapidly after my two years of experience and got higher paying jobs.