Hi, I need assistance.

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Hello! I want to become a nurse practioner in the future. However, I am going to learn nursing assistant and work while studying for registered nurse. After that, I want to be a nurse practioner.

So this is how it goes

Nursing assistant > registered nurse > nurse practioner.

Sounds good? Or is there a better way ?

Is it possible to go from Registered nurse to NP? Or I should consider something else?

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"Nursing assistant > registered nurse > nurse practioner.

Sounds good? Or is there a better way ?"

That's sort of how I'm doing it so it sounds good to me!

Of course, it is a lot easier said than done. The Nursing Assistant part is gravy - as much as a 4 week, 4 hours per day, 4 days a week course with 3 clinical days can be considered "gravy". The Nursing Assistant cert is required for just about every nursing program I have ever heard of so it is a great first step. It also has the side benefit of qualifying you for the lowest paying, highest demand job you will ever have. (The job is also very satisfying and you learn a TON about healthcare.)

The RN part adds up to about 4 years of schooling whether you go Associate's or Bachelor's. If you went Associates, add another 2 (while working as an RN) years or so to get your BSN.

After that, you are ready to look at NP programs. Looks like those can go on 4 years if you are going part time.

My goal is to complete an NP program before I turn 50. I might just squeeze in under the wire. Then I'll work in healthcare of one sort or another until I drop dead.

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So I should go for associate one? Or bachelor?

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Specializes in NeuroICU/SICU/MICU.

Well, you need a bachelor's degree to apply to nurse practitioner programs. So, you could go:

CNA -> ADN -> BSN -> NP

or

CNA -> BSN -> NP

Basically, doing an ADN first would add a step, but some people prefer going that route because the programs usually cost less.

Hope this helps! :)

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I am 33 and beginning my ASN program in the fall. I plan to get my BSN later on and then move on to NP. I have a plan and I know it will take time. You have the right track.

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I think I am going for RN first. After that, I will go BSN, then NP.

Hopefully I can be NP by 40. Ha ha

PS: Nursing assistant first actually.. then, :)

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"Nursing assistant > registered nurse > nurse practioner.

Sounds good? Or is there a better way ?"

That's sort of how I'm doing it so it sounds good to me!

Of course, it is a lot easier said than done. The Nursing Assistant part is gravy - as much as a 4 week, 4 hours per day, 4 days a week course with 3 clinical days can be considered "gravy". The Nursing Assistant cert is required for just about every nursing program I have ever heard of so it is a great first step. It also has the side benefit of qualifying you for the lowest paying, highest demand job you will ever have. (The job is also very satisfying and you learn a TON about healthcare.)

The RN part adds up to about 4 years of schooling whether you go Associate's or Bachelor's. If you went Associates, add another 2 (while working as an RN) years or so to get your BSN.

After that, you are ready to look at NP programs. Looks like those can go on 4 years if you are going part time.

My goal is to complete an NP program before I turn 50. I might just squeeze in under the wire. Then I'll work in healthcare of one sort or another until I drop dead.

Same!! It's better to go for RN first. I might want to be a traveler.

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So is this OK?

Nursing assistant --> Registered nurse --> BSN --> Nurse practitioner.

I am 23 years old and I live with my parents. I am planning to stay living with them until I get to RN. I might stay with them while working as RN... until I find a women ( he he ).

I love to study so I want to keep on! Plus NP is awesome. :)

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Specializes in Urgent Care NP, Emergency Nursing, Camp Nursing.

Just to clarify, either an ADN or BSN program comes with an RN program attached. (There are also a few hospital diploma programs left that award just an RN, but they're few and far between.) You'll usually need to have a bachelors to progress on to an advanced practice program like a nurse practitioner - though you should be warned that in 2015 all NP programs are supposed to transition to doctoral programs (though whether or not that happens is another issue - this comes from the same organization that has been preaching the demise of the ADN for a quarter-century).

Also, many of the bachelors programs DO NOT require previous experience as a Nurse's Assistant to apply - though having that experience, especially in an acute care setting, does help one's application.

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^ Thanks! I might stay as a registered nurse... good enough :)

I just want to help people. I don't want to move up to Practitioner just for money >_>

Anyhow,

Why not this:

Nursing assistant --> LPN --> RN

Or Nursing assistant then to RN is faster?

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Specializes in Urgent Care NP, Emergency Nursing, Camp Nursing.
^ Thanks! I might stay as a registered nurse... good enough :)

I just want to help people. I don't want to move up to Practitioner just for money >_>

Anyhow,

Why not this:

Nursing assistant --> LPN --> RN

Or Nursing assistant then to RN is faster?

If you live out in bufu where LPNs have better job prospects and if money is tight for you, then getting your LPN first might be worthwhile, maybe.

Note all the conditionals in that sentence.

If you can do it, get your RN right off the bat (and your BSN too, if you can swing it). You're (relatively) young, have family support, and do not have to support a family of your own, so you can take the hit in student loans now and end up making more in the long run with more autonomy. Additionally, the feedback I've received from the CRNA students I take some classes with is that LPNs think differently than associates-prepared RNs than bachelors-prepared RNs: while the former two categories may be heavier on skills, the BSN-prepared nurses know the why of what they're doing, and so are more flexible and more valuable. Further, the less time you spend at the lower levels of certification, the fewer bad habits you'll pick up that later clinical instructors will have to break you of.

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
If you live out in bufu where LPNs have better job prospects and if money is tight for you, then getting your LPN first might be worthwhile, maybe.

Note all the conditionals in that sentence.

If you can do it, get your RN right off the bat (and your BSN too, if you can swing it). You're (relatively) young, have family support, and do not have to support a family of your own, so you can take the hit in student loans now and end up making more in the long run with more autonomy. Additionally, the feedback I've received from the CRNA students I take some classes with is that LPNs think differently than associates-prepared RNs than bachelors-prepared RNs: while the former two categories may be heavier on skills, the BSN-prepared nurses know the why of what they're doing, and so are more flexible and more valuable. Further, the less time you spend at the lower levels of certification, the fewer bad habits you'll pick up that later clinical instructors will have to break you of.

Can you elaborate on that more, and also how is an ADN/ASN-RN prone to pick up more bad habits than a BSN-RN when both start as new grad RN's. It seems bad habits picked up as RN's aren't privy to what degree they had from what I have seen. From what I have also seen in researching the two programs since I plan on starting my RN-BSN program shortly after I graduate but while working that the classes required for the BSN are more liberal arts and managerial/leadership classes and more paper writing classes. Not so much that the skills at the actual nursing level are greater.

I am only 1 year into my program (which with a six week class this summer would allow me to sit for LPN boards, although I am not going that route) but we are most certainly learning the WHY's more then anything in school and not so much skills. The biggest focus has been the process's and WHY. They give us a rough overview of the skills and admit in the hospital setting it's going to be different and we pretty much perfect those skills in our clinicals.

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