How do you feel about new grads going for their np with little experience?

[garn12]

I've been an RN for a year and a month. I started on a medsurg/orthospine surgical unit. after a year I recently transferred to a neuro step down unit and now I feel like a new graduate again. My question is how do you all feel about the new grads going just to get their "one year" out the way and go back for graduate school to make midlevel decisions? I personally feel its a disrespect to the profession and a slap in the face to those that have many years of experience in many different specialties that have now gone back for their NP? How do you think this effects the nursing profession as a whole?

[JustKeepDriving]

I'm absolutely fine with RN's wanting to go back for their NP with

In no way is it disrespectful to the profession because RN's want to advance themselves. Going back to school is an individual decision. Many nurses choose not to go back right away for a number of reasons - they want to start a family and time/money constraints means they can't leave the bedside, they are happy where they are working, or they want to explore different areas of practice. Other nurses do want to go back to NP school right away- many that I know are childfree, dual income, no kids and want their study skills to be fresh from Nursing school so they're only planning on doing a year or two at the bedside.

Anyway - almost every time a nurse changes their specialty they are going to go back to being a beginner. Every area of nursing is different. I get nurses with 5+ years med surg position that come to my state hospital and have just as steep a learning curve as the new graduate nurses that are fresh out of nursing school. Although I'm sure having diverse nursing experience would help a New NP- they're not going to start out as experts in their chosen nurse practitioner field - they too have to start out as beginners regardless of prior experience.

[Valhalla_RN]

I think it depends. Nurse practitioner programs in the US appear to be different from Canada. And NPs seem to be a lot more utilized, whereas in Canada they are still trying to make their way into the healthcare system. I rememeber at one time the University of British Columbia would only accept applications from nurses with 5 years acute care experience. This was just to be considered! I think the level of acute care experience has decreased since then, but I think it would still be tough to head to NP school with just a year under your belt. The NP program is a Master's and takes two years of full-time study to complete at UBC.

I have 3.5 years experience, but don't feel ready quite yet. I switched my practice area to BMT after a year and a half of practice in medicine, and like others indicated, I felt like a new grad all over again. But everyone's life position is unique - so deciding when to go back to school is highly individualized. I know of two people from my graduating class who went on to become NPs - but whether or not they are WORKING as NPs after completing the program is the real question.

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

I used to think that they should do a couple of years on the floor before going to grad school, but I can't say I blame them for not wanting to put up with BS politics that is floor nursing. The sooner you can get there, the better. After working on the floor for a few years as an aide and witnessing how cruel nurses are towards each other, I know that I'm going straight to NP school as soon as possible. Life is too short to put up with that nonsense.

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

I feel that another's career decision has nothing to do with you and you would do well to focus on your life's goal.

Agreed!

[DysrhythmiaRN11]

Do physicians have to work as medical assistants, PAs, or nurses for X amount of time before becoming a physician? Why should it be different for nurse practitioners?

GREAT POINT.... I love it!!!!!!