How to go to NP school as an RN?

[ciarafi]

Hi all, so I'm currently applying to ABSN programs. And I"m just wondering what will happen after. My plan is as follows: Finish my ABSN, then work as an RN in pediatric ICU for experience, and then go for my masters for NP as that is my goal ideally. But to do that, I'd like to do it full time and quit my RN job so I can focus entirely on my studies.

However, is it even possible to do that? I hear people that aim for NP go for direct entry, but I REALLY want experience before my NP hence my decision to have some RN experience. So again, ideally I would like to essentially leave my RN job after a year of experience. But I"m not sure if this is done? I usually hear people doing RN/MSN studies at the same time, which is what i DONT want to do.

Please let me know!

[TammyG]

You can do whatever you want. It is not true that most NPs (or even a substantial number) went the direct-entry route. That's just nuts in my opinion -- how do you even know you will like nursing? Most NP schools require at least 1 year of RN experience anyway. I know of only one NP who went direct entry, and that was in nurse midwifery.

I worked for 2 years full time before starting NP school, then went to NP school for 2 1/2 years while working full time, then for another 18 months while working part-time. Almost all of my NP classmates were working as RNs throughout their school years.

But, do they even have NP schools anymore? I thought they were all turning into DNP programs?