How long does it take?

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Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.

Generally speaking, how long does it take to become a trauma NP?

I have to earn my associates, then bachelor's, then masters, then become a NP and then take a few years to specialize, right?

So how much time am I looking at? I see about two years for the associates, a year long RN-BSN program, either two years for my master's or a 1 year accelerated program.

But how do you go about becoming a NP after you earn your master's?

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Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.

Anyone? Let me clarify that I will be going full time.

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I think what you may not be accounting for is the work experience you will likely need prior to NP school. Many people start getting this experience after completing the ASN program and then they complete RN-to-BSN part-time while working.

This link from the UT-Houston Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP) program shows that, while one year ER experience is required, the average entering student has over five years of ER RN experience.

http://son.uth.tmc.edu/emergency/enp3.htm

There are multiple NP routes to take to work with trauma/ER patients. This is just one example. ENP programs are few and far between. I know at one time there were only two in the US. FNP, PNP and ACNP are more common though.

The NP program generally is the masters program. Graduates take a certification exam and go into NP practice. There are some people who earn a non-NP MSN (like in nursing education) and go back through a post-masters certificate program for NP.

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Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.

Sorry, I suppose my post wasn't too clear.

I was placing the years of experience into becoming a NP...I just didn't say that. For instance, if I wanted to go the CRNA route, I'd earn about 2 years med/surg both as an LVN (while in nursing school) and as a new grad RN. Then I would plan to begin working in ICU and doing that while I completed my Bachelor's and Master's...roughly 3-4 more years of exp.

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