Increase admission chances: Direct entry CNL

[Meg11]

Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting to this forum but have already become enthralled with all the helpful topics. I am interested in pursuing a direct entry clinical nurse leader program next year in hopes of later pursuing a career as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. My biggest concern is that I have absolutely no nursing experience and due to patient confidentiality rules, I haven't been able to find a clinically relevant volunteer opportunity. I come from a heavily research-based background having been a research assistant for 4 years including conducting experiments in an infant development lab and spending a summer interning in a cognitive psychology lab. I graduated college with honors and degrees in Psychology and Molecular Cellular Developmental Biology. I also spent a year volunteering with a schizophrenic community and another year with children with mood disorders. I plan on taking 3 prerequisite classes over the course of a year and a half while I work full time as a manager for a neuroscience lab. I want to be the strongest applicant that I can be however I can't help but feel that I am severely lacking in my clinical experience. Is there anything I can do to strengthen my chances? What do you all think? Could my background hurt my chances? I have a passion working with the mental health community and I feel as if I have found the perfect career, and I am also excited to learn all the skills of an RN as well. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[katmarieRN]

Meg11, I've pm'd you also