Looking to change career become np

ChrissyRN74 · Jan 20, 2012

I don't know about CA but here on the east coast we have a few universities that offer an accelerated BSN program for people who have already earned their bachelors degree. A few of my friends did this but they still had to do prerequisites before entering their program. It's usually a 16-18 month concentrated nursing program upon being admitted and once completed you've earned your RN-BSN and then can go for your masters degree. Good Luck!

elkpark · Jan 20, 2012

THere are also quite a few so-called "direct entry" MSN programs for individuals who already have a BA/BS (or higher) in another subject and want to become advanced practice nurses. The programs are typically three years in length and combine basic nursing education and licensure with the advanced practice graduate curriculum, rolled into one program.

Trauma Columnist · Jan 20, 2012

Let me move this to the NP forum where you will get more responses.

AJPV · Jan 20, 2012

Did you already take pre-requisite courses before chiro school from an accredited school? Most nursing programs will require pre-reqs of anatomy & physiology, chemistry, psychology, microbiology, etc. You'll have to check with each school you're looking at to get their requirements and also the maximum "age" of the courses you're allowed to transfer in for those pre-reqs. Accreditation might become an issue if you took your pre-reqs at a chiro school rather than a traditional college/university.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2012

I don't know about how many clinical hours are involved in Chiropractor school. Clinical hours vary school to school and state to state, somestates have a minimal requirment to enable you to sit for boards with all of the "online schools" cropping up.

I hope the following links help. Good luck!

American Association of Colleges of Nursing | Accelerated Programs: The Fast Track to Careers in Nursing

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/estimate-clinical-hours-492210.html

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/how-many-clinical-555589.html

Career Pathways in Nursing: Entry Points and Academic Progression

Chiro · Jan 20, 2012

i have been a chiropractor for 15 years and i just completed my bsn. i am fortunate to have a weekend bsn program in my area, so i worked part-time and went to school friday-sunday. i have a bs, but i had to retake some prerequisites before i could apply.

if you want to continue to work, a weekend or night bsn program may be the way to go. i would not have been able to run my practice and go to school full-time any other way.

Cadet572 · Jan 28, 2012

I am a chiropractor. I live on the east coast and I have just started my first semester toward my BSN. I would like to one day get my NP. Early on here, I can see a very big difference on how a nurse's viewpoint is much different than a physicians. I am not really sure how to explain it really. It's almost like you have all these highly trained individuals that have one hand tied behind their back, waiting for a doctor to make a decision, which they already know but by law they need the order. I really give it up to all of you who are nurses. I really appreciate you. I have alot of Nurses who are patients. I ask them questions constantly. None of them know that I am going to school right now. Many of my RN's when asked why not an NP or APN of some kind, and most times it is the same answer, "the money is not worth the responsibility or liability. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Health care is changing...I think we all will see a dramatic change over the next five years. The third party payers are paying for less and less, premiums continue to rise and an attempt to do away with the Fee For Service protocols that we have today is underway. One of the test pilot programs is located at Jordan Hospital in Plymouth. I guess to me diversity is the key to success. I believe that most people here will give the PC answer of why did you get into to health care - To help people. Surely that is why I did as well. Being out in the system and seeing the political medical mixture is admittedly a little frightening and worrisome. We really dont know yet how it all will unfold yet

zoidberg, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2012

cadet,

you have an insightful view as a chiropractor. but i think rather than having a hand tied around their backs, nurses have both hands, plus extra sharp hearing and eyes all over the place. My mother(RN for a very long time) has a way of sensing things about people that would take others hours to figure out. Nurses have their hands tied up mostly by practitioners, sometimes physicians, who do not want to listen to a nurse, as well as the "system". That said, I know many physicians who are excellent as clinicians and as people. When practitioners, nurses, and all other health care people find a way to work together, that's when things will work. (yeah yeah hold hands and sing everyone :lol2: )

As far as NP's not being reimbursed appropriately for their level of responsibility, they do relatively,(family practice makes less than an ER np), but when (and if? :banghead: ) the economy comes back around, hopefully NP's and PA's salaries will come back around.

zenman · Jan 28, 2012

Many of my RN's when asked why not an NP or APN of some kind, and most times it is the same answer, "the money is not worth the responsibility or liability. Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

I don't have any problem with increased responsibility or my bigger paycheck! Plus the work is actually easier. I'm a psych NP and when I go up to the floors or units I almost start having flashbacks about the times I had to run around like a chicken with my head cut off. Now I just amble around seeing patients and dictating notes. I should be able to do this till I'm 95.

PMFB-RN, RN · Jan 28, 2012

I would suggest you look into PA programs. It is likely you could become a PA in 18-24 months with your education background. Jobs and pay are very similar between NP & PA. Many people consider PA training to be superior in science and clinical instruction.

As for RNs telling you it's not worth the money to go to NP school....... Well I agree with them. I am one of the rapid response nurses (only one on at a time) for a large hospital. My job is a ton of fun and comes with tremoundous automomy. About as much autonomy as a hospital RN can have. I work regular hourse, never take call and make into six figures. I have the exact schedual I want. NPs in this medical center start out about $30K/year LESS than I make. It is true that the top of the NP pay scale is higher than the top of the RN pay scale but it would take me 6-8 years to make as a NP what I currently make as an RN. In addition the nurse haters have convinced our state universities to drop their MSN NP programs so they can charge nurses the higher tution rates of the doctorate program for 3 years instead of grad tution for 2 years for the old MSN programs. Why would I want to spend 3 years getting a DNP to be an NP to make less money than I do now? We have lots of NPs working as staff RNs in my hospital for that exact reason.

Cadet572 · Jan 29, 2012

Thanks for all the comments. I have looked into PA school. The main reason for the NP vs the PA for me is situational. I have a beutiful wife and 7 year old child and a home. So the bills will keep coming no matter what. Finiancial aide is limited in my situation, not that I make so much, because that surely is not the case, but having a BS and a Doctorate already, alot of the monies such as Pell etc... dont apply to me. Secondly, my PA patients must consistently every few years take boards again. I have seen a few of them get stressed out just like school for these things, where the NP like me now just has to take CEUs. Thirdly, in my state the NP is quite autonomous, especially in family practice. I believe that their are only a handful of states that give the autonomy that mine does, which is nice. So I must push through the rigours while maintaining my practice at the same time. I certainly don't want to be a floor nurse. I just don't think I am built for it. Some people are, and have a wonderful affect on healing of the patients and their families...just don't think it would be a long term match for me. My other comment in regards to the payscale, was really not meant to go towards the reimbursement (allowables) because RN's as far as I know don't work that way. It really had to do with without speaking about anyone's individual circumstance, but in general the pay difference in lets say a hospital setting of NP vs RN, taking into the account the additional stressors of the NP making additional clinical decisions. ANyway, I am mixed when it comes to the whole DNP thing. This subject seems to have alot of volatility. The MDs most certainly hate this - they own the term Doctor - I am trying to be a little humerous with this. I see a parrallelism with the physical therapist here with one difference that is truely key. I believe (my oponion and $2 will get you a cup of coffee) that the PTs introduced DPT into their programs in order to get esteblished and based in the politics, scope and law. Many are different with some states having no direct access etc... but most laws are written ie scopes, health insurance policies, workers compensation, with the specific term of doctor. Not having this type of level of education anywhere, the PTs are at a distinct disadvantage. Sort of like the NPs but heres the rub in my view ($2) the DPT program is an academic doctorate more based on PhD, than clinical - here is the difference - that I can see anyway - the NP is all clinical - that is a significant difference, dont you think. In the longer term are the NPs trying to set up to get out of the mid level practioner category, thus actually being reimbursed as a primary provider instead of at most times that I see the 80 percent of the physician. Anyway alot of this is just opinion, which I hope I don't get killed for, but hopefully I can maintain some of these relationships on here as I go through this. Best Always, Cadet