Looking into FNP

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I know this is waaay into the future but I like to plan & have my ducks in a row. I am applying to LVN-to-RN programs at the end of this year/beginning of next, so when I get I'll graduate by 2017 then I will enroll in an RN to BSN program.

I live in the south Texas area, are there any programs that find clinicals & preceptors for you? Should I worry about FNPs not being master prepared any more (I heard it was going FNPs were going to be doctorates prepared).

Anything else I should know? I plan on working in corrections (BOP) for my career, that's where my heart is. This isn't something new I thought about, when I first started nursing I was thinking about becoming an FNP. I just want to do what's best for my career in corrections.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Instead of enrolling into an RN to BSN program, there are those that are bridged together to MSN. (Walden has one). The consensus model for requiring the terminal degree for advanced practice eligibility will not go into effect untill 2020 if I'm not mistaken, but to be honest, I don't even think that it will fly then. (That's just the goal?)

In your specialty, would a Psych NP better suit you? I may be completely off base on that, but I did research a year or so ago for a paper and there was a large percentage of incarcerated individuals with mental health/behavioral health comorbidities. Just a thought, my two cents.

Good luck to you!

I was thinking of doing an RN to MSN, I just want to do a bridge that grants me a BSN. I hope it doesn't go into effect in 2020, if that's the plan then I have to graduate & then enroll into an RN to MSN program. But I can do it!

I know that is very true & I have seen it, a lot. It is so unfortunate. I could get my master's in that. I just want to get the *right* one, the one that works best for my career. Thank you!!!

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

Oh I'm SOO excited looking into RN to MSN programs! Now I just need to figure out a route. Hmmm....

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

I am enrolled in a MSN program nurse education track. The plan is to then go on for a post certificate FNP degree.

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If you want RN to MSN I would avoid for profit schools like Walden. In my search for preceptors I have already heard some scoff at online school but luckily I attend a big state school with a hybrid program. I can't imagine how many would react to for profit...

In in reality many of your preceptors will be docs and you need to sell what you are doing at times when requesting for a preceptor. It's hard to sell a school that accepts anyone with a pulse and is online/for profit...

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
If you want RN to MSN I would avoid for profit schools like Walden. In my search for preceptors I have already heard some scoff at online school but luckily I attend a big state school with a hybrid program. I can't imagine how many would react to for profit...

In in reality many of your preceptors will be docs and you need to sell what you are doing at times when requesting for a preceptor. It's hard to sell a school that accepts anyone with a pulse and is online/for profit...

Definitely not going for any for-profit school. Looking into WGU or UTA.

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Specializes in psych.

Tarleton has an RN to MSN option. The educator MSN though I think requires some RN experience. It skips I think two classes that their BSN program has. And you also have the option to stop short during the MSN program and just get a bachelors.

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Specializes in NICU, telemetry.

If you decide to forgo the RN-MSN and just do RN-BSN initially, I recommend University of Texas at Arlington. I used their program and loved it. They have RN-MSN programs, but unless I'm overlooking something, it's just for education and administration. They DO have a separate FNP program though after you've graduated, and unless the admission requirements have changed, you are either fully admitted or admitted on initial probation if a BSN student there, depending on graduating GPA...but either way, in. The instructors were great, content easy to find and understand...very easily self-taught. And no clinicals! Plus, I actually felt like I was earning my degree, rather than just completing busy work, like my former colleagues said of their programs.

I would've considered them for my NP program, but talking to the director, she said that they required multiple campus visits throughout the program(more than I was willing to pay for). Reading a couple of posts here, that has all changed now.

Just food for thought. I don't really know of any RN-MSN programs and know enough about them to fairly recommend/not either way. Good luck with your decision!

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Specializes in psych.

I have also given the RN to MSN some thought before, but I think the best route is RN to BSN then apply to a grad school NP program. That would waste less time than doing a nursing management or educator RN to MSN and doing a post masters NP afterwards.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
I have also given the RN to MSN some thought before, but I think the best route is RN to BSN then apply to a grad school NP program. That would waste less time than doing a nursing management or educator RN to MSN and doing a post masters NP afterwards.

Well I plan on doing WGU's RN to MSN in leadership then probably post master's NP after. Do the main course work when I do my MSN then the "fluff" work when I go for my post masters NP.

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Specializes in NICU, telemetry.
Well I plan on doing WGU's RN to MSN in leadership then probably post master's NP after. Do the main course work when I do my MSN then the "fluff" work when I go for my post masters NP.

Just so you know, if you go for a post-Masters NP, be prepared to not be facing a lot of "fluff" classes. As a disclaimer, I have not looked at WGU's program in any manner, but all of the other programs I looked at, the NP programs(post MSN or not), don't contain much fluff. There may be a couple theory classes you can skip out on, but other than that, it's all completely new content because the NP curriculums are written in a different way of thinking than an MSN in education or leadership is.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Just so you know, if you go for a post-Masters NP, be prepared to not be facing a lot of "fluff" classes. As a disclaimer, I have not looked at WGU's program in any manner, but all of the other programs I looked at, the NP programs(post MSN or not), don't contain much fluff. There may be a couple theory classes you can skip out on, but other than that, it's all completely new content because the NP curriculums are written in a different way of thinking than an MSN in education or leadership is.

Sorry, flip that... reverse it. You're right, the post-masters would just be the clinical portion with WGU it would be the classes.

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