Maybe an ignorant question, but I'm asking it anyway....

greenfiremajick · Mar 20, 2009

prm-

your comment of "I'm not an NNP, but I do have >25yrs experience in NICU--and I stayed @ a Holiday Inn last night.)" threw me....What does Holiday Inn have to do with this? It made me start to laugh when you said that....

I am thinking maybe I could do the ADN, then an online ADN to MSN, but I wonder if there are schools that focus on only allowing the RN to get the NP cert?

I am really new to all of this, so I still have lots to understand!

prmenrs, RN · Mar 20, 2009

There were some Holiday Inn commercials a while where someone was doing something (brain surgery, rocket science, whatever) for which they were not qualified (as I said, I'm not an NNP), and the punch line was, "But I did stay in a Holiday Inn last night!".

If you laughed, that was my objective...

The basic nursing education (which is what you get in order to take the licensing exam) is a "generalist". You're qualified to take care of the average pt in a hospital. That pt would be an adult on a medical surgical unit. They do cover Maternal Child health and Psychiatric nursing, and you could work in those areas, but the more specialized you get, the more you need additional education. Often that is provided by the unit for which you are hired. It takes a good 6 months of both didactic time and clinical supervision to have a decent grounding to work in a NICU.

IMHO--you need to go thru all the steps. If you have a Bachelors, go ahead and do the direct entry MSN thing. Get your license, then work in the field for a couple of years, go back and do the NNP part. I don't think you should be looking for short cuts. Again, jmo.

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Mar 21, 2009

NNP student chiming in here....

Current national accreditation requirements require that you complete 2 full years of practice as an RN in a level III NICU before graduating from a NNP program. Most direct-entry MSN programs for NNPs have a gap in between the BSN and MSN portions in which you complete part of your experience requirement.

There are no programs that I am aware of that have ADN or BSN tracks specific to NICU/NNP prep. Undergrad programs train nurses as generalists. You can sometimes get some clinical time in a NICU, but it is usually minimal.

If your goal is to be an NNP, I would recommend getting your BSN, working in a level III NICU for 2 years, then starting the MSN. This is one NP specialty that I strongly believe needs to be built on years of solid experience as an RN. Or you will drown. Or worse, survive and make a mediocre, dangerous practitioner. And I can say that having worked with several people who lacked experience in NICU, and have gone on to become terrible NPs.

NurseDawg06 · Mar 21, 2009

Totally agree.....please do NOT go directly from your undergrad to your grad degree without sufficient experience...this is nothing against your knowledge....it's about experience only. and trust me, it makes worlds of difference. It sounds to me like you're looking for short cuts...there are none in nursing. Instead, focus on learning in a Level III NICU post graduation, then focus on the NP degree. When nurses/MDs ask how much experience you have in the unit, and you say " oh, only what I had in NNP school", no one will take you seriously. It's almost like a resident situation....they are newbies and most have no idea what they're doing since they've hardly ever stepped foot in a unit before. (with the exception of some). Please just be careful.

NurseDawg06 · Mar 21, 2009

Also, most people go into nursing school thinking they want to be a certain kind of nurse....I thought originally that I wanted to be a L&D nurse.....BOY WAS I WRONG. I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. It's just not for me. I have much respect for them, just not for me. I found out in my senior year of nursing school that I was made for critical care. Have you even been into a NICU? or even followed a NNP before? I would suggest doing that. It is a great help when you have big decisions to make. JMO

NeoNurseTX, RN · Mar 21, 2009

Also, most people go into nursing school thinking they want to be a certain kind of nurse....I thought originally that I wanted to be a L&D nurse.....BOY WAS I WRONG. I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. It's just not for me. I have much respect for them, just not for me. I found out in my senior year of nursing school that I was made for critical care. Have you even been into a NICU? or even followed a NNP before? I would suggest doing that. It is a great help when you have big decisions to make. JMO

In nursing school I wanted to be an NNP...now that I'm actually in the unit..OH HECK NO. I love the NNPs I work with but I definitely no longer covet their role!

greenfiremajick · Mar 21, 2009

Why wouldn't you want to be an NNP, now?

greenfiremajick · Mar 21, 2009

I am hearing you.

greenfiremajick · Mar 21, 2009

Steve-

What are some of the things that might be sorely needed, in regards to lack of experience, specifically to the NNP?

littleneoRN · Mar 21, 2009

As a bedside nurse, I would feel wary about working with a NNP that did not have any bedside experience as an RN. Like previous posters mentioned, the NICU is a very specialized area, and experience is necessary for competency as an NNP. Many programs require two years of experience, and I would argue that more is valuable. Also, just something to look into is that many schools are transitioning now to making the NNP programs doctorate level. I think than MSN program graduates will be "grandfathered in," but if you're considering going into this field, I would research more about this.

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Mar 21, 2009

Without NICU experience I know that you would NOT be hired where I work, and I suspect many places. I do not know of any NNP that doesn't have experience in the area they pick. Steve has the right answer for you. Without the bedside nursing experience, you will sink pretty fast. No nursing program even touches NICU in any depth, it is a passing topic. There are no short cuts to being an NICU practitioner.

NeoNurseTX, RN · Mar 21, 2009

Why wouldn't you want to be an NNP, now?

Responsibility and hours of an MD (plus the grunt work) without the pay. If I wanted to be a doc, I'd go to med school. I have much respect for our NNPs, though!