MED Sales rep to Accelerated MSN program for non-nurses

[amm2061]

Hey there!

I started working in the med equipment sales field last summer, after turning down a few acc BSN programs for non-nursing students (none of the programs were perfect and this opportunity in sales presented itself).

I work with nurses day in and day out and I've realized I really do want to be a nurse, albeit I don't want to work in a hospital setting. At this point I'd really like to go to into a 3 year accelerated NP program (particularly Columbia's ETP program) and focus on women's health. I'd love to work in a community setting like Planned Parenthood or a College Campus health center doing women's health.

My question is, is it realistic to think I can work in a setting like this without any previous nursing experience? For those nurses out there working in the community, what was your path to getting to this level in your practice?

I think my biggest fear is spending the next three years of my life in a program that will only lead me into a nursing practice I don't really want to do (ie-shift work in a hospital unit)

PLEASE HELP! I would really appreciate anyone's thoughts!

[SiennaGreen]

you may not get many responses for various reasons. i can say i am in similar position in that i worked in pharm sales for 5 years and am now heading back to school. i think you are appropriately concerned re going right into np practice w/o nursing experiance. i have been told that you can graduate masters entry and get a job, no problem. the question to ask, is why do you want to avoid rn work and what valuable experiance and perspective are you missing out on?

i am leaning toward doing the rn and working for a few years possibly. after much research, i feel like that experiance is valuable both in knowing the patients, the system and gaining credibility. good luck to you in whatever you decide!