MSN-NP or PA?

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Hello all,

I am 29 years old and would like to get things started. Let me give you a little history of my medical education/background first:

- 2002: I received my CNA

- 2004-2011: I became a Cardiopulmonary Respiratory Technician for the US Air Force

- 2011: I received my BS in Health Services Management

- 2011-present: I am working as a Health Technician at a VA Federal Hospital

I am having a hard time to choose whether to get my MSN to NP or CRNA, or to go for my PA; I do not have a BSN. I graduated with 3.15 GPA for my BS in Health Services Management, and as of right now I am retaking my science classes for prereqs for admissions for both MSN and PA programs. As of now, I am getting A's and B's for my the prereqs, but now I am in a tug-of-war to go into nursing or PA.

Working for the VA they are willing to pay for either my BSN or MSN as long as I have tenure and will work for them for a certain amount of years after I graduate. Ultimately, going to either way, MSN-Np or PA, I will have to work at the same time; this will be one of the factors that will help sway my decision.

Also, I would like to go back into the Air Force Reserves and/or Guard as a Medical Officer, which will happen with a Nursing Degree or PA.

Any advice and foresight will help greatly.

Thanks for your help in advance!!

Ryan

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Specializes in IMCU, Oncology.

If you want to go the MSN route, you will need to become an RN first. That may sway your choices a bit! It may take longer to become an RN, then get your MSN to NP - you are looking at 5-6 years. Going the PA route may cut it down by a year or two if you already have a Bachelors. You will need to focus a year or so on the classes you need to apply to PA school which is 1.5-2 years if I remember correctly. However, the science classes needed for nursing vs. PA are different, so you may have to start from square one with science classes for PA school but ultimately that may take less time. I do not know which one would be more conducive to working - it might take longer to become an NP, but if you have someone willing to pay for that I would lean that direction, plus as a nurse you can work 2-3, 12 hour shifts and focus the rest of the week on studies.

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If you want to go the MSN route, you will need to become an RN first. That may sway your choices a bit! It may take longer to become an RN, then get your MSN to NP - you are looking at 5-6 years.

Not necessarily -- there are a kazillion "direct entry" MSN programs that are, basically, an accelerated BSN program combined with an MSN program. They take people with no nursing background, and typically take 2 or 3 years.

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Follow your heart.

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Agreed. At Rush University here in Chicago, there is a direct entry program for MSN-RN for those without a BSN.

The direct entry master's (MSN) for non-nurses: generalist entry master's

(GEM) clinical nurse leader (CNL) program at Rush University College of Nursing

comprehensively prepares students, in a two-year full-time curriculum, to be a

graduate (MSN) registered nurse (RN) clinician with a focus in clinical

leadership.

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I would love to follow my heart, which is going towards PA; but the logical way is to have the VA pay for my MSN-RN while I work. IF I go the PA route, I will ultimately have to quit my job, but that I have bills to pay. I would not know what to do.

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Agreed. At Rush University here in Chicago, there is a direct entry program for MSN-RN for those without a BSN.

The direct entry master's (MSN) for non-nurses: generalist entry master's

(GEM) clinical nurse leader (CNL) program at Rush University College of Nursing

comprehensively prepares students, in a two-year full-time curriculum, to be a

graduate (MSN) registered nurse (RN) clinician with a focus in clinical

leadership.

The program you're quoting (Rush) prepares new nurses as generalists at the Master's level, and someone who completed that program would still have to complete a post-Master's certificate program to become a nurse practitioner, but there are direct entry programs "out there" that prepare people in the advanced practice roles -- 2-3 years in school, and you come out an NP, CNM, or CNS (it's a little more complicated for CRNAs). No previous nursing education or experience required.

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

If you already have a degree, it would be quicker to go the PA route. It is typically 18 months after pre-reqs are completed.

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