MSN in nursing for people with different bachelors good deal?

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I am looking at Western University of health science entry level Masters and wanted to get your opinions on whether it is worth it or just go the ABSN route. For their program it is 3 years and you get your bsn and then it is required you work in a hospital for a certain number of hours to get your msn. So theoretically you would graduate with a MSN with a years of clinical experience it looks like. If you then like to become a NP you can apply to their FNP program directly which would be about 4 years.

Now I am interested in nursing, but I would have to say I am also interested in the administration side of things as well. I like options. Would going this route open a lot of doors in the future? or is it better to just go the ABSN route? Tuition is about 100k on their website not including the FNP program. To me it kind of seems that going back school to get another bachelors is disheartening. LIke it was a complete waste of my time. I currently have a bachelors in biology.

Here is their website please take a look before commenting. Welcome - Master of Science in Nursing - Entry (MSN)

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That's very expensive.

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No. Not a good idea. Get your BSN, get some bedside experience and then go for your masters.

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can you elaborate more on why its not a good idea?

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No. Not a good idea. Get your BSN, get some bedside experience and then go for your masters.

I respectfully disagree, Western is a great program and you'll be working just as a new grad RN when you graduate just with a higher degree. It also gives you an advantage because you wouldn't have to worry about going back and being accepted to a masters program if you ever decided to have higher education. If OP wanted to eventually become an NP OP could just take a post masters certificate program and finish within 2 years; not 2 more years for masters and 2 more years for post certificate.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

I'm "on the fence" about the entry level MSN programs. For me, a lot depends on the details of the particular program. One concern I have about the particular program from Western U. described in the link is that you have to do the full MSN before you go to the post-Master's NP program. If you think you might want to be an NP, it would be quicker (and a lot cheaper) to get a BSN first and then let your employer pay for an NP program. The NP program would be incorportated into your MSN and funded by your employer. By going the Western U. route, you would have to finish the MSN before you could enroll in the NP program.

A lot of people I know have changed their minds about the career focus after they have worked in nursing for a bit. They think they want a certain career path when they start, but as they get into it and find out what suits them, they change their minds. So I always recommend that students work a while as a nurse before investing heavily in grad school. If Western lets you pause your education and do that, great -- but if not, if not, I would avoid it.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

Leaving alone question about entry level MSN:

Midrange ABSN somewhere else $30000 (we do not speak about big names here, just a midrange decent school outside of very high cost places)

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FNP somewhere $35000 (again, no big names)

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at least $35000 less in loans for the same thing.

It is a whole lot of money to save, to begin with.

Also, if you are interested in "administrative side", you better work at least for a while in between schools and save your $$$ because you might need MSN/Leadership, MSN/Ed, DNP or even MBA for that.

Do the math. You won't, ever, be "compensated" as top 10% of Americans, so your education should not cost as much as one for those 10%. Unless you won a lottery or your last name is a very famous one :)

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Run the numbers on $100k in student loan debt.

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can you elaborate more on why its not a good idea?

Because nurse's that come into the field with a masters degree and no bedside experience are finding it difficult to find jobs. You are considered too qualified for a bedside position. But employers don't want an NPwith no bedside experience. No experience in the field, I should say.

It's a catch 22 and we see people in here all the time struggling to find jobs with their masters degree. I have also talked to HR at several different hospitals over the years and they won't hire people from these programs.

It's admirable to wantbto get your masters and further your education. But before you master a subject, you must first practice it. You will need to practice the art of nursing.

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I respectfully disagree, Western is a great program and you'll be working just as a new grad RN when you graduate just with a higher degree. It also gives you an advantage because you wouldn't have to worry about going back and being accepted to a masters program if you ever decided to have higher education. If OP wanted to eventually become an NP OP could just take a post masters certificate program and finish within 2 years; not 2 more years for masters and 2 more years for post certificate.

Not if you can't get hired. Many hospitals require the BSN. Many of these ELM programs skip that degree all together. A masters prepared nurse is often skipped over in the application process for being too qualified. Hospitals don't want to pay more for that masters degree at bedside when they can pay BSNs and ASNs a cheaper rate. And whether or not that masters prepared nurse is asking for more money is not the issue. It's the way HR and administration looks at it. They see masters and think no way.

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Wait the program says that it is required to work about a years worth as a registered nurse to get your masters. So theoretically when you graduate and have your masters you will already have a year of clinical experience. To me it wouldn't make sense at all being a new graduate from a MSN program with no register nurse experience. But this program says you will, it is a requirement to get your MSN.

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Everyone needs to read the program. I spoke one of the representatives of the program and this is

what she said "he current MSN-E program is full-time on-campus for the first 16 months of the program until you receive your RN license. Once you receive your RN, you are able to work as a registered nurse while completing the remainder of the degree online. I believe this is what you are referring to. Please let me know if you have any other questions."

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