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Discussion

My changing thoughts...

I spend so much time reading on this forum, I thought I would start a topic where I just sort of spill my thoughts as they occur to me. I need some way to get all these swirling thoughts out of my brain! :) Feel free to read my ramblings or not, and of course if you have any advice, suggestions, etc. to anything that I post, I would love to hear it...

So everyday I get on this forum, as I've done for a year and half now, and read about the experiences of RN's, NP's, CRNA's, etc. I started becoming interested in nursing when my doctor's office had three absolutely wonderful female NP's working there, and I found myself seeing them more often than him (although he is an absolutely wonderful doctor and person). So I really started becoming interested in the role of the NP. I started thinking about the road to becoming a NP. One of my NP's told me about the Direct-Entry MSN programs, and in fact, all three of them taught at one, including one of my NP's helping to start a program (she now teaches at Purdue). So I was fascinated. I attended a couple open-houses at USD in San Diego, and was immediately discouraged by how competitive these programs are (especially given that USD has SD's only Direct Entry (MEPN) program). I have a cum. GPA

I then met a friend of a friend who is a NP on a Cardiology floor (or was at the time) and she let me shadow her for a morning. I was hooked. That was it... that was what I wanted to do. Again though, I was very discouraged by the stats of those students gaining acceptance, in comparison to my own. I hear now that this 'friend of a friend' went to work for a new hospital, doing a job that is normally only reserved for MD's.

So now I live up in the bay area, which has presented me a couple more options, however, they all still seem wildly out of reach. During my whining one day, a friend mentioned that I look into PA programs (still out of reach, but provides more options!). So I started looking into that route as well to compare the differences. I know that one is trained under the medical model and one under the nursing, but to be honest with you, I can't see any differences further than that (especially in the state of CA) - so feel free to enlighten me on that one. The issue I run into with PA school is that I don't have a drop of paid healthcare experience. So, I hit a roadblock again, as I am currently unable to quit my very well-paying job to go back to school to become a MA or such.

Then I became crazy enough to start looking into medical school... I dropped that search very quickly - I want a family in the near future, and that just wouldn't easily work. Of course not to mention that I don't have the GPA for med school... and well, is that really where I would want to be anyway?

*Sigh* - so I think I know that I would love being a NP - but how does anyone really know? I think that any role where I am able to see and help patients, make clinical decisions on my own... that I would love the challenge of. So I feel really good about that, so now it comes down to getting into school.

I haven't done any of my science prereqs, so I still have the ability to make A's in those and show ad coms that I have what it takes to make it through school and that my undergrad GPA is not a reflection of my abilities or intelligence. I also need to take the GRE still, so I have yet another opportunity to hopefully shine. Hopefully this will be enough. I'm also considering doing an EMT program, taking medical term, medical spanish, etc., just to show how serious I am. I can't start this program until my BF graduates anyway, so I'm looking at Fall 2007.

So this brings me to my next concern - where to apply. We're living up in the bay area - my boyfriend is attending school for his MBA, so when he graduates, he will focus accepting jobs in cities that we not only want to live in, but also where I can hopefully get into school. I want to live relatively close to where school is, since I know I'll be spending so much time there, so that eliminates some farther locations that are still good schools.

Here's the list of schools I am focusing on based on location (any comments?):

Samuel Merritt - Bay area

USD - San Diego

Georgetown - DC

There are also a slew of programs in DC that offer Accelerated BSN's - but how quickly could I become an NP after graduating from said program? I also must admit that I have a curiosity about becoming a CRNA - I would love the opportunity to shadow one. So in that case, an Accelerated BSN would be a great option.

I'm worried about prereqs - so many schools are asking for such different things -- do I just end up taking them all? For example, Georgetown wants ethics among other things... no other school I'm looking at asks for this, so it seems like such a waste. Alas, I digress.

Anyway, those are my thoughts for the day - I feel good to have finally poured them out of my brain, and thanks for listening (or not!). :p

I may just have a bunch of other stuff to add later... we shall see!

Have a very happy Sunday!

Izzy :rolleyes:

Featured Replies

  • Experts

No problem to put your words done in print - sometimes that helps. Since you would be a direct entry MSN student, I would focus on the nursing basics first. You will want a year of experience (at least) before proceeding into an NP scope of practice. So...during that year (or more), you will want to pick a specialty. This in itself is a complex chore. There is a lot to consider. While the direct entry MSN is nice, it can sometimes be a double-edged sword in that it may pigeon-hole too early in your nursing career and you might find yourself unhappy. GOod luck.

  • Author
No problem to put your words done in print - sometimes that helps. Since you would be a direct entry MSN student, I would focus on the nursing basics first. You will want a year of experience (at least) before proceeding into an NP scope of practice. So...during that year (or more), you will want to pick a specialty. This in itself is a complex chore. There is a lot to consider. While the direct entry MSN is nice, it can sometimes be a double-edged sword in that it may pigeon-hole too early in your nursing career and you might find yourself unhappy. GOod luck.

Thanks for your reply -- I hear that a lot about not jumping into something too quickly, especially with getting a FNP. Maybe just one more reason to look more into the Accelerated BSN option! Thanks again!

Izzy

  • Author

So I had a wisdom tooth removed about 2 hours ago, and it started making me think about CRNA, not because I had a general, but well, I don't know, it just did. I think becoming a CRNA is just the ultimate challange -- not only getting through school, but also the responsibility of the job and the satisfaction of doing it well... ok, that's all for now, need more pain meds. :)

Izzy

  • Author

Do you think it's too much to take A&P I and Micro in a single semester, given that I also work? I have lots of prereqs to do, but need to focus on the ones that all schools I'm applying to require, which of course is A&PI, A&PII and Micro....

I'm taking my pre-reqs right now. If you have taken sciences before, chemistry and biology, you can do both in one semester. If not, forget about it. And my advice is to take A&P first. I was told to take Micro first, but so glad I didn't listen. There are some people who are taking Micro as their first ever college science class with me this semester and they are dying.

I totally understand what you're going through. Every week I think I want to do something else. Right now my heart is set on a local Accelerated BSN program. Crossing my fingers.

Malia

I took A&P and micro in the same quarter. It was tough but doable. However, I loved micro and found it to be a very interesting course.

  • Author
I'm taking my pre-reqs right now. If you have taken sciences before, chemistry and biology, you can do both in one semester. If not, forget about it. And my advice is to take A&P first. I was told to take Micro first, but so glad I didn't listen. There are some people who are taking Micro as their first ever college science class with me this semester and they are dying.

I totally understand what you're going through. Every week I think I want to do something else. Right now my heart is set on a local Accelerated BSN program. Crossing my fingers.

Malia

Thanks so much for the advice Malia! Depending on how much I get figured out before I start prereqs next semester, I may just take 1 hard science and then something easier, if I figure out I have the time. I really need A's on my prereqs, so I can't afford to overload myself.

What school are you looking to apply at? It's funny what a journey this is -- just getting into school! I'm always laughing at myself for putting so much time into the process of figuring it all out, because then the real tough work is still ahead! :p

Thanks for your post and for reading my ramblings!

Izzy

  • Author
I took A&P and micro in the same quarter. It was tough but doable. However, I loved micro and found it to be a very interesting course.

Hi katyosu2006 - I hope I do too! I'm just hoping that I find these courses so darn interesting that I can't help but get an A. :chuckle

Thanks!

Izzy

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