Need help planning education to become NP

[momsgarden]

Hi! I am writing on behalf of my daughter who asked if I could get some information for her. She is presently attending Virginia Tech, is a sophomore with a 3.7 gpa and is interested in become a nurse and ultimately a nurse practitioner. VT does not have a nursing program, however she is close to Radford University which does, however, she does not wish to transfer if she doesn't have to.

We have researched and found a ton of great information here! She is hoping she can get some much needed advice regarding what would be her best plan to ultimately end up as a NP. We have read differing opinions regarding whether she should pursue her BSN first, after graduating from VT with a BS in Biology, or if she should try to gain entry into a MSN program.

Would anyone be willing to advise her on this, or tell her where she can get info as to what classes she can take that will help with entry to nursing school? Also, what type of volunteer work should she do? Should she try to take classes during the summer at a school with a nursing program? What are the best nursing schools?

So many questions! We truly appreciate any and all advice, suggestions, recommendations! It's tough for her because there is no nursing program at her college, so it's difficult to get the best information. Thank you so, so much!

Stephanie

[applesRN]

Look into an accelerated MSN program, since she already has a bachelor's degree in another field. There are several in Virginia, including UVA. After her MSn degree, and a few years experience, she should be able to go back into school for a DNP. Note that the regualtions are changing and after 2015 a DNP will be the terminal degree for Nurse Practioners.

[BCgradnurse, MSN, RN, NP]

She might want to look into a direct entry MSN program now, so she can make sure she takes all the pre-requisites before she graduates. At the minimum, she'll need to have Anatomy and Physiology, Chemistry, Microbiology, and a few more courses. Pre-reqs vary by school. I also think she should do some sort of volunteer work at a hospital during the summers, or at least try to shadow an NP at a local practice. Also, please note that having a DNP as the terminal degree after 2015 is just a recommendation and is not a requirement at this time, and may not be decided upon anytime in the near future. There are a lot of good schools that have direct entry MSN programs. It all depends on where she wants to go. Please note that many of these schools are private and the cost can be quite high. I'm in New England, so you're talking Yale, Boston College, Simmons College, etc. in my neighborhood....big bucks!!! I know there are some state schools that have programs, but I have no idea what the residency requirements would be for in-state tuition.

FYI- I graduated from the direct entry program at Boston College. I have a RN-MSN (I do not have a BSN) and went right to work as an NP after graduation. Most programs do grant a BSN-MSN, but they are longer than the program I attended. Not having the BSN hasn't seemed to matter, but then again, I didn't look for RN jobs where a BSN might be a requirement. Your daughter needs to start looking into programs so she can see where her interest might lie, and so she can tailor the rest of her undergrad education to meet the requirements of her selected schools. Hope this helps.

[coast2coast]

If your daughter is a college student, she needs to become an independent learner. Which includes researching careers and how to get into them.

I know you mean well, but she's only halfway through her first degree program ( I think I was still a future politician at that point? ) AND this is something that, if she is truly interested in, she needs to pursue 100% on her own.