new grad, is a year too soon to go back for an MSN?

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I am a new grad and am contemplating a position in a cardiac ICU. I want to go back to school as soon as possible. What are some options other than bedside nursing for which my experience would be beneficial? In otherwords, what type of job could I get with my CTICU training on an MSN level that would be different from that of a floor nurse with an MSN. Also as a new grad who would go through a 6 month orientation, how soon would you estimate that I would comfortable enough to handle going back to school and working on the unit at the same time? do you think a year is enough, do you think its even possible?

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

A year is not too soon IF you know what you wish to study. For some people, it is the right decision to start that soon. However, I think it is a mistake to invest in a graduate education before you have had a chance to explore your career options sufficiently and get enough experience to be able to know your particular strengths, weakness, preferences, etc.

Find your niche in nursing first (or at least narrow it down a little bit) and THEN go to graduate school. Don't invest in a graduate education and then discover that you chose the wrong program or the wrong career path -- and spent the money and the time preparing for jobs that don't suit you. Such mistakes are costly.

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Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
I am a new grad and am contemplating a position in a cardiac ICU. I want to go back to school as soon as possible. What are some options other than bedside nursing for which my experience would be beneficial? In otherwords, what type of job could I get with my CTICU training on an MSN level that would be different from that of a floor nurse with an MSN. Also as a new grad who would go through a 6 month orientation, how soon would you estimate that I would comfortable enough to handle going back to school and working on the unit at the same time? do you think a year is enough, do you think its even possible?

I think it is but I am in the minority. I think that you need several years of experience. And a variety of experience. With an MSN as a clinical nurse, you can get jobs in some of the larger medical centers. I was in Sarasota Memorial, in September 2004, for a week. And there was a clinical nurse assigned to the cardiac unit I was in. And she was very good.

I went back to graduate school and worked full time. But it took a lot of careful planning to meet the demands of my job and the demands of graduate school. And it took a lot of extra planning when I did the research and writing for my thesis.

Woody:balloons:

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Specializes in Infection Preventionist/ Occ Health.

I started grad school right away (only one class) and it was a bit stressful at times. However, it was no less stressful than working during my accelerated BSN program...

I went into nursing with the intention of going straight to grad school, so I had things (financial, personal and otherwise) planned out to some degree. I thought that the transition to grad school was about as smooth as it could have been, because I was prepared for graduate-level work. Being a new RN is stressful regardless of what else you have going on in your life, so IMO there's no harm in knocking a class out of the way as soon as you are ready... I am still in "school mode", which helps because it can be difficult to get back into the swing of things after a long break.

Good luck with your plans!

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Hands on nursing experience is the best education you will ever get. Every day will be a clinical day. You don't get to be a veteran without actual combat experience. School taught you the theory and gave you a taste of experience. The next step is to put your theory into practice. There are no shortcuts.

A year is okay, but a few years would be even better.

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