NP programs for non-nursing BS or BS holders

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 17, 2007

No need to start a thread about the topic of no RN experience prior to NP program.

Here is the current very lengthy thread (sticky thread found in the NP forum):

https://allnurses.com/forums/f34/becoming-np-little-no-nursing-experience-193372.html

Clarence Nightingale · Sep 18, 2007

I think in the case of NP's it's the same as any other type of training. People are going to get out of it what they put into it. Interestingly I did read a study in which a group of 1000 doctors were asked to evaluate their nurse practitioners with years of RN experience before becoming an NP with their NP's with little or no RN experience. Surprisingly, they felt that the NP's with little or no RN experience were more effective in the clinical setting than RN's with 10+ years of experience. Doctors don't become PA's first, they go straight through medical school with little or no medical background. One advantage someone going through an MSN program without RN experience might have is it would be easier to develop a totally different skill set from what an RN learns. They haven't spent time in the field and developed the "bad habits" that some nurses develop over time. They also are able to think in a Practitioner frame of mind rather than trying to overcome the RN mindset. It really is 2 different skill sets and ways of thinking and approaching problems. But like I said at the beginning of my post, I think experience can be a blessing or a curse, but ultimately it's going to be what the person going through puts into it.

MacD · Sep 18, 2007

Sharann

Are you aware that there are programs designed for ADNs to get their MSN/NP ?

Clarence Nightingale · Sep 18, 2007

Sharann
Are you aware that there are programs designed for ADNs to get their MSN/NP ?

The few that I'm familiar with require the ADN students to go through alot of the nursing programs with the students who come in without any nursing experience. But they are fast-tracked routes to get to the MSN level without having to spend 2-3 more years of undergrad getting a BSN first.

butch228 · Sep 19, 2007

I'm one of those ADN nurses who went back to school to get a MSN-Adult NP program. My school , MGH - Institute of Health Professions , is composed of mostly Direct Entry Students - students with a non-nursing undergrad degrees. My impression was that the admissions standards for direct entry students were more rigorous than the RN-MSN group. In fact alot of the direct entry students graduated from top tier colleges/universities..such as Georgetown U, Amherst C, Williams, Wellesley etc. They were a sharp group of students...taking a crash course in Nursing.

The view of that somehow direct entry students don't "deserve" to be advance practice nurses is not new unfortunately..not based on facts..just anecdotes and opinions. The fact that advance practice nursing is attracting a high caliber student can only help our constantly evolving profession.

nursn2b · Sep 19, 2007

Note: All these programs are expensive. Some are a cheaper that $80K, but if you go after the NP Direct-entry (and not the generic MSN/ MN direct-entry) you will pay more.
If you want to keep costs low you can always go to a generic MSN/MN direct entry for 12-16 months, graduate, pass the NCLEX, work, THEN register for a Post-Master's certificate for the NP.
Maximize the $$$!

Hi sunnyjohn,

Can you please post whether someone without any nursing background but, with Bachelors and Masters degrees in related (biology, chem, etc) field can actually do an MSN/MN online? Will I be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN once I complete this MSN/MN and get the RN license? I am interested in CRNA and would like to get the RN and then work in critical care for few years before I apply for CRNA school. Do you think a critical care/ICU MSN/MN would be better than other MSNs for someone interested in CRNA but without a Bachelors in Nursing?

Thanks a lot.

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Sep 24, 2007

Baylor has a nurse practitioner program which will admit you if you have a non-nursing bachelor's or master's. (I happen to have both.)

You do have to be an RN though.

I am applying for Spring 08; their deadlines are pretty close to the beginning of the applicable semester, which is nice--none of that apply and wait a year business, unless that's your choice.

They do require a GRE or MAT.

And admission is based a lot on prior academic success. I have not found any objective guidelines (minimum GRE scores, minimum GPA and the like).

They did tell me that if one is admitted and not on academic probation, there are scholarship funds given to each student "which brings tuition down to a level similar to a state school." Not sure what that means, either....

dilleweed · Oct 15, 2007

I think in the case of NP's it's the same as any other type of training. One advantage someone going through an MSN program without RN experience might have is it would be easier to develop a totally different skill set from what an RN learns. They haven't spent time in the field and developed the "bad habits" that some nurses develop over time. They also are able to think in a Practitioner frame of mind rather than trying to overcome the RN mindset.

That's a really good point. Obviously the universities that offer these direct-entry NP programs feel the same way. Even the new DNP program at UTennessee does not require experience as an RN (except for the NNP and CRNA programs), only a BSN.

I'm having a really hard time deciding whether to do one of the last MSN programs or do the BSN and then the DNP afterward. :)

:monkeydance: No reason... just felt like adding a dancing monkey to my post.