NP school - no RN experience

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Hey everyone,

so I’ve been getting a lot of backlash about being in a DNP program after just getting out of my BSN program. I’m not working as an RN currently (although I am trying to find something). Anyone out there who has not worked as an RN and is successful today or almost finished with their program? Im not looking for opinions of those who don’t think its a good idea, because trust me, I've seen those opinions everywhere on this website. I just want to see if anyone has been in my situation and how they have handled the negativity, how they feel/felt during the program in terms of career preparation, any details that could potentially be helpful. Thank you in advance!!

subee said:

How do you know, without any nursing experience, what specialty you want to do?  No, definitely do not want a 20 something for an NP:)  What if you spend a lot of time and money getting a master's in pediatrics and find out that you are burned out after a year?  Then you'd have to go back to school for another certification...in which you have no experience.  IMHO, this is a big risk.  You feel offended that nurses don't want a youngster caring for them.  If you think that you can be experienced enough to be an NP at 22 (how, exactly does one even do that?), then you naivte is showing.  If you are a high school student, I can understand that error in logic, but if you've ever gone through what this educational journey requires and you STILL believe that you can be an NP at 22 or 23, go back and look through the nursing education requirements to achieve each degree.  One step at a time is a good philosophy.  Get your BSN and get a few years under your belt.  Let your career take you where it takes you.  Nursing has so many variety of expressions that it's not reasonable to get on the narrow path in the beginning.

Hi! Still, I appreciate your comment because I have been thinking over this issue lately. I am a psychology major in my senior college year. So, I am pretty sure about my specialty (as my name indicates), and I have been in close contact with one of my psychology professors, who has been working in clinical settings (inpatient or outpatient)for roughly 30 years. She was in support of me pursuing a direct entry NP Program. If I manage to graduate from one of these programs, I will be in my 20s when I get my NP certification. If I can provide professional care just like anyone else, why would people be concerned with my age? Also, I personally think the national shortage of mental health workers cannot be filled if you only want NP in their average age(52, according to the report on psychiatric nurse association)

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PMHNPcandidate said:

Hi! Still, I appreciate your comment because I have been thinking over this issue lately. I am a psychology major in my senior college year. So, I am pretty sure about my specialty (as my name indicates), and I have been in close contact with one of my psychology professors, who has been working in clinical settings (inpatient or outpatient)for roughly 30 years. She was in support of me pursuing a direct entry NP Program. If I manage to graduate from one of these programs, I will be in my 20s when I get my NP certification. If I can provide professional care just like anyone else, why would people be concerned with my age? Also, I personally think the national shortage of mental health workers cannot be filled if you only want NP in their average age(52, according to the report on psychiatric nurse association)

Because NPs schools across the board are subpar. So no I won't have a 23 -24-year-old with 500 hours of clinical experience prescribe me life-altering medications.

Sounds like we need more psychiatry residencies. I don't really understand why you don't just pursue or PhD in psych (from an oncampus/reputable program) and treat people that way.

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Specializes in ICU.

Minimal experience going into a DNP program might offer you to feel very comfortable. I believe it's important to have your experience (in your specialty) and then continue your education.

Most NPs work fairly independent on a doctor. Think of what kind of physician you would like to go to and the level of their expertise. It's important to be very knowledgeable in your field and as long as you feel like you have obtained enough education in your NP, you will be okay. It will just be a difficulty adjustment - and I'm sure there will be a little bit of imposter syndrome too that you'll need to get through.

 

Didn't mean to come off too pessimistic if I did. Hope this helps ?

 

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
PMHNPcandidate said:

Hi! Still, I appreciate your comment because I have been thinking over this issue lately. I am a psychology major in my senior college year. So, I am pretty sure about my specialty (as my name indicates), and I have been in close contact with one of my psychology professors, who has been working in clinical settings (inpatient or outpatient)for roughly 30 years. She was in support of me pursuing a direct entry NP Program. If I manage to graduate from one of these programs, I will be in my 20s when I get my NP certification. If I can provide professional care just like anyone else, why would people be concerned with my age? Also, I personally think the national shortage of mental health workers cannot be filled if you only want NP in their average age(52, according to the report on psychiatric nurse association)

Psychology is not psychiatry.  If you can't explain the difference, you need to ruminate on that.  Also, why are you taking nursing advice from a psychologist?  How could they  know about a day in the life of what is often functioning as  a prescription writing machine?  I'm not knocking that because so many people need that person there.  IMHO, it's very bad form for a direct entry program to steer anyone into a speciality they might not enjoy and could never be prepared for in 2 years fresh off the street.  I thought when I started my BSN that I would go into psych; boy, was I wrong after getting a taste of all the specialties!

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I am in my 40s and just graduated with my BSN  I hold a MS in Psych and a BA in music education   I have had clinical experience in psych, however, not as a RN  I have a lot of life/professional experience, and would like to apply to an NP graduate program, PMHNP  Are there programs I could apply to without RN experience  I would like to work bedside and continue with school simultaneously  Are there any programs out there I could apply to that do not have a 1-2 year prerequisite?  Thank you so much!  
Sincerely,

David

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dj4265 said:

I am in my 40s and just graduated with my BSN  I hold a MS in Psych and a BA in music education   I have had clinical experience in psych, however, not as a RN  I have a lot of life/professional experience, and would like to apply to an NP graduate program, PMHNP  Are there programs I could apply to without RN experience  I would like to work bedside and continue with school simultaneously  Are there any programs out there I could apply to that do not have a 1-2 year prerequisite?  Thank you so much!  
Sincerely,

David

Hi David,

I know Vanderbilt has a direct entry option. I am starting there in August but I'm in Prespecialty MSN/AGPCNP I actually have zero nursing experience and my degree is dental hygiene. I've been in dentistry 25 years but have wanted to transition to medicine for some time. The points made in this thread are excellent. I definitely have some trepidation about becoming a NP without ever having been a practicing nurse but I really didn't have a desire to work bedside at this stage of my life. I love treatment planning and diagnosis, although my experience thus far has been limited to oral health I am up for the challenge ? Best of luck to you and definitely check out Vanderbilt.

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I'd say why not? Since they always say your RN experiences do not matter in becoming an NP. So, why not. 

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
Mae_W said:

I'd say why not? Since they always say your RN experiences do not matter in becoming an NP. So, why not. 

Because you can't be an advanced practice nurse without nursing practice experience.  Be a PA and take on  a real degree, not a toy degree.  But the point is becoming more moot since more programs are requiring experience.  But I did notice that Walden was slippery about their experience requirements for becoming a PMHNP - they don't post it publicly.  I believe that most new NP's without experience think they are just fine because they haven't encountered the zebra case yet.  They've been lucky enough to treat only the healthy horses.

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I hope you're doing well. I started NP school straight out of nursing school too. I started NP schools 2 weeks after getting my BSN. I didn't have my license or a job yet. My second week in NP school I took my NCLEX and passed in 75 questions. Then 2.5 months later I moved and started working bedside in a PCU unit, where I still work. I'm now in my 3rd semester of NP school and I graduate next year in May. 
 

I have an Associate's degree, a bachelors in health science, and my BSN. I started college before I turned 18 and I've been in school for a long time without breaks. While there's so much you learn from working as a nurse, there's also so much that you forget while not being in school. Having fresh and current nursing school knowledge has been my biggest pro. You would be surprised the basic information that older and specialized nurses have forgotten. There's pros and cons to both sides and no room to accept other people's negativity. 
 

starting right away definitely isn't for everyone. You have to have the skill and the drive. You got accepted into your school for a reason so remember that. If you're still in your program I hope that's belief for you enough that you belong. If you're not in your program anymore that's okay too.
 

Do what makes you happy! 
good luck ?

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).

I am late to this thread.  Over the past several years, the debate over whether or not RN work experience should be required for NPs has raged. Should RN experience be required for an NP?  The answer is that it depends.

The vast majority of NPs work in primary care, which are outpatient settings.  There has been research done on whether RN experience is important to produce quality primary care NPs.  The evidence is that RN experience does not matter for primary care NPs.  That is why most NP programs no longer require RN experience for the primary care specialties like FNP, AGPCNP, etc.  I can find the studies if needed.  If anyone has evidence to the contrary, please share it.

Some NPs work in acute care/hospital settings, with specialties such as Adult Acute Care NP.  For those NPs, RN work experience is valuable and the good schools require some RN work experience as a prerequisite for admission to those programs.

I am a mid-life career changer, from high tech business executive to PMHNP.  I knew I wanted to be an NP.  I started an ABSN at age 53.  This was a 16 month program at Johns Hopkins, one of their last ABSN cohorts.  It was very difficult.  I then went straight into their AGPCNP MSN program.  I actually found the NP Program at lot easier than the BSN!  LOL  During my initial nursing education, and while working at my first NP job, I realized my passion was psych.  So I completed a Post-Master's PMHNP Certificate at Johns Hopkins.  I've been working as a PMHNP for 3 years now and am very happy.

A few years ago, I had a lot of people question my going straight through to the NP Program.  After being in NP practice, I really don't see that RN experience is important for NPs working in an outpatient setting.  In fact, I have had doctors tell me they prefer NPs without RN experience, because those RNs have difficulty adjusting to the outpatient setting.  In terms of job performance, I have always received excellent evaluations for my patient relationship and clinical skills, both from my managers and my patients.

In summary, for someone who knows from the outset they want to be a primary care NP, then go for it!  Don't worry about the RN work experience.  Ignore negative comments.  Who cares what some negative people think?  What is important is if your patients are receiving good care and if your management feels you are doing a good job.  Period.

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I'm also curious what program you're in

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