NP w/no desire for RN?

Specialties NP Nursing Q/A

Well, not so much NO desire...but are there any NP's out there that wanted to become (and had their sights set on being an NP from day 1) an NP with no real 'drive' to be an RN first? My cousin is finishing up her RN-MSN program and never really wanted to become an RN, but she really wanted to become an NP, so she went the RN route to become an NP (which I know you have to do).

I know this is somewhat rare, but wondering are there any other NP's out there that looked at RN as kinda pre-NP school/clinical stuff in order to become an NP? Like, they may not be real thrilled with what they are doing (RN) but they know they have to do it in order to become an NP. Keep in mind I'm not saying you would hate being an RN or hate RN's or anything to that affect, but you dream has been to become an NP and RN school/work is a sort of necessary 'not the most enthusiastic' hurdle?

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

please, we all have veered off topic. so, let's get back to the "np with no desire for rn".

thank you.

In my theory class, my group is reading an article written by people from Thailand. The article was translated into English. In the translation, would that cause the article to be sort of rambling and difficult to understand? Is it difficult to translate from Tai to English? The article is called Influence of Selected factors and self-care Behavior on abdominal distention in Patients with Abdominal Surgery, I like the satudy, but my group finds it rambling and difficult to read. I thought it could be from the translation. Is that possible?I am assuming that you speak English and Tai, which isn't right. Do you?

Krisssy

Can you please PM me regarding this? Krisssy

I have been following this thread for quite some time, but I can't remember if this information has been posted in the past. If it has, I apologize for overlooking this. I recently came across an article in "The Nurse Practitioner" journal. It is the December 2005 edition (vol. 30., no.12, pp. 53-56). The link to the journal's site is http://www.tnpj.com . I don't have a link to the online article because I'm not a member and I only have a hard copy. The article is titled "Does RN Experience Relate to NP Clinical Skills".

To give a brief overview, a small study was conducted to determine if there is a relationship between duration of prior RN experience and NP clinical skills. In this study, no significant correlation between RN experience and NP skills competence was found. When collaborating physicians assessed the skill level of the NPs, a negative correlation between RN experience and NP skills was found. More RN experience was assocated with a lower score of skills competence (Rich, 2005).

Now I am NOT trying to say that RN experience is worthless for those who want to go on to become NPs. This study had several design and validity issues and more research definately needs to be done in this area. Assessment of skills by a physician is probably not the best method of ensuring competence. However, I just wanted to throw this out there because it does seem to be one of the only studies of its kind.

....

Now I am NOT trying to say that RN experience is worthless for those who want to go on to become NPs. This study had several design and validity issues and more research definately needs to be done in this area. Assessment of skills by a physician is probably not the best method of ensuring competence. However, I just wanted to throw this out there because it does seem to be one of the only studies of its kind.

I think prior nursing experience is more important in advanced practice specialities such as adult critical care, CRNA, NICU - neonatal resuscitation/transport specialty, midwifery. Nursing experience in these areas provides a foundation of assessment, skills, and intervention to build an advanced practice upon.

FNP, adult NP, psych -- I don't see how med/surg nursing experience, even ambulatory care experience, gives you a skill set that transfers well to advanced practice. Unless you have ER experience -- there might be analogies between what people come into the ER and clinic for, and in the ER you're working with the providers who are making diagnoses and prescribing treatment, so you would learn quite a bit. APRNs are assessing pts on a more extensive level than in plain ol' nursing, and they are making diagnosis and treatment plans. Nurses need to be able to assess whether these are right for the patient, but are not originating the treatment. Quite a different set of skills.

I have no doubt that DE students can and do successfully become APRNs, but the ones I listen to have horrific anxiety levels because of their lack of experience. I avoid saying, well, you could have gone to nursing school like myself and many others did, worked a bit, then applied to grad school ... so don't complain to me. I paid my dues. I suspect a few years after graduation we are all at the same level of competence and confidence.

Perhaps studies should be done, rather than generically looking at advanced practice, looking at specialties instead, whether or not one has prior nursing experience, then what kind, in what kind of setting, how many years, how these things impact confidence and skill level after graduation compared to DE graduates.

I know my experience is valuable and I won't allow anybody to belittle or downgrade me or disrespect me for being who I am. As a nurse I would be very uncomfortable working with a young new DE graduate giving me orders. Esp if this graduate felt like s/he was better than me because she didn't waste her time being a nurse before going to school.

Very interesting article, THANKS for sharing!

I have a friend who obtained a Fine Arts B.A. degree, then completed another undergrad degree as an accelerated BSN, and graduated top of her class. Went straight to become an NP, and just graduated. She passed her boards without problem, obtained a great job, is doing well and loving it. She is making great money, has no hangups about never having had any prior nursing experience, and she is well respected by her colleagues.

To me, hearing about people's experiences firsthand speaks very loudly. We can all surmise about this and that, but how bout it for more folks out there sharing other success stories like this? This is not my only NP success story...I know of others.

To Update,

I am in my first semester of MHPNP Master's program. I am taking Theory, and I love it. My advisor told me that I don't need experience, because the school will teach me how to be a PNP. That is the point of me going there. That is her and my school's opinion. I don't know if they feel the same way about other specialties. You are all entitled to your opinions. I don't know for sure what my opinion on the issue is yet.

If I continue part time, I will finish in five years. I am taking it a day at a time. These years are going to pass regardless of what I do. I may as well do something that I am really interested in.

Who knows what I will do. Maybe I will speed up the program. Maybe I will get a job in psych or another area while still in school. Who knows? Meanwhile I am happy, and I am loving what I am doing, and I am doing it a day at a time. Krisssy RN MA MS to b i hope someday

ok so i didnt read all like 10 pages of this but I CAN NOT understand something.....for all the nurses that didnt want to stop along the way to be a nurse before being an NP and basically practicing medicine and all of you who "hated" nursing school...why didnt you go to med school?????

less time? less debt?

Allison

ok so i didnt read all like 10 pages of this but I CAN NOT understand something.....for all the nurses that didnt want to stop along the way to be a nurse before being an NP and basically practicing medicine and all of you who "hated" nursing school...why didnt you go to med school?????

less time? less debt?

Allison

Even many RNs in the ER I work do not do 'nurs-ings' as I see it.

There are quite a few who only want to be a charge nurse and rarely

does direct patient care. ER might be different from other unit but

would it be that all the people who hated nursing school ends

up being in ER? I think and I hope FNPs do 'nurs-ing' more than

'doctor-ing' compared to what PAs and primary care physicians do.

It takes a lot more time and money to be FNPs than PAs.

Med school... I'm too old for that and I want to do more with

patients than just 10 minute Hx-PE-Dx-Tx. Does any medical school

teach a whole-person care?

Amitai.

Specializes in Critical Care, ER.
-- YuK! An interesting sidenote to this: most of these nurses were overweight, ate junk food at work all day, compained incessantly yet never did anything about their complaint, and took smoke-breaks whenever they could. This is the antithesis of what NP's stand for: mind/body holistic healthcare. No wonder these nurses never went past two years education.

Funny. I'm a kick-orifice SICU RN with 2 yrs experience, soon to be entering CRNA school, svelte and training for triathlon and I am way ... way... WAY better than if I had just jumped into it with no experience. You'll recognize me because I'll be the one that geen newbies like you will turn to all petrified when your first patient codes or converts into a rhythm you've never seen or treated before...

BTW, your characterization is both incorrect and judgemental... two qualities that don't work well in advanced practice. NP's that are contemptuous and ignorant of the true value of nursing are a real liability.

i'm so glad that there are other out there who feel the same way. i'm in my first semester of an adn program and sometimes i think about working at the bedside for the rest of my life and really don't know if i will enjoy it or not. i already have it planned out that i'm going to go for a rn-bsn-msn dual degree after i've worked in the hospital for 1 year and then continue to work there through out grad school so that i'll get experience.

ok so i didnt read all like 10 pages of this but I CAN NOT understand something.....for all the nurses that didnt want to stop along the way to be a nurse before being an NP and basically practicing medicine and all of you who "hated" nursing school...why didnt you go to med school?????

less time? less debt?

Allison

Nursing is very different from being a physician. If you would read nursing theories like Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory by Dorothea E. Orem, Definitions and Components of Nursing by Virginia Henderson, Care, Core and Cure by Lydia E. Hall , Roy Adaptation Model by Sister Callista Roy etc. , you would see the huge difference between what a nurse practitioner and a physician do. Would today's physician form a relationship with a patient where self care or adaptation is talked about and used by the patient because of the relationship the NP has built with his or her patient? I would never want to be a doctor. I love nursing, and I am going to graduate school to better my education as a nurse. Krisssy

i'm so glad that there are other out there who feel the same way. i'm in my first semester of an adn program and sometimes i think about working at the bedside for the rest of my life and really don't know if i will enjoy it or not. i already have it planned out that i'm going to go for a rn-bsn-msn dual degree after i've worked in the hospital for 1 year and then continue to work there through out grad school so that i'll get experience.

that sounds like a great plan. i used to be a teacher, and that's what we did. we got our bachelor's degree and then went on to get our master's and then specialty degrees while we were working. we had summers off, so it was great taking 12 credits over a summer without work. good luck with your plan. when you get through , you will be able to pick a specialty that you like, and you will be happy until you discover you may want to change specialties.lol our internal, external and created environments are always changing , and so are we. but for a beginning, your plan sounds wonderful and i wish you the best.

krisssy

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