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?

GO FOR IT!! Skip the RN time and don't look back. PA's aren't required to "do time" why should nurse practioners be required to do such?

PAs have much more clinical time than NPs, 2,000 hrs plus compared to 600 hrs or so so there is not quite an even comparison.

Also, something I've noticed as I investigated your question among nurses with varying degrees of experience:

The nurses that climbed their way up the hard way always seemed to think many years of experience were needed prior to becoming an NP.

When I was in the ARMY in 1970,the best officers and leaders were the ones who had the most experience. So who would you want in this life or death situation, a newbie right out of school or someone who had experience under their belt?

If you go straight into NP school WITHOUT any experience, you're just plain dumb no matter how smart you are. You certainly don't have to have 31 years of experience like me, however, consider that I was "learning" along the way. I really don't consider it "punishment" but "educational moments" that others might love to have.

I am in NP school right now. I worked as an RN first and loved it, but grew tired of not having any autonomy. It is my understanding that most schools require at least 2 years of ER or critical care experience before you apply. I may be wrong though. Another tidbit, several nursing organizations are pushing for the NP degree to be a Doctorate. It would be a Doctorate of clinical practice. They are pushing for this by the year 2015. Won' t the MDs be happy!

:rolleyes:

I guess I could site the example of the (newbie) CNM I worked with one weekend who insisted on doing her own vag exams and ended up with a breech baby with no MD back up in the house. Any experienced L&D RN could have assessed that breech way before the pt was complete. There is something to be said for those years of practice and criticle thinking skills. This CNM went stright to midwife school w/o any L&D clincal experience.

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
I am in NP school right now. I worked as an RN first and loved it, but grew tired of not having any autonomy. It is my understanding that most schools require at least 2 years of ER or critical care experience before you apply. I may be wrong though. Another tidbit, several nursing organizations are pushing for the NP degree to be a Doctorate. It would be a Doctorate of clinical practice. They are pushing for this by the year 2015. Won' t the MDs be happy!

:rolleyes:

I don't think it will make any difference at all to them, dkv.:stone

Hello, All

There are NPs who did not work as RNs and done well in their career as a np. It depends on the individual and how much he or she wants it.

Not all school will say you need to have er or icu as a requirement to apply to np programs. What happens if you cannot obtain the experience in those areas? Should you be elminated? No, I do not think you should be. It that is the case, than those who are applying to nursing school should be CNAs and EMTs for a combination of six years....not.

There were leaders that did not have experience as soldiers and done well. Think about it.

It is up to a person and not everyone can do it. That is okay, and there are some that can.

For me, I am able to do it...because I have a lot of various experiences in the medical field prior to becoming a nurse. It is a choice today.

my own two cents....

Buttons....Yes I will defend Pinoy....it is his choice and detmination t overcome the obstacles that will face him.

Specializes in ACNP-BC.

It's totally an individual decision. That being said, having some experience as an RN wouldn't hurt. :) My two cents. I've only been an RN for 4 months so far & honestly, I've learned so much in these 4 months that you just can't get from books & school.

-Christine

It's totally an individual decision. That being said, having some experience as an RN wouldn't hurt. :) My two cents. I've only been an RN for 4 months so far & honestly, I've learned so much in these 4 months that you just can't get from books & school.

-Christine

Yep, that experience really means something doesn't it. And your words mean a lot more than those who have no experience and who say it doesn't matter.

Hello, all

Zenman,

I never said it did not matter at all. I stated it is an individual choice and not ours to say the choice for the individual. The choice someone makes has to sides to it a positive and a negative. The person will know which side his/her choice is on when it is challenge by the courses in the program. I am not going to tell anyone that their choice/s are inapproriate and not a reality. If physician assistant's students who enter the program with no medical background can make it than why can a rn make it through a np program as well?

Everyone is ready throw stones at a glass house and they live in one as well.

Yes, will it be hard for a person with no to less experience to get through an intense program. However, with encouragement and support he/she may overcome it. None of us know the outcome with this individual going into the program. If a physician student with a background in computers and homemaker can do the impossible, so can Pinoy.

There are numerous of nursing students now that do not want with patients at all and there are some who are nurses now that felt the same way. We are not putting them down or saying they are not true nurses. The options are there in the nursing field to work "hands on" or not and we need to make the choice that is suitable for us. Allow each of the future nurses to make choices and to experience the outcome of their choices. Why not support them and try to understand their choice?

I am not mad that all nurses are not working at the bedside at all. It is not for everyone to be involve in. Each person will pay their dues in nursing one way or another. I paid my dues and I am ready to move on to the next level to be challenge. I will never be a manager and look down upon those who are working thier butts off for the patients each day. It is a choice for me and I can live with my choice. It is about my inner drive and determination to be effective in the nursing profession and to the patients. Therefore, I am not going to throw water upon one's fire of a spirit at all.

Each one of us chose out paths in nursing that meet our needs and goals as a nurse. We all have made adaptions throughout our careers to find out schedule, money, speciality, positive environment to work in and most of all, a team work situation. Those choses we all have done had positive and negative effects and we learned from them. Then we all had to make other choices to get ourselves out of the situation we had landed in by making that choice. Therefore, why can others make choices and learn from them as we all did?

There are numerous physician assistants students that proven it does not matter your background or experience, it is about the drive with in them. Guess what? they make more money than nurses and nurse practitioners, what do you think about that? And nurses make more money than some nurse practitioners. I do not see the fight for helping the nurse practitioners to have better benefits than a joe blank who was a trash collecter and now a physician assistant with better benefits/salary. Therefore, we all have seen a two careers that show that w/o experiences and w/experiences you can be successful.

In conclusion, it is an individual choice and not for us to make the choice for this individual. Not everyone with experience make it through and intense program or in the workforce. Why not be understanding and be helpful to those who are taking a challenge of the next step?

Buttons

you're just plain dumb no matter how smart you are

Wow what insight and intellect. I went straight into NP school and in less than one year out of NP schhol I am paid in the top 1% of all NPs. I'll be 'just plain dumb' all the way to the bank...

Specializes in urgent care, GYN, primary care.

I am a FNP who went the direct-to-NP route, but lived in a state where I had to work as an RN (364 hours) before I could be licensed as an NP. I gained a lot of good experience (in an urgent care) and ended up staying for six months. Many of my classmates did not do this, and are still practicing as very good NP's.

The point that I want to make is my concern for the disdain that seems to come across in several posts and comments from students in direct-to-NP programs for the bedside RN role. The role of the NP would not even exist unless there had been excellent nurses who had pushed for more autonomy based on their experience as a bedside nurse. Even if we personally are not required to have RN experience, the jobs we do are because of the medical community's exposure to and subsequent trust of the nursing profession. If we do not show that same respect for our bedside RN counterparts, we are not showing ourselves in a very positive light.

Specializes in RN Psychiatry.

I agree experience as an RN is wonderful, but I also don't plan to be in acute care (I'm psych). Keep in mind too that I am in a masters entry program, so I am not even an RN yet and I am already in NP/CNS school. Also there are other ways one can get experience other than being an RN, especially for psych. I have my BS in Behavioral Neuroscience, and I feel that too adds to my experience since I have worked in inflamation pharmacology in vitro, cocaine addiction, clinical research in endocrinology and also in residential treatment program for women with borderline personality disorder (talk about life threatening emergencies every day! and I administered meds at this program), and a counselor for domestic abuse. So I do think my experence in other areas is still "experience" although I may not have been an RN at the time. Trust me I still feel like I have allot to learn and by no means do I think little of experience (quite the contrary) however the experience I want right now is experience as an NP/CNS because I am not interested in the RN role at least not long term. However I think very highly of the RN's I have worked with and I think their experience definitely is an asset on the floor. Hope that clears up my stand on my personal career and goals.

PAs have much more clinical time than NPs, 2,000 hrs plus compared to 600 hrs or so so there is not quite an even comparison.

When I was in the ARMY in 1970,the best officers and leaders were the ones who had the most experience. So who would you want in this life or death situation, a newbie right out of school or someone who had experience under their belt?

If you go straight into NP school WITHOUT any experience, you're just plain dumb no matter how smart you are. You certainly don't have to have 31 years of experience like me, however, consider that I was "learning" along the way. I really don't consider it "punishment" but "educational moments" that others might love to have.

Specializes in RN Psychiatry.

Thanks for saying that, I didn't want to say so myself, but I thought that was rather small minded to make the coment that I was outright "dumb" when I know many many other practitioners and clinical specialists who have also followed this path and are considered excellent clinicians. Sometimes I wonder if people understand the competition to get in and the rigor of the accelerated programs.. I also wonder if some people just want to crush others dreams and career choices! I know that many RNs have strong opinons about floor experience, but I really have faith in my professors, program and clinical instructors to ensure that I have the experience I need to be prepared. I'd love to chat with you about the program you graduated from, your specialty , and challenges you've met along the way. Do you live in an urban, suburban etc area? I live in Boston , and I guess I just wanted to compare and contrast and get the advice of someone who knows what its like to be in my shoes. Where are you working now?

thanks

-DZ

you're just plain dumb no matter how smart you are

Wow what insight and intellect. I went straight into NP school and in less than one year out of NP schhol I am paid in the top 1% of all NPs. I'll be 'just plain dumb' all the way to the bank...

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