NP w/no desire for RN?

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?

Navigating Mapquest is not a good analogy. The reason that CRNA programs require AT LEAST a year of intensive care experience speaks to the intensity of the program. They are not going to waste time teaching people how to read an EKG - you're supposed to know nursing skills before you even get there so they don't have to waste time teaching the basics. ...

:yeahthat:

Ditto for CNM programs -- basic intrapartum skills, like reading and interpreting fetal monitoring, labor management, nursing skills like IV, caths, VEs, medication titration, assessment and monitoring of labor, medications, neonatal assessment and resuscitation, &c. These are overwhelming to learn from scratch without some L&D nursing experience. (The office gyne, AP, PP part is much easier and safer to get in a DE program without prior RN experience.) I've spoken with potential preceptors who tell me they will not take DE students because they don't want to teach an CNM student these basics but would be happy to have me. Ditto for CNM positions posted on listservs -- many state they will take a new grad with extensive prior L&D nursing experience.

Don't forget the Adult/Geriatric/Pediatric/etc NP's! We get intensive training in our specialties. Maybe this is why PNP's are now making as much as the pediatricians!

I totally agree about all that writing papers and theory BS!

This is true and something I hadn't thought of. Maybe the FNP needs to be a combo of the above, and just longer to compensate...

Wow I havent read the whole thread just this last page, but we do love ourselves dont we?

Obviously you have lots of compassion and understanding of the poor underdog the RN. It goes beyond belief that you obtain the RN dont practice as an RN and then expect to be NP's-In fact I am speechless. No wonder the nursing profession is in such a mess if we are encouraging this practice.

I don't love or hate myself. I just tell it like it is. Why can't you see that RN practice is totally different from NP practice? Yes, in an acute care setting, the acute care RN experience would be great. But most NPs aren't trained to work in an acute care setting. So, if your argument is accurate, then experience as a doctor's office assistant would be just as imperative for a family practice NP, so why aren't we hearing how appalled you are that NPs don't have doctor's office experience?

I'm assuming you were being sarcastic with the compassion for RNs comment. RN is a different, respectable role. Just because I think most don't need RN experience to be a primary care NP doesn't mean I hate RNs. That's like after reading my post, coming up with the conclusion that I hate spaghetti. I was a RN for 2 yrs before becoming a NP. And in my case, it helped tremendously in the ED. It did absolutely nothing for my primary care practice, however. It was just a different role and scenario.

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?

This phenomenon is not unusual. But it troubles me. It troubles me for a variety of reasons.

First, I think nurses becoming NPs who do not want to be RNs first are dividing the profession (as if it isn't already divided enough). In order for nurses to have power we need to be united. I was a nurse for years before I became and NP. But when I did go for that credential, I was in school with nonRNs who were going through a 'bridge program.' They resented the RNs because we knew more and we resented them because we felt they were getting something they had not earned. The class was divided and so is the profession.

I have heard a lot of nasty remarks from those with whom I went to school about nursing and that hurts. They separate themselves out as being better than the rest of us.

Second, one reason nurse practitioners have been so effective is that we are nurses FIRST. We use the nursing model with the medical model incorporated. Having some years of practice in the nursing model only makes one a more effective clinician.

Third, nursing still eats its own young. The nurses who are still working in the ranks respect one who has come up through the ranks, but they do not respect and many times try to resist those who did not come up through the ranks.

Fourth, and I must ask forgiveness for this each time I pray. I live in the south and am familiar with an expression suggesting that one should put his/her heart in dixie or getout. As a nurse first, and whose life work has been NURSING, I must confess I feel the same way about nursing. Put your heart in NURSING or get out. Just my NSHO.

This phenomenon is not unusual. But it troubles me. It troubles me for a variety of reasons.

First, I think nurses becoming NPs who do not want to be RNs first are dividing the profession (as if it isn't already divided enough). In order for nurses to have power we need to be united. I was a nurse for years before I became and NP. But when I did go for that credential, I was in school with nonRNs who were going through a 'bridge program.' They resented the RNs because we knew more and we resented them because we felt they were getting something they had not earned. The class was divided and so is the profession.

I have heard a lot of nasty remarks from those with whom I went to school about nursing and that hurts. They separate themselves out as being better than the rest of us.

I was also a nurse for years before I went through a nurse practitioner program. I was shocked on the first day of grad school when I learned that more than half the people in the program hadn't even taken the NCLEX yet! This had to be explained to me over and over again. I had no idea that these programs actually existed. I live in Texas, but chose to go to a school in Tennessee because I wanted a graduate degree from a top tier university. In every single NP program in Texas, one has to have at least 1 year of experience as a RN (no one actually gets in with 1 years worth of experience though) before applying.

The majority of us graduated from that program in August of '05, and then returned for the official graduation in May of '06. Well, almost every single one of the direct entry students (I believe that's what they call them) were working as RN's because they felt they needed the experience! Never mind that they were credentialed as NP's! So, when the rubber hits the road, all that RN experience really is worthwhile!

p.s. actually there is something worse than a NP who never worked as a RN...it's a NP INSTRUCTOR who has never worked as a RN. We had a few of those where I went to school. WHAT A JOKE!!!

I am mainly interested in becoming an NP or a Nurse Midwife, but for me, spending some time as an RN is a major part of my education towards this role- sort of like an MD/DO residency. Thats the way I am looking at the situation, anyway.

Cyndee MSN RN:

What is a "top tier" university doing hiring NP instructors who were "never RN's?"

And what does this say about the quality of education you received from this "top tier" university?

Cyndee MSN RN:

What is a "top tier" university doing hiring NP instructors who were "never RN's?"

And what does this say about the quality of education you received from this "top tier" university?

The instructor I'm referring to had never actually worked as a R.N. She went through the bridge program for students with degrees in other fields. I suppose it's imperative to have "those" types of NP's on staff, otherwise how would you be able to sell the program to prospective non-RN students?

Some of the top NP programs in the nation have the "direct entry" option for non-RN's. I feel like "they" have sold out our profession. I'm more than a little upset that they hold the exact credentials that I hold, yet I actually did it the legitimate way.

I have been reading this thread for months, and it has begun to change my mind about my future. I am currently in a NP online program in mental health. I graduated in 1969 with a BSN, have two years experience as a school nurse teacher, 25 years as a classroom teacher, and 31 years as a mother of three. After reading this thread for all these months and another thread on volunteering, I am wondering if I am off base. Taking a mental health NP program online, which I am doing well at, may not be the way to go. I am now thinking of volunteering as a cuddler in an NICU dept. with the hope of getting a good orientation and a job as an RN there after a few years of cuddling as a volunteer. Cuddlers do all sorts of things. I love all kinds of nursing except one or two. Do you think that this is a better way for me to go? I already took a med surg refresher course and did well. I am just thinking that maybe I am doing this backwards and should get the experience and then the acadamic education instead of the academic education and then the experience. Any advice on my situation would be helpful. Krisssy

I have been reading this thread for months, and it has begun to change my mind about my future. I am currently in a NP online program in mental health. I graduated in 1969 with a BSN, have two years experience as a school nurse teacher, 25 years as a classroom teacher, and 31 years as a mother of three. After reading this thread for all these months and another thread on volunteering, I am wondering if I am off base. Taking a mental health NP program online, which I am doing well at, may not be the way to go. I am now thinking of volunteering as a cuddler in an NICU dept. with the hope of getting a good orientation and a job as an RN there after a few years of cuddling as a volunteer. Cuddlers do all sorts of things. I love all kinds of nursing except one or two. Do you think that this is a better way for me to go? I already took a med surg refresher course and did well. I am just thinking that maybe I am doing this backwards and should get the experience and then the acadamic education instead of the academic education and then the experience. Any advice on my situation would be helpful. Krisssy

Why don't you just start working as a psych nurse while you're going through school? I worked as a psych nurse for years, and the night shift is a piece of cake. That way, you'll be prepared when you graduate. I will say this, psych nursing isn't for everyone. It can be very frustrating and unrewarding, not to mention dangerous. We used to get a lot of RN's from the hospital to fill in when we were understaffed and several of them said they would never work on a psych unit again! Mental health/Psych NP's are in high demand and make the big bucks, but there's a reason why.

Why don't you just start working as a psych nurse while you're going through school? I worked as a psych nurse for years, and the night shift is a piece of cake. That way, you'll be prepared when you graduate. I will say this, psych nursing isn't for everyone. It can be very frustrating and unrewarding, not to mention dangerous. We used to get a lot of RN's from the hospital to fill in when we were understaffed and several of them said they would never work on a psych unit again! Mental health/Psych NP's are in high demand and make the big bucks, but there's a reason why.

Speaking as a nurse with years of psych experience, I find it hard to reconcile the thought of working night shift on a psych being a "piece of cake" with the much more likely reality that psych can be frustrating, unrewarding, and dangerous.

Psych is usually physically less demanding than, say, med-surg but all bets are off during a take-down of an aggressive/attacking patient. You also have to develop and use a high level of personal vigilance that is not commonly required in other areas of nursing. This refers to a constant awareness of your own physical safety as well as the monitoring of emotional involvement/attachment with your patients. If you don't keep your guard up in a healthy way, you can find yourself getting drawn in to the drama and "taken in" by patients who sometimes have decades of experience in staff splitting and the forming of inappropriate bonds.

Psych is a challenging and sometimes rewarding specialty, but it's not for the faint of heart.

Krissy, I've read some of your other posts and it seems like you are mostly looking for a door to get back into nursing. You could go after another credential, but that doesn't guarantee that you'll end up with what you want.

I think you may have something with the idea of volunteering. You could try several areas that sound appealing and get to know the staff and the atmosphere on a particular unit. As a volunteer, you aren't making a long-term committment. You can try different options till you find something you feel is a good fit. Then you can look into what it would take to find actual employment with that facility.

If you live anywhere near a children's hospital, that might be a good place to start. With both nursing and teaching degrees, you might find opportunities with a child life department.

I'm not putting down the idea of becoming an NP. Only saying that in your particular circumstances there might be quicker ways of accomplishing your goals.

I have been reading this thread for months, and it has begun to change my mind about my future. I am currently in a NP online program in mental health. I graduated in 1969 with a BSN, have two years experience as a school nurse teacher, 25 years as a classroom teacher, and 31 years as a mother of three. After reading this thread for all these months and another thread on volunteering, I am wondering if I am off base. Taking a mental health NP program online, which I am doing well at, may not be the way to go. I am now thinking of volunteering as a cuddler in an NICU dept. with the hope of getting a good orientation and a job as an RN there after a few years of cuddling as a volunteer. Cuddlers do all sorts of things. I love all kinds of nursing except one or two. Do you think that this is a better way for me to go? I already took a med surg refresher course and did well. I am just thinking that maybe I am doing this backwards and should get the experience and then the acadamic education instead of the academic education and then the experience. Any advice on my situation would be helpful. Krisssy

what about volunteering with the moms! this could give you a great insight into ppd. the experience combined with your msn in psych could really be beneficial!

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