Nurse Practioner without any clinical experience?

bethem · Feb 16, 2006

I agree with you entirely. I want to become a nurse practitioner eventually, but in Australia one of the requirements to the M Nurs program that allows you to become a nurse practitioner is five years/5000 hours, whichever comes first, of clinical experience at an advanced level in the field in which you wish to specialise. Obviously our state nursing authority agrees with you too! I would hate to be a nurse practitioner without any experience anyway. I am graduating at the end of this year, and it's scary enough thinking that I will be an RN, let alone becoming a NP with no skills!

fergus51 · Feb 16, 2006

I personally agree with you, but if your friend doesn't then I suggest you just leave it alone. You aren't going to change his mind. I wouldn't want an NP who had never worked as a nurse.

Editorial Team / Admin · Feb 16, 2006

i totally agree with ya'll.

check out this thread about this very topic. it is a sticky.

np with no desire for rn?

neneRN, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2006

Anybody who thinks they can be an effective NP without clinical experience outside of school is going to be in for a huge awakening. I'm sure its done, but in my opinion, just unrealistic and very scarey.

ayndim · Feb 17, 2006

So I know someone who is going through one of those one year BSN programs who wants to go straight through and be a NP.
I told him that I thought it was a bad idea since he has never had the opportunity to make decisions, collaborate with the entire medical team, or be responsible for any patients. (In clinicals, I know that nursing students are expected to be responsible, but ultimately it is the primary nurse and the instructor who take responsibility)
He thinks I am being "bitter" because I "have to work my way through grad school", but I'd really hate to see a nurse practioner out there who has no clue how to take care of a patient. Docs have their internship and residency to learn by doing. I see time spent as a staff nurse on the way to being a nurse practioner as the same thing.
Am I completely off my rocker here? For the record, I can quit whenever I want to go back to school full time, but I like working - I like the financial comfort too much to go back to stressing out at bill time every month!! (But Mr. O'Myacin would work as much OT as I want him to!)
Thanks!
Blee

I doubt if anyone will hire him without RN experience, so he may just be in for a rude awakening. If you look at ads for NP's they want a number of years working as an RN.

From what I heard about BA to MSN programs, they require the students to take at least a year and work as a RN. I could be wrong.

I would not see a NP or CNM who had no RN experience. I go to both because I like the care that Nurses give. Kind of hard to do that if you have never really been a nurse.

suzanne4, RN · Feb 17, 2006

No experience ======= NO JOB.

Or something that no one else would want or take. And a license on the line that could be lost very easily. There are those that want to learn the hardway..............just let them be.

Selke · Feb 17, 2006

So I know someone who is going through one of those one year BSN programs who wants to go straight through and be a NP.
...
He thinks I am being "bitter" because I "have to work my way through grad school", but I'd really hate to see a nurse practioner out there who has no clue how to take care of a patient. ....
Thanks!
Blee

So you're being bitter? I guess I'm the queen of bitter, then. LOL I had to work for many years before the privilege of returning to school ... I refuse to let anyone take away the value of my RN experience, which I in my field (midwifery) is a huge advantage when it comes to hiring me after graduation. It's great if you can go straight through, but even those who do that I know of are working as an RN at the same time getting some experience, which they all say is invaluable. The RN and CNM or NP jobs are different, but there is much to be gained from being an actual RN, the RN experience is a solid foundation (plus in midwifery you learn many skills as an RN which you must have as a CNM student but your non RN classmate students don't have them yet ....). I also hate to see RNs denigrated by people like him ....

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 17, 2006

I am very surprised any NP program would accept any student without clinical experience. Seems so bizarre and wrong to me.

soliant12 · Feb 17, 2006

What Nurse Practitioner program would let someone in with no experience? If there is no requirement then that is a problem with the accrediting body that accredits NP programs.

suzanne4, RN · Feb 17, 2006

Unfortunately, it is true. You can get a BSN, as a first degree, and begin the NP program in the next semester.

Should it be done? I still have never liked it, and never will.

Is it a smart thing to do? Definitely not, at least in my opinion.

ZootRN · Feb 17, 2006

One of my instructors in nursing school went to direct entry MSN program - that means, if you hold BA in any other field, you are eligible to start nursing studies at graduate level with no previous nursing knowledge or experience. She said she graduated with her NP and have not had started even ONE single IV on real person. She was one of the most knowledgable and caring nurses I've ever encountered, with many years of experience in neonatal unit by the time.

I guess, NP programs are not that heavy on basic skills because not many NP's are seen doing bedside care.