Nurse Practitioner?

[leeeeah19]

If I become an RN (associates), then apply for a NP program that is fast track where you get your bachelors and masters within 3 years full time or longer for part time. If I go straight to the NP program after I become an RN and work while I am in it, would that be enough experience? Because I know your suppose to work as an RN for 2 or more years before, its not required to get into the program but I've heard you should. I just do not want to do that because I know once I get comfortable for a couple of years I won't want to go back to college again. So is working while in the program good enough???

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

Depends on the program.

[Chinook2]

Take a look at the Advanced Practice Nursing specialty forum. This topic has been covered many times.

For example:

Becoming an NP with little to no nursing experience?? - Nursing for Nurses

[Abby Normal]

Definitely look at the specific program first.

I'm not sure the progression you have laid out is right --- but it might be in your area.

The fast track programs are generally for people who already have a college degree in something else -- say English.

The accelerated part lets you zip straight through an associates (most often) or a bachelors in nursing without a lot of distribution requirements (no PE!), then leap straight into the masters.

For people who get an associate's, they can do a "bridge" to a bachelor's, if they have no undergraduate degree. Then they would pursue, either directly or after an interval of their choosing, a regular master's.

(If you already have an undergraduate degree, you should do your research, look into your specialty, and weigh the benefits of your choices, but personally, I think the time is better spent doing an msn rather than a bridge, which takes about the same amount of time and reaps much richer benefits. My opinion.)

However, I have never heard of a program that combine's a "bridge" and a master's, which it sounds like you're talking about? Maybe you don't need one or the other?

Do what YOU think is right.