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?

First of all, what is a GEPN? Are you saying that direct entry programs are for RNs and for people with undergraduate degrees in other areas? Would I have been able to go into a direct entry graduate program with a BSN from 1969? Krisssy

Yes, GEPN is one school's acronym for their direct entry master's students. This refers to their first year, which is a condensed, quick and dirty year of basic nursing; the master's part is the 2nd and 3rd year of the program. They must have a BA or higher degree in another field to apply. They take NCLEX sometimes after that year, in the second year, which is the first specialty year of their program, depending on the requirements for clinicals for the BON of that state. I think the students in most of these schools do very well on the NCLEX because the schools have high admissions standards, and admit students very likely to test well and score high in the first place. If you read the boards here, you can see how complex this entire topic is, and that "nursing" isn't just one type of job with one level of expertise.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
Um... MDs write prescriptions without having a doctoral degree. Ditto for PAs.

Um ... All MDs do have doctorates (also DOs) -- An MD is a doctoral degree ... (Hint -- that's why they're callled "doctors" ...)

:chuckle I had a nice little chuckle at this....

Um ... All MDs do have doctorates (also DOs) -- An MD is a doctoral degree ... (Hint -- that's why they're callled "doctors" ...)

It's a "clinical doctorate" not a real doctorate like Ph.D.s:chuckle

I finally started my online masters program in psychiatric nursing. It leads to a psychiatric nurse practitioner degree. I have been doing well in the class ans really enjoying it UNTIL yesterday. Now, I admit I am a very sensitive person. BUT this nurse in my group made a comment that really upset me. She is a manager of a geropsychiatric hospital and sounds like she has a whole load of experience. Anyhow, we all had to give our biographies before starting the course for everyone to read. So yesterday, she states that she thinks it is awful and ridiculous for nurses to be in a course of study such as we are in who have no med surg experience and no psych experience. She said that this program is for RN's with BS degrees who have first done med surg and then done psychiatric nursing.

She doesn't see how a nurse can go straight into this psychiatric nurse practitioners program. If anyone hasn't heard my story, feel free to ask me, but most of you have heard it over and over. I realize that some of you agree with her and some don't. Would a direct entry program, where I have to relearn the basics be better for me? At 58, I don't have time to work 10 years in med surg and 10 years in psych and then go for my psych nurse practitioners degree. Should I just forget the whole thing? Honestly am I an idiot for thinking I can do this? My advisor in the school says it is fine and that I will learn everything in the school. Some of you have already given me your opinions. You can repeat them if you feel like it, or I could use some new opinions. Yesterday I was all into this course feeling so happy and excited. Today I feel like maybe I am doing the wrong thing. What do you think? By the way I think this particular nurse is very outspoken. She made a comment to another nurse that she is still waiting to hear her ideas on what health was insinuating that she didn't do the assignment . Krisssy

I finally started my online masters program in psychiatric nursing. It leads to a psychiatric nurse practitioner degree. I have been doing well in the class ans really enjoying it UNTIL yesterday. Now, I admit I am a very sensitive person. BUT this nurse in my group made a comment that really upset me. She is a manager of a geropsychiatric hospital and sounds like she has a whole load of experience. Anyhow, we all had to give our biographies before starting the course for everyone to read. So yesterday, she states that she thinks it is awful and ridiculous for nurses to be in a course of study such as we are in who have no med surg experience and no psych experience. She said that this program is for RN's with BS degrees who have first done med surg and then done psychiatric nursing.

She doesn't see how a nurse can go straight into this psychiatric nurse practitioners program. .... Krisssy

Krissy, shut this lady out and forget her. She's full of sh**. You will find this kind of rudeness everywhere. Did anyone else in the group counter her argument? How is the group responding? Instead of doubting yourself, why not go on the offensive. Look at this as as a psychiatric "exercise" in how you would handle yourself in such a situation, how you would acknowledge her point of view, present alternative points of view, and agree to disagree with her.

I think your self-doubts would clear up if you'd find a real-world, meat-space nursing refresher program, either at a local school of nursing or hospital, and get reacquainted with floor nursing. You gave the excuse of not doing this as you have to spend part of your life in Florida every year -- you need to rethink that and tell your husband you can't spend the entire 6 months of every year with him. Or find a program in Florida and spend more than 6 months of the year there. You have to prioritize your life and goals and make a decision. This involves compromising other areas of life.

I finally started my online masters program in psychiatric nursing. It leads to a psychiatric nurse practitioner degree. I have been doing well in the class ans really enjoying it UNTIL yesterday. Now, I admit I am a very sensitive person. BUT this nurse in my group made a comment that really upset me. Krisssy

Well here you have another example of the benefits of online learning...you don't have to look at this person, LOL!

Hello, All

Krissy, do not lower yourself to this woman. Obviously, she has a personality of an angry bull. She just is expressing herself and using projection mechanism on you. She is upset because the times have now change and she was not given the opportunities as they are given out today. Her gripe is with the nursing board. Use psychology on her.

I would say please express your concerns and I understand you are feeling angry of the rules and changes in the nursing career. Tell us how would you resolve this issue? Do you feel threaten of the new changes in nursing? Is change hard for you to accept? How can I help you? or How can we help you through this difficult time?

I would not belittle her in my responses to her or argue with her. I would put on my psyche sweat suit and hit the timer. I would not get swallow into her issues or concerns. I would address her with caution and speak clearly to her. In addition, I would take her negativity and use it as my energy to do well in my classes and think positive each day.

Therefore, you know that you cannot feed into her negativity because it will hinder your goals as a student and to be a psyche np.

Buttons

Hello, All

Krissy, do not lower yourself to this woman. Obviously, she has a personality of an angry bull. She just is expressing herself and using projection mechanism on you. She is upset because the times have now change and she was not given the opportunities as they are given out today. Her gripe is with the nursing board. Use psychology on her.

I would say please express your concerns and I understand you are feeling angry of the rules and changes in the nursing career. Tell us how would you resolve this issue? Do you feel threaten of the new changes in nursing? Is change hard for you to accept? How can I help you? or How can we help you through this difficult time?

I would not belittle her in my responses to her or argue with her. I would put on my psyche sweat suit and hit the timer. I would not get swallow into her issues or concerns. I would address her with caution and speak clearly to her. In addition, I would take her negativity and use it as my energy to do well in my classes and think positive each day.

Therefore, you know that you cannot feed into her negativity because it will hinder your goals as a student and to be a psyche np.

Buttons

Well first I got sucked in and replied with something defensive like I am trying to get a job as a nurse extender in med surg to learn and what am I to do at my age blah blah blah. She did not reply. So now I wrote her exactly what you told me to say. Let's see what her response is. Oh my! She will be shocked. No one else in my group has said anything, because there has not been much group discussion. One gal never talks, one is in the army and gets called away, and one has five small kids and works. I will let you both know what she says. Thank you all for boosting my low self esteem. Oh and guess what? My essay was picked by the professor as the best essay in the group and was posted. i get an extra point on my APA quiz which I haven't even attempted yet. Wait till she sees that! Krisssy BTW, my advisor says you were accepted , because this is where you are going to learn everything you need to know to be a psychiatric nurse practitioner. This is a new concept for a lot of nurses to undersatand or accept.

Hi there- Dah! Sounds like this chick gave you an example of the dynamics of "oppressed group behavior". Heck you could even fly that past her but why fuel the needless debate. Truly I do think there is SO much of this type of behavior even in advanced nursing. If we don't respect ourselves ( as nurses), no one else will.

Lookit- I do feel that a Psych NP that practices with complex medical cases would need a lot of med/surg. But hey, there are different ways to practice as an Psych NP. You could potentially even work with a relatively physically stable group with immense psych needs-i.e. college health comes to mind. More and more I'm seeing ads such as these.

I still lurk these pages because I still would like to have Rx priviledges. However, I too am in my fifties. The one school I loved has virtually no distance component and I simply don't have energy with my almost full-time job.(I do have a doctorate and essentially do counseling-but the rx priviledge would really be nice.)

By the way, do the professors ever give feedback re the dialogue in your course? I'm not suggesting that they censor by any means, but I would hope that they could stear the class back to its intended purpose(Theory/Ethics,right?)After all it's not a "group process" course. And even with "group process" courses, there are guidelines. Hey, be well, and take care.

Whoever is telling you that is either naive or a plain old liar. I don't know any BSNs who care for more patients than ADNs and they have been talking about eliminating ADN programs for decades already. It hasn't been done for a variety of reasons. I have a BSN and can tell you it wouldn't be safe for me to look after 8 patients.:chuckle

shoot!

they can have the 8 pts! and i'll keep the 4!!!

:yeah:

staffing problem solved!

Krissy, shut this lady out and forget her. She's full of sh**. You will find this kind of rudeness everywhere. Did anyone else in the group counter her argument? How is the group responding? Instead of doubting yourself, why not go on the offensive. Look at this as as a psychiatric "exercise" in how you would handle yourself in such a situation, how you would acknowledge her point of view, present alternative points of view, and agree to disagree with her.

I think your self-doubts would clear up if you'd find a real-world, meat-space nursing refresher program, either at a local school of nursing or hospital, and get reacquainted with floor nursing. You gave the excuse of not doing this as you have to spend part of your life in Florida every year -- you need to rethink that and tell your husband you can't spend the entire 6 months of every year with him. Or find a program in Florida and spend more than 6 months of the year there. You have to prioritize your life and goals and make a decision. This involves compromising other areas of life.

I responded to her exactly how you and Buttons 2 cute told me too. In fact, I used Button's exact words. She did not respond, but she is talking to me in a much more respectful way now. One other group member commented that she thought that you needed a lot of med surg experience to be a psych nurse. I resonded to her the same way. She responded that she was able to see my point of view. The professor has emailed me twice commending my writings, and she said that she is finding our groups discussions very interesting ,and she is enjoying reading them!!!

I do intend to take another refresher course before I apply for a job. I am starting to enjoy the internet course now. The technical and advising support is great, and the professor answers all my emails and appears to like my work. She has picked two of my essays to commend and display.

Thanks for your advice re. this one nurse. My comments have shut her up, and she has to be noticing thAT I am doing well in the course. Also, she was attempting to take over as group leader and was doling everythning wrong. I was the one who cleared up the mess, and she addmitted she was off base on how she was organizing the lesson fnor the group. Krisssy

Hi Krissy--

I've been lurking here for a while. I love the title of the entire discussion, because at age 47 I'm in the same boat (without the RN degree or experience). I really want to become an NP, and it does seem like such a long road with a lot of hoops to jump through, especially since a few of the hoops don't interest me too much. It's been great watching the transformation you've gone through--you were so scared about the online program, now you're the STAR of your class!!

:balloons: :balloons:

I'm applying to direct entry Masters programs, then I'll be looking for an online NP program. I've forgotten which school you're going to--could you please give me the info on it?

Thanks and good luck--you're doing great!

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