Now that I got the background out of the way. I wanted to see if I should just apply to ABSN or open up for MN/MN to MSN pathways. I see a ton of dislike for MN/MN to MSN pathway unfortunately, however, it seems to be about lack of RN experience and schools being expensive. I was wondering for those that have done MN/MN to MSN or know someone who has completed it, once completing the RN portion can't you work even if its part time to acquire that experience while going through the NP portion? I am always the type to work even if its PRN through schooling.

Is there any advice as far as pathways? I understand the new trend of MN for colleges come with a hefty price tag however I also plan on applying to scholarships such as NHSC, Nurse Corps, VA HPSP, Johnson and Johnson, along with random ones discovered.

Some schools I have been looking into are:

• UF ABSN

• USF ABSN

• Emory MN (thought about the MN to MSN but they don't offer midwifery)

• UPENN MPN to MSN

• Vanderbilt MN prespecialty

• Marquette University

• UCF ABSN

Now I want to go back to school & I'm not sure. I'm almost 50yrs

I'm very undecided

I wanted to start a thread for prospective NP applicants in BC hopeful to start in 2027. I have found these forums helpful in the past and thought lets all help each other out if we can with questions and answers and experiences.

Thanks :)

NP with DTI ~150% and HPSA 17

So I very happily FINALLY got a NICU RN job after many years of trying.  Anyway, I had a planed vacation first week in June for family coming into town and my niece's graduation.   This is an internal transfer and my current manager and new manager decided on a start date first week of May, so I will likely still be on orientation anyway and will not count as a staff member. 

I am SUPER EXCITED about this job and if they won't let me have it off, I will just do what I can to work around it as far as spending time with family. 

Anyway, my question is when should I ask the nurse manager if I can still have it off? I thought about emailing her and just saying thank you for the job and I look forward to starting etc, would that be a good time or should I ask in person?   My current job allows me to travel all over the hospital so it's not a huge deal if it's something you think I should ask in person before I even start in a couple months. 

Please let me know your thoughts and opinions, thank you!   

Hello, I am currently in the nursing program at Inter American University of Puerto Rico. I am from California and will be going back to California to practice nursing. When my wife came here and took the program a few years ago there were people in her cohort that did not have Anatomy and Physiology or Microbiology but because it is integrated in the program they were able to take the NCLEX in California without any problems. However I have heard that one person was not able to take the NCLEX in California due to them not having finished Microbiology. I was wondering if anyone has any information or knowledge on this subject and may be able to help. I don’t graduate until early next year but I want to know if the state of California will restrict one from taking the NCLEX due to any of these factors.

In addition to that, I was wondering if anyone knows how long it would take for Puerto Rico to send the nursing board in California my certification in order for me to take the NCLEX? I have heard everything ranging from 4 months to 8 months. 

Thank you in advance for the comments and responses!

I'm a California new grad RN looking to relocate temporarily to gain solid critical care experience before returning to CA. The job market here is extremely competitive, especially for ICU positions, so I'm hoping to build a strong foundation elsewhere and come back as a competitive applicant.

Which hospitals/programs did you go through and would you recommend them?

What made the program good? (length of orientation, preceptor quality, didactic components, simulation, etc.)

What was the patient population like? (acuity level, common diagnoses, learning opportunities)

Staffing ratios and support - did you feel safe? Was charge accessible? Were ratios maintained?

Did the experience help you move on to competitive positions afterward?

I've heard mixed things about different regions and want to make sure I'm choosing a program that will genuinely prepare me, not just throw me in and hope I survive. 

Any insights, hospital names, or warnings would be hugely appreciated. Trying to make a smart move here that sets me up for long-term success in critical care.

Thanks in advance!

i pray that 2010 will change this horrible job situation around.

Also I am 48 years old who just graduated from LVN nursing program

So I'm in a bit of a pickle.. I've come to realize that bedside nursing is not for me. I tried 3 different units and the pace of the hospital is just too much, combined experience I really pute only have 6-7 months but I really only count 3 of them because I grew so much during that experience but I just wasn't fast enough, plus the patient ratio as a new nurse was a lot (6-7 patients per nurse). I really want a role where I get to know my patients and have a huge impact, I love getting to know people on a deeper level. The most recent experience was on a rehab unit and I loved the patients so much, I really learned a lot and am very proud of myself for trying my best and I did give it my all. I've applied for so many private practice/clinic/remote jobs and I really hope I hear back from one of them, I have a phone call for a dialysis position tomorrow and am excited about that one ? It's 20 minutes from where I live so it would be a perfect commute! 

I guess I'm just posting here for advice and to vent

Does someone signed the 2 years commitment? I am not sure about it, any advice is welcome! Thank you 

I worked as a float nurse my first year. Hate and misery is not enough to explain what I had to endure physically, emotionally and mentally. First couple of weeks I thought "what in earth have I done to myself?" Crying was an everyday thing for months. I'm honestly surprised I'm still here. I left to a long term care after a year and that was even worse. I didn't know things could be worse. Only lasted there a couple of days. I literally just rolled out of bed one day and couldn't recognize myself in the mirror. It was then I knew I couldn't come back. I completely lost myself. Nursing destroyed me. I felt lifeless. I went back to the hospital I left on a different unit thinking it would be better. Well, it's still bad but I guess just not the worst of the worst. I was thinking OK this is a unit I can spend some time on and really find what I want.  Honestly I still feel like I felt on the first unit....anxious, depressed and miserable because I didn't know this ahead of time but I will sometimes have to be charge. I already have a hard time as it is and I don't want to be charge at all. I've cried and cried at home thinking about it. I expressed I really really don't want to be but I guess not much can be done. So after being there a year, I feel like I have to rush out again. Not everyone can be charge and I don't want Any trouble.

This career has just ban trouble for me from that start. I feel back at square one. I've thought about looking at other career paths and different ways to make a living but nothing. People can hate their job but all this work, time,  tears, years I put into this career and just like that it was for nothing? I literally started from the bottom. This was my dream, everything. I didn't go into it for the money at all. I thought hard work was a gateway to atleast some success. I understand you can hate your job but after all the sweat and tears, it shouldn't be like this at all. Many times still, I just don't want to be alive anymore because of this. You may think this isn't worth that but I'm really over being miserable as a means to survive. 

Anyways, I really really would do anything to have a good paying nursing position without the severe anxiety, fear, ans stress. I want to feel OK and not have my heart pounding. I can't do this for even two more years, I can't. I feel like I'm selling my aouls so I'd rather no longer exist to not have to deal with this. I'm losing myself more and more. I see bedside nurses who hate their job but for some reason didn't have a choice, etc and what it turned them into. I don't want to be extremely miserable anymore.  

By next year, I want a remote position but what I'm really afraid of is if leads where I am now, they probably won't hire me again and what if I don't like the position? I know I don't like where I am but what if I want to do something else at the hospital but I left again in a short period. I'm a good employee but still. I get really scared when nurses leave bedside for like care manager, case management and come back. I'm not interested in those but they are remote positions. I want far away from bedside, anything acute. Is all of nursing like this. I wanted to quit in nursing school but I only kept going because I believed all I put in would be worth it. I'm soooo scared and worried.. I would really truly appreciate advice. 

I finished NP school (although this can apply for RN as well) a few months ago and have been looking for a job. I feel like I'm wasting all this time and want to use it to further my knowledge. Any resources to recommend that I can continue learning? I've seen some boot camps for this but they're expensive. I'm looking for free resources 

1. Does anyone know if there are programs out there for Registered Nurses who want to be Registered Dietitians? I would like to take a few courses on my own after graduation, but I realize that some of the RD requirements are similar to that of nursing, and I figure I might as well try and see if I can get more credentials out of it since there is some overlap.

2. Is there such a thing as a Clinical Nurse Specialist for Nutrition? I feel like I've seen that before, but I can't seem to find much through a Google search. If this does exist, what is the difference between the RD and the CNS?

Thanks!

I got accepted into JacksonvilleU (FL) accelerated 16-month program; however, it starts on the 16th of May, and I currently live in New Jersey. Prior to acceptance, the admissions counselor told me that they had just wrapped up admissions for the 16-month program, and they'll be reviewing applications for the 12-month program over the next few weeks. However, due to it being challenging for me to relocate so abruptly, they placed me on the waitlist for the 12month program (which they're still reviewing applicants for) that I initially applied to. My fear of being waitlisted is that it's not a guaranteed spot. With that being said, relocating in under two weeks with orientation on the 11th of May is also extremely difficult, and I feel as though I'm stuck in a difficult position. 

I'm open to a new perspective!