Path to Nurse Practitioner... input please!

[ersbears]

I just graduated from college and have decided that I want to pursue a career in nursing. I would like to become a nurse practitioner with a Master’s in Public Health. My bachelor’s degree was not in nursing, so would I need another bachelors, this one in nursing, to eventually become an NP? If so, what is the fastest track to a BSN?

Or would an Associates be okay?

[RN1982]

I think depending on where you live and what universities are near you, you can apply for the master's program but you would have to complete nursing courses in order to get your RN license. I know there are some other people on here that are more familiar with it. I know some colleges do it. Not all. If there isn't any then you can always apply for 2nd degree accelerated bachelor's of nursing. You have to have a nursing license in order to apply for the MSN program.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

A Masters in Public Health isn't an APN role. So...you would need a Masters in Nursing for the NP track. If NP is the route you want to go, you might look into a direct-entry masters program where you would become an RN halfway thru the degree program, be able to work as an RN while you finish up your NP.

[Hands and Heart]

The Masters of Public Health is not a degree specific to nursing but a nurse practitioner is. If you want to do the masters of public health, you would need to look at schools that offer this degree and see what their prereqs are and how to go about fulfilling them and applying. If you want to go the nurse practitioner router, there are schools that offer direct entry to the masters that includes an accelerated basic nursing portion so that you may get your license (which as Michigan RN said you have to have in order to pursue the masters).

Here are some websites for you.

Masters of Public Health

http://www.allalliedhealthschools.com/featured/master-public-health/?src=trl_ahs

Nursing Programs

http://www.allnursingschools.com/?src=trl_ans

[noellelynn]

As others have said depending on where you are or if you can move for school...I know one school where I live that offers a couple different options that might work for you:

The student concurrently earns two degrees: a Master of Science (M.S.) from the College of Nursing as an Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner and Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP) and the Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) from the College of Public Health in Occupational Health. The program is open to RNs with a baccalaureate degree in nursing or another discipline. An admission option for the Associate Degree Nurse is also available. http://health.usf.edu/nocms/nursing/Programs_of_Study/mshealth.html

For students that already have a bachelor's degree (not in nursing)

http://health.usf.edu/nocms/nursing/Programs_of_Study/accelerated_admission.html

Hope this helps!:)

Mainly with USF at least, you'd need either an associate's degree, then do the masters program for ANP or the masters program in nursing with the MPH. There are a lot of different Master's programs at USF for nursing. You don't necessarily need a bachelors to start them. You have prereqs and everything of couse, but you can still do it that way. If you don't want to get an associates degree I'd suggest the accelerated BSN, since you already have a bachelors degree. Then go from there with the np or mph, etc. USF has it set up so you can really do anything there with nursing, it's amazing! I am taking a different route and am in a similar situation to you. I graduated 3 years ago with a bachelors degree and am now going back for nursing. If I could do it any way Id like, I'd do the accelerated BSN program then go for either the MSN or NP. I have to work though and cant go to school fulltime, and the accelerated BSN program is fulltime--so I'm going for an associated degree first, through an evening/weekend program. Then once I'm working as a RN I plan to apply to USF for their masters or NP programs. Just my !! Good Luck!