Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)

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Hello. I'm currently a sophomore in high school in the state of Missouri. I am very interested in becoming a PNP but I am very confused on how to become one. I have many questions and I'm hoping you could give me detailed answers.

How do I become a pediatric nurse practitioner.

what steps do I have to take to becoming one right afterhigh school

what are good colleges in Missouri to attend to become a pnp

can I go to a college and get my bsn and then transfer to a different college to receive a msn

please let me know all the information I would need to know before starting my college career. I greatly appreciate it!

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Well first I would suggest going to a community college to get your pre-requisite courses done but find the university you want to transfer to get your BSN first. That way you know what that college requires for you to enter their nursing program. Before entering any nursing program they require you to take classes like Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, Psych, Communication, English, Math etc. those take about 2 years. I suggest a community college because it's cheaper. Once you go to a University it is costly. To get into a nursing program you have to take a HESI or TEAS exam for entrance. Then once you're in the program and finish you will have to take the NCLEX to be licensed for nursing. I'm not too sure about the MSN, hopefully you can get that through the same University before taking the NCLEX but it was suggested to me to find a hospital to work for and have them pay for my MSN. It sounds iffy but your best bet would to ask as many questions as you can and research on your own.

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Okay. Thank you!

So if I attend a community college for my first two years (through my school I can do a+ which would pay for those 2 years) and take classes like chemistry,anatomy,etc. would that be considered just have taking my general education course or would I have an associate in science. I've been researching and I'm confused on what I would enroll myself in when college came. Is there a specific 'program' I would go into or would I just sign up for the individual classes needed. Sorry if that didn't make any since.

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Once you're done with all the pre-reqs, depending on the college's requirements to obtain a degree, you would have an ASN. When you enroll in college they should ask you about your major. Tell them you plan on doing nursing and if you do decide to transfer let them know that as well. That way they can do a transfer guide that shows you the required classes that need to be taken in order to get into the University's nursing program. What you're aiming for is an accredited school to obtain your degree from. Make sure it's accredited if not you are just gonna end up wasting your time. Does that answer your question? I hope so. :)

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Yes it does thank you!

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You're very welcome :) Oh & I meant ASD not ASN. The degree you get after your pre-reqs.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

More and more hospitals are hiring only BSN new grads. You will need your BSN to get into a NP program. The requirement is at the MSN level right now but there is talk of requiring a DNP for entry into NP practice.

I hope you have started already. Take all the AP honors courses you can take. Focus on the sciences. Biology, chemistry, A&P if your school offers it. Take higher math...Algebra 1 and 2 with trig. Be active in your school community. Look into volunteering in your community. Join your schools healthcare club...HOSA if possible. Take your SAT often and get the highest score as possible with math and critical reading over 1100. The SAT is changing so that advice might not be accurate in the near future (2015). You are going to need 2 years of a foreign language.

Many colleges require a minimal of a 3.3 to 3.5 GPA. Honors and AP classes are weighed heavier.

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Yes I'm already enrolled in the highest courses available in my school. Avd. Biology. Chemistry. College alg./trig and will take calculus as a senior. Honors English and the ap as a senior along with two years of Spanish and adv american history. I as of now have a 4.0 GPA and will be taking the ACT at the beginning of my junior year which will give me all summer to study and prepare..

What is the difference if they change it to needing a dnp??? I don't understand that. I know it's like 6-8 years with an MSN. Would the dnp make it even more year? Or would it just me harder and different courses.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

There are 3 entry levels into nursing.

Diploma: A hospital based program. Takes 3 years. YOu will not have a college degree. These programs are fading and are far and few between. You will still need to bridge to a BSN, MSN,NP program.

ASN. Community college based. The programs are typically 3 years in length. 1 year of prerequisites 2 years nursing. You wil still need to bridge to a BSN to enter a MSN program.

BSN. College based. 4 years from entry to finish. First 1-2 years in prerequisites the last 2 nursing. You can apply to a MSN program.

There are entry MSN programs that take 6 or so years where you will get your BSN/RN the continue to your masters.

The nursing market right now is very competitive. Hospitals are hiring only BSN grads. There is no nursing shortage right now. will it change when you graduate nursing school? Hopefully.

My daughter just got accepted to a couple of BSN programs so I know what is out there and how difficult it is to get into a into a program. This of course varies where you live.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Yes I'm already enrolled in the highest courses available in my school. Avd. Biology. Chemistry. College alg./trig and will take calculus as a senior. Honors English and the ap as a senior along with two years of Spanish and adv american history. I as of now have a 4.0 GPA and will be taking the ACT at the beginning of my junior year which will give me all summer to study and prepare..

What is the difference if they change it to needing a dnp??? I don't understand that. I know it's like 6-8 years with an MSN. Would the dnp make it even more year? Or would it just me harder and different courses.

Good girl. For a DNP....Another year, or so, of college.

Honestly if a NP is your goal your best bet would be a 4 year school. watch your debt and loans. Keep them for you initial degree.....under what you would make in the first year of working

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Specializes in Pedi.

I disagree with the advice to go to a community college. Just pick a BSN program at a 4 year university that has the pre-reqs built into the program. My university did not accept transfer students into the nursing program for the last 2 years- so they would not have accepted someone who went to a community college for "pre-reqs". The nursing program began freshman year. We had a few people who transferred in as sophomores (from within the school) and they had to take extra classes and/or graduate late. Some BSN programs offer the option to begin taking graduate classes while an undergrad and get your MSN in 5 years total (1 extra year). I considered doing that when I was in school but ultimately decided against it.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
I disagree with the advice to go to a community college. Just pick a BSN program at a 4 year university that has the pre-reqs built into the program. My university did not accept transfer students into the nursing program for the last 2 years- so they would not have accepted someone who went to a community college for "pre-reqs". The nursing program began freshman year. We had a few people who transferred in as sophomores (from within the school) and they had to take extra classes and/or graduate late. Some BSN programs offer the option to begin taking graduate classes while an undergrad and get your MSN in 5 years total (1 extra year). I considered doing that when I was in school but ultimately decided against it.

Agreed. Not all BSN programs are 2 years pre/co-req's and 2 yes nursing. My sisters program had fundamentals first semester along with A&P 1, statistics, English & GE elective. They had the option in the beginning of first semester to challenge test out of basic chem & bio if they took similar equivalent in HS plus they could challenge the foreign language requirement by demonstrating competency and completing at least 3 (most had 4) of a major language in HS (Latin did not count but most others did ). She used the credit hours to take an elective preceptorship in her senior year and a "field clinical exposure" (shadowing a home health, public health, school nurse or visiting nurse mini clinical) her 2nd semester junior year.

Look into the curriculum of the program you wish to enter. One school that interested my sister. (I think it was DePauw) had a summer immersion for prospective nursing students available before junior or senior year. I think this helped her application tremendously as she learned that she didn't want to attend school in the Midwest and wanted to stay on the east coast. She was accepted at each of the BSN programs she applied to as a nursing major (some accept as a pre-nursing major and top students as a nursing major)

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