is it possible?

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Hey ladies! I'm 21 and in nursing school now and I work as a CNA in a hospital. I notice a lot of the nurses I work with are going back to school to get their masters and become an NP. I never really considered becoming one before because I don't feel I am smart enough. I'm a C student when it comes to nursing because let's be honest, its hard!! But give me any other class like english or math and I will get an A or B. Anyways, I'm just wondering if anyone is considering continuing their education after nursing school? I really can't see myself working on the unit as a nurse for the rest of my life, too long of hours on your feet and you can only have so much patience. I just don't know if I am smart enough to become one if I'm already struggling in nursing school. And also do you think its best to just continue with school after you get your RN or do you think its better to gain some experience on the floor and then go to school? I want your adviceee! :)

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Specializes in Case Management.

Girl anything is possible! A lot of people who are cna's or lpn's look at becoming a RN as being hard including myself. I think if you do your research than you can make an informed decision about what you want to do as for as continuing your education into the masters level of nursing.

Also because your making c grades in nursing school doesn't mean your not smart. My definition of smart include more than just making straight A's in school but look at the whole picture. For example I make c/b grades in class but great on the clinical floor so just because I'm a c/b student in class doesn't mean I'm not smart...shoot I made it into nursing school right that should count for something lol.

Next I'm looking into going into an RN to bsn to msn program after nursing school. A lot of programs I looked into however said you need a year of experience as a RN before applying to the msn portion of the program . So I'm not sure if all programs require this but I am seeing this requirement a lot.

Anyway I really hope you don't let fear if be unknown defer you away from achieving your true potential. Good luck in whatever your decide :up:

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You should go as far as you think I can make it! I am done after RN. When I am old old and grey I can be a Walmart greeter lol

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Specializes in Med Surg, PCU, Travel.

one of my instructors went through the whole 9 yards, from CNA to LPN to RN TO BSN TO MASTERs anything is possible! believe it!

Edit: Darnit! did you say "hello ladies?" there lots of guys on here too lol :roflmao:

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That's exactly the path I am planning to go. I am a CNA and am in an adn program then I will switch to get my bsn and maybe consider the MSN. I really wish I was able to go straight into a BSN and money is tight so it was the option I had to take by doing the ADN first. I just don't see myself doing bedside nursing forever and I'm not quite sure what kind of opportunities lie within an MSN degree. I also am not such a good test taker but I'm decent in clinicals so I guess the odds outweigh themselves. I just see so many nurses getting a higher education and it is motivating me to make something big of myself and make my family proud since I'm the oldest so I want to be a role model for my siblings. Any success stories out there or other stories anyone would like to share, id love to hear them!

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Since you work as a CNA and are getting medical experience outside of clinicals, you may want to just continue with your education. I think taking a break from school before moving to the next degree is probably best for people who have no experience and have never held a position in healthcare, which wouldn't apply to you.

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

Edit: Darnit! did you say "hello ladies?" there lots of guys on here too lol :roflmao:

I was thinking the same thing! (Even though I am one of the ladies lol)

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If you are determined enough you can do anything :)

Me I will be starting an ADN program September 3rd but I do plan on getting my BSN afterwords sometime. That's as far as I want for now. I love floor nursing :)

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
Hey ladies! I'm 21 and in nursing school now and I work as a CNA in a hospital. I notice a lot of the nurses I work with are going back to school to get their masters and become an NP. I never really considered becoming one before because I don't feel I am smart enough. I'm a C student when it comes to nursing because let's be honest its hard!! But give me any other class like english or math and I will get an A or B. Anyways, I'm just wondering if anyone is considering continuing their education after nursing school? I really can't see myself working on the unit as a nurse for the rest of my life, too long of hours on your feet and you can only have so much patience. I just don't know if I am smart enough to become one if I'm already struggling in nursing school. And also do you think its best to just continue with school after you get your RN or do you think its better to gain some experience on the floor and then go to school? I want your adviceee! :)[/quote']

Freckles, I'm so glad you recognize the reality of your situation (that you are a C student and its HARD). Oftentimes, it seems students believe they will succeed just because they want it so bad. It's not enough to want it. You have to work your butt off. But here's the solver lining to the dark cloud (and this is just my opinion): the AD level is the hardest (unless BS is your entry level). This is where you learn all the nuts and bolts of nursing, real meat of it. I'm not saying it will be a walk in the park, but the one thing you will have is the foundation of the AD. you will have knowledge and (God willing) experience to draw from.

If the BSN is your entry level, then the masters will be a bit more of a jump for you. It is still doable. You will be thinking at an even higher, more global level. When taking classes such as pharm, advanced assessment and patio, you'll be looking at it from a different perspective. And again, you'll draw from the experience you are attaining.

So YES, absolutely get experience! How will you know what your interests are, and where you want to focus your studies if you don't? You need to have a direction for your masters.

Also, you do not have to become an NP, just because everyone else is. There are other advance practice degrees you may want to look into.

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Also, you do not have to become an NP, just because everyone else is. There are other advance practice degrees you may want to look into.

I am here to tell you that not "everyone else is." For a bit of historical perspective, when I started teaching in nursing schools (back when Florence and I got home from the Crimea), a good 90-95% of our incoming students wanted to be "mother-baby" or pediatrics nurses. They were familiar with that from babysitting or being older sisters or whatever, of from familiarity with the nurses at their pediatrician's offices. Obviously, though, an entire generation of nursing students are not in OB or peds :) .

Now, everyone wants to go to NP school or CRNA school, or go to ICU/ER (thanks, Carol Hathaway and House). And once again, not everyone will do that. Nor will everyone get a MN. Some will discover that they are enjoying what they do and learning a lot about it, and obtain certification in a specialty area*; some will find life just gets in the way sometimes; some will develop other priorities.

*All you ever needed to know about nursing specialties and certification (as opposed to "certificates," a totally different thing) in three handy websites. You can't possibly be certified as a specialty nurse unless you have enough expertise to call yourself a specialist. Makes sense, eh?

Most certifications require time-in-grade, often two years, or more; most also require a lot of specialized education, and almost all require sitting a comprehensive examination (I actually can't think of one that doesn't).

List of nursing specialties - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

ABNS - American Board of Nursing Specialties

ANCC Certification Center - American Nurses Credentialing Center - ANCC

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Now, everyone wants to go to NP school or CRNA school, or go to ICU/ER (thanks, Carol Hathaway and House). And once again, not everyone will do that. Nor will everyone get a MN. Some will discover that they are enjoying what they do and learning a lot about it, and obtain certification in a specialty area*; some will find life just gets in the way sometimes; some will develop other priorities.]

But,as you state here, everyone wants to (at least starts out wanting to). That's where I was going with that.

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(back when Florence and I got home from the Crimea) a good 90-95% of our incoming students wanted to be "mother-baby" or pediatrics nurses. [/b']

so no one caught this joke/reference[/size]:roflmao:

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