Premed, then BA in Business...best route to NP?

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I started college with intentions of going on to medical school. I have all but 2 science courses fulfilled for application to med school. However, an unexpected pregnancy and unexpected complications with our newborn son caused me to put school on hold for awhile and I wound up just getting my degree in business since I had to have the BA for jobs and that was the quickest/easiest degree to finish with at the time, though not my dream job by any means. Now that life has settled down some, I'm looking to get back on track for a career in medicine. With a family now, med school is likely out of the question, so I've begun looking into alternatives. I have just begun an ADN program as it is local and free (I am an employee of the college-yay business degree). What is the best route to take upon completion of the ADN program? What types of programs/tracks are available? I live in rural Iowa. Are online programs an option for someone with the ADN or would relocation be necessary?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.

I would go into an RN-MSN program. You may want to wait a while and gain 1-2 years experience as an RN first before going back for the MSN.

I also have my B.A., but going the ABSN route (I would have surely gone the ADN route if it was free ;)) and after some experience under my belt, the NP route is my next journey.

Do you have any idea what you want to specialize in?

Good luck to you.

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Specializes in medical surgical.

I have a former degree in business. I did work in business for over 10 years before returning to school. I received a ABSN in 2008 after 18 months. I am now in a ANP program and will finish next year. I worked 2 years on a very busy acute care med surg floor. My experience was invaluable. The pay was horrible but it was an excellent learning experience. I have teenage children as well. It can be done.

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Had you not already started your ADN, I was going to say a lot of your pre med classes probably would have transferred well for the PA program.

But since nursing is what you've chosen, I would definitely go with the ADN-MSN bridge. If NP is your goal, then there's no need to fool with the BSN. There are less of the bridge programs, but there are out there.

I have applied to an ADN-FNP bridge program at Frontier ( in KY) and I live in GA. All the didactic work is online and there are 3 required campus visits... and clinicals are done in your community, So there are definitely online options out there for you without you having to relocate.

Also, I have a 2 and 5 year old and have talked with many who have done this degree with children and have said it was just fine!

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Thank you all for the advice. In hindsight, I probably should have looked for a fast-track BSN program since I do have a bachelor's degree already. I never even thought of that. It seems like there are many tracks/ways to advance in nursing! I'm still kind of confused by it all. There are so many different options and programs. Obviously I'd like to get into a career in the least amount of time possible. How long is the ADN-FNP program at Frontier? Are there any other programs like that?

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ADN-FNP is 3 years full time. Others offer it, I know Emory in Atlanta does and Southern in Chattanooga, but that's just in my area.

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Those aren't offered online are they? Is 3 years in an NP program as grueling as 3 years in med school?

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A lot of universities are doing some hybrid versions... where didactic courses are online and they meet once a week. There is a school near me that offers a BSN-MSN program that meets every other Fri and Sat... The program I mentioned in Chattanooga, they told me that the didactic courses they offered online... so it really just depends. If you look, you will find a program that fits your needs.

I applied to Frontier, it's 3 years for the ADN-MSN. The first year is bridge work prior to the graduate level work. I have to go to campus (5 hours away) at the beginning to meet my classmates and instructors, learn the online learning format, etc. Then we meet again after that year of bridge work to get acclimated to the graduate courses and present a project that we did during the bridge to our classmates. Then we meet one last time prior to the clinical portion for 5 days to check off on procedures that we will need to learn before going into clinical. I think these trips to campus are pretty essential. I can't be expected to learn how to physically do a pelvic exam online. Nor would I want to step into clinical with no knowledge or experience/practice performing one...

I looked at Med School curriculum compared to that of the MSN, and I don't think they can be compared. And med school is 4 years, so even longer than the MSN, which is really only 2 years beyond the BSN.

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