DFWEDRN

I’m waiting to hear back from JHUSON as well. I applied to three programs and not sure which one I’ll get. I’m from Texas. I thought long and hard on which DNP program I wanted to pursue after my MSN. I received both my BSN and MSN from Western Governors University and sometimes think that the “competency-based education” may have affected my chances of getting into Johns Hopkins. All programs are for the DNP Clinical Nurse Specialist concentration. 1. Johns Hopkins School of Nursing 2. University of South Alabama 3. Oklahoma University Health Science Center

Hi Jax1_mco, I’m a WGU BSN (pre-licensure) and MSN Leadership & Management graduate. Don’t discount Western Governors University (WGU). It is a non-profit university and doesn’t feel like a diploma mill when I attended. WGU is probably your best bet if you are wanting to obtain an MSN without jumping through a million hoops. If you’re wanting to go further than an MSN and obtain a doctorate degree, I will say that many brick and mortar schools will accept a WGU grad. It did take some explaining of the competency based model but it wasn’t frowned upon. Main point: It will actually open doors for you that require an MSN. It got me into an executive leadership position as well as an academia position. Albeit I am also enrolled in a DNP CNS program. Good luck and feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. Sincerely, DFWEDRN, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, AMB-BC, NHDP-BC, LP/NREMT-P

Hi Sophie, Oh how I wish I could help out a fellow WGU grad. I’m based in Texas, have my MSN in Leadership & Management, licensed in CA, but have been teaching at the university level for only 1 year. Good luck in your search, but if your program will accept me, I’d be happy to help you out. Sincerely, DFWEDRN, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, AMB-BC, NHDP-BC, LP/NREMT-P

When I graduated from nursing school, I went straight into research as a Clinical Research Nurse. I had a previous background in clinical research at an Academic Medical Center and transferred those skills once I obtained my BSN-RN. For me, it was more of a promotion than anything because my pay went significantly up after becoming an RN. I chose to work in various specialties such as Neurology, Cardiology, Infectious Disease, Emergency/Trauma, and Critical Care. I left after a year to go obtain some bedside clinical skills as an ED/Trauma nurse. Then went back to research as a Senior Research Nurse (Team Leader) and split time between research and ER nursing. I just want to say that it can be done without an MSN or Doctorate (DNP/PhD) and I only had my BSN when I was a research nurse. I will confess that I was in an MSN program during that time and did pass the SoCRA CCRP exam. I have since left research for now. -DFWEDRN, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, NHDP-BC, LP/NREMT-P

I passed my CEN recently and I just wanted to let people know my success story. I read many forums consisting of "advice" stating to wait to take the certification exam. And I weighed those comments with the support I received from my previous employer's corporate VP of Emergency Services who is an FAEN and my current ED educator. They gave me some tips and encouraged me to take it. IMHO, I say if you are ready to take the test, then study hard and take it like I did. I came from a research background in emergency medicine and trauma. I worked my first year as a Trauma Research Nurse and then transitioned about 1 month ago to bedside ED nursing and took my exam and did amazingly well. I am proud to be among the 58% of RNs who attempt the exam who passed and can call themselves a CEN. It's prioritization and pathophysiology heavy. Any disease process that can come through the ED doors could be tested. The materials I used to review: ENA online CEN review modules employer sponsored CEN review Boswell YouTube videos Sheehey's Manual of Emergency Nursing Blue ED book *Sorry for the long post and please feel free to contact me regarding the exam or life as an ED nurse.

Check out WGU's Prelicensure BSN online programs. They do it in like 5 states or so. I did mine in Texas.

Hi JKL33, I like the idea of planning on feeling like running away, but no worries I don't plan on actually going through with that. I am determined to stay an ED/Trauma RN. I plan on combining my current knowledge and building it during my transition into ED practice. Thanks for the words of encouragement! -Brian

Hi Pixie.RN, My orientation will be 12 weeks. Super nervous and excited and the same time. Thanks for the words of encouragement! -Brian

Hi Everyone, I am transitioning from clinical research nursing to emergency nursing. I recently accepted a position as an ED/Trauma nurse at a major Level 1 trauma center in the area. I'm not completely new to ED/Trauma, but my role is changing. I've managed critical/trauma patients before, but not on a regular basis. I've been a nurse for about a year and when I was still in school, I interviewed at many major hospitals in the DFW area, and had a difficult time getting a position as a new grad RN in the emergency department so I took a job as their research RN in order to get my foot in the door. This new opportunity came up and I just couldn't say no! So I'm looking for some tips/advice from everyone here. Do you have any tips for someone who has the most up-to-date ED/Trauma nursing knowledge, but limited bedside experience transitioning to ED bedside? I plan on being humble and very open to learning. I have most of the tools necessary to do this job such as a watch, good stethoscope, penlight, trauma sheers, etc. Please let me know if I'm missing anything. Thanks in advance!