foreverLaur

Your options with the MSN are: Adult Acute Care NP Adult NP Adult Oncology CNS Clinical Nurse Leader Neonatal NP Nurse Midwifery Nursing and Health Systems Management Nursing Science Pediatric NP Pediatric Acute Care NP Psychiatric Mental Health NP Women's Heath NP I will be staring next fall into the adult acute care NP program with an ADN and BA. No other coursework required. And this is at a top 30 ranked program in the country. Statistics, microbiology, pathopysiology, gen chem, ochem were all required components of my ADN.

MS Traditional Admissions | College of Nursing I have heard they are pretty lenient with the 2 classes you need in terms of which classes or experience. If you inquire about the RN-BSN program and have a non-nursing bachelors, they will suggest you just go straight into the MSN. Worst case scenario, you take 2 online classes the semester before you start. Sure beats a RN-BSN program any day. When I spoke to the lady in charge of admissions, she said approximately 15% of students have to take one or both before they start. The other 85% go straight in.

Here's a list of the courses I took in my ADN program. It doesn't seem like much is really missing from a typical BSN program... Introduction to Professional Nursing: Concepts and Practice Nursing Care of Adults and Older Adults I Health Assessment Pathophysiology for Nursing Practice Introduction to Therapeutic Communication for Health Professionals Pharmacology for Nurses Scholarship for Evidence Based Practice Nursing Care of Adults and Older Adults Cultural Competence in Health Care: US and Global Contexts Concepts in Community Health Nursing Nursing Care of Children and Their Families Nursing Care of Women and Their Families During Reproductive Transitions Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Using Advanced Nursing Skills to Manage the Care of Critically Ill Adult Patients Leadership and Management of Nursing Practice Before starting, I had to take lifespan development psychology, anatomy, physiology, statistics, nutrition, and microbiology. We had about 1200 clinical hours and do a preceptorship our last semester.

One hospital I was interested says: "Graduated from an NLNAC or CCNE accredited nursing baccalaureate program (BSN). Candidates graduating from an Associates Degree-to-BSN or LPN-to-BSN programs are not eligible"

SiestaRN - I PM'd you a highly ranked MSN program that allows you to go straight into the MSN (no RN-BSN courses required). You are looked at the same way as a BSN.

This is nothing like how it is in my area. My ADN program did clinical rotations at every single major hospital in the are (all Magnet) and we even did more Magnet hospital based clinical rotations than one of the BSN programs. We also learned cardiac rhythms in depth and I took courses in acute/critical care nursing which I have heard is uncommon in ADN programs. The simulation labs are really awesome, but certainly not a replacement. Taking care of an ICU patient during a code on a Sim did, however, help me feel more comfortable in the ICU in clinicals.

Yes, I would definitely file a police report. I just wouldn't have high expectations. I had a male patient close fist punch me in the face unprovoked (I said YES when he asked for another Sprite) at work who was alert & oriented x3 and nothing ever came of the police report, unfortunately.

When I said my last semester is, I meant that I am currently in my last semester :) Nursing was just a second career for me - I already have a bachelors degree and I work in clinical research. I wish I could have done a 2nd degree accelerated BSN program but given the significantly higher cost (my ADN programs is $79 a credit hour) and the inability to work full-time... it simply wasn't an option.

I'm not sure what kind of ADN program you graduated from, but we discussed ethics extensively, had an entire class on community health nursing (including a few clinicals in public health nursing), and always used evidence based practice nursing. Whoever said ADN nurses don't do a boatload of research and write a boatload of papers clearly didn't actually go to nursing school! My whole last semester is nursing leadership. Specialty electives were required and I took them in end of life nursing, trauma nursing, and critical care nursing.

Hmm... how does changing the ADN to a BSN make for a better living? In my area, pay is the same. So please elaborate on the living differences? And I do a perfectly fine job at communicating, writing, and critical thinking. I do have a bachelors degree, was heavily involved in research and writing in undergraduate, and currently work in clinical research. I actually have BSN students working with me as part of their curriculum and I'm in charge of their assignments.

Yes, all those history, linguistics, world music, and politics classes I took for my bachelors degree is going to make me a MUCH better nurse. Personally, I'm skipping the BSN because the MSN program in my area allows ADN + non-nursing bachelors to enter straight into the MSN just like a BSN grad would. And several ADN programs in my area have higher pass rates and more clinical hours than the BSN programs. A lot of the ADN grads, at least recently, are adults with families or career changers who cannot go back and do a 4 year BSN program. It is time consuming and expensive. My ADN program was dirt cheap and I'll have the same job as the BSN grads do and I got my senior preceptorship over a lot of them.

The hospital I will be working at when I graduate is Magnet and requires ADN RNs to get a BSN within 5 years, but has 100% tuition reimbursement if you attend their nursing program (which is top 20 ranked, so no complaints from me)!

CCRN would be a big resume booster too. Some programs are starting to require it.

Don't rush it because of this as it is not true. I promise you will not have get a doctorate degree to be an advanced practice nurse effective 2015 :)

I am graduating in December and I am starting to convert my business resume into a nursing resume so I can start looking for jobs soon! I have no idea how to make a nursing resume and my school doesn't offer any help. I winged one and I was hoping someone could critique it for me! Many thanks in advance! I am hoping to get into a new grad nurse internship or fellowship, preferably into an ICU or ER. There are 4 that I am interested in that are located where I live and 3 of them are at the hospital where I am currently employed. I do not want to do a RN-BSN program as the hospital where I work is part of a university and I am eligible to direct enter into their MSN program without a BSN, but would be willing to do so if it came down to getting a job or not. Resume is in Microsoft Office format and is attached to this posting! Thank you! NursingResumeDeidentified.doc

I'm in Columbus, OH. So far only one hospital (that is part of a larger medical center) is truly BSN only. The class that just graduated last month is getting jobs at all the major hospitals in the area. They require a BSN within 5 years. Connections definitely help. I work at one of the major hospitals full time and work PRN at a cardiac hospital that is Magnet and has no problems hiring ADN nurses who are willing to go back. Obviously the job market is tough and the BSN grads in my city (and there are 4 schools spitting them out) have an advantage, but the ADN grads are getting jobs still. happyinillinois - I appreciate the offer, but the hospital I work at covers 100% of the tuition and fees for a RN-BSN or MSN program so if I have to do my BSN, it'll be there cuz it's free :)

The only requirement for a BA/ADN to direct enter the MSN program is to demonstrate proficiency in: (1) concepts and processes in population-focused nursing, and (2) concepts and processes for leadership in contemporary nursing practice This can be done by coursework, work experience, or a proficiency exam. I have been told they are pretty lenient as to what they will accept. If you cannot meet the requirement, you are admitted and you take one or both courses the summer before you start the MSN program. I know that my ADN program does meet those requirements via coursework so I will be able to directly start the MSN program the exact same as a BSN grad. I will have no prerequisites and no nursing courses to take prior. And yes, this is a top ranked university with a well ranked and respected nursing program.

I still maintain the information learned in a RN-BSN program must not be that important if highly ranked schools will let a BA + ADN go straight into the MSN :)

The Ohio State University. On their traditional masters admission requirements page it states: "Applicants who are registered nurses with a baccalaureate degree in a non-nursing field can apply and be accepted for admission under specific conditions. These applicants, if admitted, must demonstrate or acquire proficiency in: (1) concepts and processes in population-focused nursing, and (2) concepts and processes for leadership in contemporary nursing practice. Proficiency may be demonstrated by coursework, work experience, or a proficiency exam. In lieu of demonstrated proficiency, students will be required to complete the undergraduate RN to BSN courses in population-focused nursing and/or leadership in nursing courses before progressing to graduate courses." MS Traditional Admissions | College of Nursing

It says you can start using it after your new hire people. I figured that was 90 days - not a year! Wow... Maybe it will be wise to just stay at OSU and get free tuition (which starts right away).

Would you consider it if the DNP were free? I only ask because my hospital is part of a university so I get free tuition. Or would you not because, like you said, it's largely irrelevant to those who just wish to be nurses (not management, education, etc) and it doesn't increase your salary, responsibilities, and job chances.

TS2012 - I still have no desire to get my BSN, but if I go to grad school anywhere but OSU I will be forced to. OSU allows me to directly enter into their MSN program with an ADN + non-nursing bachelors so a BSN is unnecessary. Why spend 1 year doing the RN-BSN + 2 years with the MSN when I could just do the 2 year MSN? :) I am, however, going to apply to the RN-BSN program here at OSU to make me more competitive with the application process. Most hospitals here require a BSN within 5 years and I'll be well into a MSN program by then so hopefully it won't matter but we shall see. If I get hired at OSU they will pay 100% of it so if they want me to, I'll do it to get hired!! Also, thank you for your words of encouragement :) ShantheRN - apparently your Google skills are better than mine! I couldn't find that!! I also called HR and they couldn't give me any specific numbers either. So thank you.

I'm not in the area, but getting a CNA/PCA/PCT/PSA type job would get your networking and connection skills to land a nursing job and most hospitals offer tuition reimbursement to help pay for school. The hospital I am working for is an academic medical center that is affiliated with a university and they pay 100% of tuition and fees. Makes the financial aspect a lot easier!

If you do the LVN route, you'll do a LVN program LVN-RN, RN-BSN, BSN-MSN (sometimes you can find a LVN-BSN program). However, it's more schools, more times to apply and be admitted, and more time. I'd just start with the ADN to be a RN since being a LVN is not what you want to do...

I figured as much. I know rankings for medical schools say nothing of the quality of medical education you will receive. I think the only way we can evaluate is word of mouth from graduates and local hospitals as well as NCLEX pass rates. IMO, the other things that I have realized are really important are hard to tell before you start. My nursing school has a great reputation in the community and I'm less than 5 months from graduation and I couldn't even begin to tell you how or why.