UMCSN4

I will be working as an RN for about 3 years while going to school part time. I don't think I was clear on that in my original post! Will working in home health as an RN help me develop my analysis, critical thinking, and diagnostic skills more than med-surg would in preparation for working as an NP?

I am in nursing school now and plan to enter NP school upon graduation. I am a single mom and was torn about where to work because the 12 hour shifts are not conducive to my situation. Someone mentioned Home Health, and said they knew someone who had started right out of school. The more I think about it, it seems like a good idea. As a NP, I will be making decisions about patient care on my own, so I would think the autonomy of HH would be a good start. In my former careers, I was a medical technologist, so I understand the lab side really well, and then in medical sales, so I am comfortable talking with physicians, being out on my own during the day, etc. However, would HH be a good base for a Nurse Practitioner career? Will I make enough contacts with physicians to find a job when I graduate? Will I develop a strong enough skill set? Does anyone know of the role of NPs in HH? Thanks for your help!

I think you are both right. I was overlooking that option. The more I think about it, even if I could work in a clinic with ACNP, I don't really want to go that route for school. I am looking into the adult route now. Thanks to you both for your advice! Sand - No, I don't work at the VA yet, but I hope to start there after graduation in July. I was hoping that working there for 3 or so years while doing school would guarantee a NP job when a position became available. I have a very similar idea of your work environment! Do you work for the VA now? I have heard nightmare stories about working there (patient loads mostly) but I think the vets are a great group to provide care for and surely it will not be as bad as people say...right??? Say it ain't so!?!?

Should I do FNP or ACNP? I have applied to an Acute Care Adult/Geri NP program, but now have doubts if this is the right tract for me. I really don't want to do the higher level procedures, but I do prefer adults. My career plan is to work for the VA as an RN and continue through the BSN-DNP program, switching over to an NP position when I get to that point. As an older student (35 lol!), I want to do the VA route to go ahead and get a decent retirement that allows me options to relocate and maintain those benefits if I so choose. I would prefer a clinic position at the VA, but those are hard to come by. So I was thinking Acute Care would make me more marketable to the VA because I could also work as an NP at the Nursing Home/Hospital. I know that the basis for the Acute Care program is doing higher level procedures to critical care patients, but I read a study that stated 50% of acute care NPs work in specialty clinics, which is what I would prefer. It is so hard to know what the best route is! As I type this, it seems apparent that FNP is the better route, and just doing as much of the clinical in adult/geri sites as possible (NO desire to work with children). Does anyone have any input? Any NPs at the VA who can answer which path is more desirable?

I am not sure how many alternates we had. While crying over my alternate letter, I called the school to find out my rank on the list and how many, etc. No one could answer that. There will likely be someone who decides not to attend. Unfortunately, it may not be until after the information session. They may not quite understand the time commitment, being unable to work, etc and will decide to go another route. Or they may have been accepted into more than one program. I am sure the Director's name is on the letter. Try contacting her and relaying in a professional, courteous tone how much you really are interested in the program. Try asking her where you stand, etc. It can't hurt. I would go ahead and apply for financial aid...that can't hurt either! Most of all, think positive! I did!

The accelerated class meets m-f on various days. Once you get to clinicals, it all depends on the preceptor that you are randomly assigned to. It could be nights, days, weekends, etc. If you are asking because you are planning to work, I will tell you that it would be almost impossible. There are weeks here and there where you might think, oh I could work a part time job, but then the next week swamps you and you don't have enough time to do what you need to do. It is a very stressful program! And even though you are given a calendar at the beginning of each semester with the schedule, you cannot anticipate when your clinical days are. ( You will have to match your available days to the days your preceptor works. ) The first summer starts out the same as the traditional program, with patho and health assessment. Average about 2 tests a week. Hope this helps!

I know how you feel. I cried too! But, I made it in and so did 3 more alternates. I wish I could tell you the reasoning and how they choose the alternates, but I can't. I know that I was quite a pest and really let them know how interested I was in the program. I had a 3.97 gpa for a Master's degree, and was still an alternate! I don't think they even looked at that, only my undergrad, which was only a 3.2 (heavy science load). I had work experience in the medical field. There were people who got in who were not as qualified (not many, but a few!) It is an extremely competitive program with a lot of bright students. At least a third of the class has a graduate degree. 3 of the 4 alternates have proven ourselves and have 4.0 averages. I know that 2 of the alternates did not find out until the day before school started. I made a lot of phone calls and emails and just really let them know that I wanted it and called attention to the fact that not all of my grades were considered when I was evaluated. I know you are devastated now, but there is still hope. How is your GPA?

That doesn't sound right. I was an alternate so I can't say for sure, but I think you will get a letter in March. It could be earlier for your class, because ours complained about missing out on some financial aid due to we not being notified in time. Plus, I want to say the director mentioned that they had already made their decisions. The letter should indicate when the interviews will take place. The counseling/interview is set for like April 21st (or around that day, can't remember off hand, but we have been asked to come by and talk to the new class). I think you would have to be the biggest jerk or just be clueless to not make it in if you are invited to the interview! But I wouldn't be too worried about not getting the phone call...

You will know you are admitted before the interview. It is just a formality...unless you make the WORST impression ever, you are in. Good luck!

I am in the Accel BSN at UMC. It is hardcore and fast paced, but I will be a nurse in just a few more months! There is a lot of self study and if you are not prepared to do that, this is NOT the program for you. There are very few lectures for classes other than Patho, Health Assessment, and Pharm, which we take with the other students. They are going to change some things about our program, so I can't say what you will be facing. The very best thing about our program is the clinicals. We are assigned to preceptors in the hospital and we work our hours with them. We actually follow a nurse from beginning to end of a shift, so we see what a "real" nurse does on a day to day basis. We are right in the middle of our Adult Med-Surg now and it is very hectic. In just 2 months, we have to complete the "class" by taking our 5 tests plus final while working 135 hours and doing a new PBL case each week (problem based learning...like a case study, but is student led). I have at times been so frustrated that I could quit, but then I get over it and am glad I am here. All in all, I like it, and think I will be well prepared. So far out of 24 students, we still have 22. Good luck and I hope you get in!