BSNtoPharmD

I've been very fed up with sexist nursing instructors and preceptors...another great reason I'm glad nursing school is over.

BTW, thanks for the thorough and thoughtful reply, BCgradnurse. Boston College is an excellent school and it sure sounds like you're the cream of the crop :)

Most of the places I called around to had a wait time that was quite a bit longer than three weeks (heck some weren't even taking new patients), but three weeks was the shortest wait I could find of all of them. I agree the shortage of mental health care providers is frighteningly low, all around the country. When I lived in Arizona the waiting rooms seemed much less crowded and I was usually able to get re-fill scripts within a week of calling. I think it's because AZ is more stringent with their medicaid services and they don't require insurance for all citizens, like MA does. One of my nursing instructors once said, "you want quality, access and reasonable cost...but you can only pick two". I did make it sound like I wasn't very proactive and as if I let the Rx run out. The two weeks before school let out were very hectic and after finding out my psychiatrist back home wasn't available anymore, I didn't call around to find another one because I erroneously convinced myself I was "too busy" studying to make a few phone calls!

The psychiatrist who prescribed it no longer practices at the agency I received the Rx. In fact, I have no idea where she is now, I've tried tracking her down but can't find her! Now that the psych no longer works there, for me to get an appointment with another person at the same agency, I am now considered a "NEW" patient and there's a very long waiting time for so-called "new patients". Despite a very good number of providers per 100,000, Massachusetts has absolutely horrible access to healthcare and pretty soon it's going to be this way in every state I'm afraid

I go to PharmD school and school starts again a week from today. I take Adderall for ADHD and I do not have any medication left. As such, I need to see a doctor or NP to get a re-fill script for a C-II. Unfortunately I am in MA and we have a horrible healthcare system here - the wait time is about three weeks to see a psychiatrist or psychiatric NP! I've called around everywhere and I can not get an appointment to see someone just for five minutes, to get a re-fill script. I go to grad school out of state and the providers don't take my insurance there (BCBS PPO). My mother is a family nurse practitioner and in MA, they have full prescriptive authority. Are there any laws prohibiting her from writing a C-II Rx for a family member? As important as it is to get my medication, I absolutely do not want her jeoparidizing her license. Anyone familiar with these laws? Thanks!!

Nice words of wisdom, thanks. I'll only consider the FNP if it can work in synergy with my PharmD. (1+1=3) I'm thinking I'll drop this whole desire for continued education once I get worn out a little more. With that in mind, it's a Friday afternoon and I have an immunology test to study for right now

This PharmD program is in person - I've never heard of an online program and if there is such a thing, I'd say it's a horrible idea haha. At this point I am only considering the FNP option IF and only IF these two credentials can work in tandem. Working at CVS or Wags makes disappointing use of the fabulous skills taught in pharmacy school and it can get frustrating if you don't have time for counselling. It can also be boring, but I believe that's highly dependent on what you put into the job. Wags is also moving to centralized dispensing for refills, which supposedly will give pharmacists more time to counsel. I'm having zero second thoughts about the PharmD program. I just want to explore ALL post-grad education opportunities cuz when I talked about pharmacy school during nursing school, people thought I was nuts but now I know I made the right choice When I was in nursing school, you can imagine I explored PA, FNP, PharmD and MD - so again, I will explore all opportunities. With all these minute clinics popping up I can only wonder how attractive it would be for them to hire someone capable of running the pharmacy and their clinic. If I was CEO I'd have a medical assistant or RN working the clinic and I'd have the pharmacist/FNP called over when his/her scope of practice was insufficient for something or additional assistance was needed. Regarding debt: I graduated nursing school with $0 debt but when I finish my PharmD I will owe about $25k (no interest accrues until six months after graduation).

The FNP programs I've looked at do not require clinical experience as an RN. If that's such an important requirement, why doesn't it become a standardized pre-requisite requirement for accreditation? (As is the case with CRNA programs). Furthermore, consider the fact that physician assistant programs don't require nursing experience, heck they don't even have standardized healthcare experience requirement. Since I'm taking 203 credits over three years, year-round, you can imagine I have my reasons for not having RN experience. These credentials could be something very, very different - a rare combination to say the least. I'm in my fourth month at pharmacy school and I can't even begin to tell you how much my BSN has helped me! I firmly believe that FNP + PharmD are credentials that could have remarkable synergy. Not to mention I'd serve as the peacekeeper each time a nurse calls down to pharmacy complaining their Maalox hasn't been sent up yet, while the pharmacist is at the laminar hood preparing a chemo drip.

First let me provide some background info: I graduated with my BSN in May and now I am pursuing a PharmD degree at an accelerated 3-year school (a PharmD is the educational standard to be a pharmacist). I'm already thinking about further education after 2012, there are certainly many options: One of which is to pursue an FNP degree - which would be prudent to get done ASAP before that entry level DNP requirement kicks in. Now here's the pie in the sky: If I am licensed as both a nurse practitioner AND pharmacist, could chain pharmacies with those walk-in clinics (eg. "Minute Clinic") employ me simultaneously in both the clinic and the pharmacy? This sounds like an ingenious idea for them, but I've never heard of it. Heck, I'd be willing to run the pharmacy and the clinic at the same time! Your thoughts?