crpRN

Help!!! I recently switched from an MSN-PNP program to an MSN-Peds CNS program and am terribly worried that I made the wrong decision!!! My reasoning for switching to the CNS was mainly that I am not interested in diagnosing patients (as most NP's do)...however, I am now finding myself in quite a pickle. I am three classes away from graduation, and will not be able to afford the out of pocket tuition to complete these three courses (I qualified for loans to cover the 33 credits I have taken so far...and I do not qualify for the majority of the scholarships out there). Also, I am not even sure what I want to do with this CNS degree! Additionally, there seem to be NO CNS jobs in this awful economy. Did I make the wrong decision by jumping out of the PNP track? Would it be more beneficial to suck it up and complete the PNP degree in order to be somewhat more marketable? (fyi: I live in Maryland...CNS is not even recognized as an APRN) I am feeling so lost and full of regret...can someone please provide some advice/insight?!!? I would sincerely appreciate it. Regards, crpRN

llg, this is the exact dilemma I am finding myself in! I pursued grad school because I wanted to learn more, but I applied to and was accepted into a PNP program at a very expensive private school...with no idea what I wanted to do when I graduated. School has been good for me though; I certainly have learned more about myself and what I am truly interested in. I'm about halfway done and am now considering switching to the Peds CNS program since that seems like a better fit for my goals & personality. I do not envision myself as a PNP, seeing/diagnosing/treating/following patients in an office setting. I too would like to remain somewhat at the bedside as a resource for staff, and I feel that a CNS certification will allow me to do just that while also incorporating other fun stuff such as staff development/education/research for new policies etc. sistasoul: No matter what, a Master's degree is going to open doors for you...at least that's what I'm telling myself, haha. In this economy, it's definitely important to be the most marketable version of yourself that you can be...and a MSN will help facilitate that. Good luck sistasoul! crpRN

Hey all...I'm new to this site but have been browsing some of the threads and am hoping for some of the same excellent feedback here! I'm currently enrolled in an MSN-PNP program, with another year and a half to go, part-time. However, I'm feeling a bit discouraged by the experiences that most of my classmates ahead of me are having with their NP clinicals and the outrageous expectations of faculty/clinical advisors. With the recent realization that I do not see myself being an independent primary care Peds NP (ie: seeing, diagnosing, treating, and following patients in an office setting)...I have started investigating the Peds CNS program at my school. The program is 2 courses shorter, with a seemingly more traditional "nursing" focus (as opposed to the medical focus of NP programs...if that makes sense). I feel that I am more suited to remaining in a nursing role, but I have no clue what exactly being a CNS is all about...and I am determined to finish this master's program one way or another!!! I'm wondering if anyone has any school/career advice re: 1- which specialty will be more marketable? 2- what exactly does a day in the life of a Peds CNS look like? 3- which specialty has the best bet of providing a family-friendly schedule (ie: no weekends, no holidays, no ridiculous 12 hour shifts like we do as crazy RNs, hehe)? Any thoughts/tips/personal anecdotes would be appreciated. I could not find anything specifically comparing Peds advance practice RN specialties...help! many thanks :) crpRN