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FoundAndy, I would say that the answer to your questions depends upon which school and program you choose. I am at The Ohio State University and the FNPs and PMHNPs take the same classes for the most part, with little deviation. I would not say that it requires anything more than a rudimentary understanding of chemistry (Ions, Acid/Base, Electronegativity, Reactive Oxygen Species/Free Radicals, and a little in the way of pharmacokinetics). With that being said, I certainly would not say that it is a "bad" idea to take chemistry if you feel that this is slight blind spot for you. I would strongly recommend taking a statistics course that worries less about crunching numbers, and focuses more on understanding concepts. Along those same lines, I would say that my biggest asset in the program thus far is knowing APA backwards and forwards. Whether you decide to take a writing class, or if you just read some research articles to get back into the "mood," I would say that would help immensely. If you are smart in the sciences, remember that it isn't enough to "get it," as you also have to show everyone else (professors) how proficient you are in them. Best of luck, and let me know if I can help in anyway or be more specific in my response.

lv2learn, Thank you for the information! It appears that I will see you in a week! I am getting very excited.

Break, I was recently accepted into the FNP program this Fall at tOSU. What I can tell you is that they hold all baccalaureate degrees on an even level. My bachelor's was in rhetoric and they apparently did not mind. While it is not the same specialty, that still has to be some good news! I also know that the curriculum for the Master's degrees have just changed, so be sure to look into that when you do get advice on specific courses from fellow students. Some of the courses might be completely different. I hope this helps! Best of luck in finishing your ADN!

Hello you two, sorry about my late reply. I will be going to the orientation later this month as well. I am in Brown County, Ohio. I am not sure how often we will have to go to campus. What exactly should we be doing right now, anyway? I'm registered for classes and kind of in a holding pattern. Patho won't be fun but at least they don't make us take patho, assessment, and pharm all at the same time. Nice to meet you both!

Minstral, You might also want to look into clinical nurse specialist tracks as well! These might fit your needs better, although I am not entirely educated on that subject.

Minstral, Here's the thing, nurse practitioner specialties are self-limiting due to the fact that they were designed to be specific. Your best bet in my opinion is to take care to avoid the corners that you can back yourself into. Acute Care NPs and Family NPs can work with any age group. Acute Care NPs might have a leg-up initially when applying to work in a hospital, but then public health would be a problem. FNP is the most general as it does not curtail you to a particular setting.

It sounds like you're preparing well. I'd suggest studying for two more weeks and then tapering off so you are not burnt out on test day.

Agreed with both above. I imagine patho would help a lot for pharm. do you have a course plan from the school? See what your advisor says too!

I took the ATI once and got a 99% chance, then passed the NCLEX with 75 questions. Just remember to breathe! Good luck!

CONGRATS Alex and OP! This is a big day for you, indeed! Hang in there, and no matter how hard it gets, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Plus, there are a ton of people who have come across every problem you might encounter here on allnurses! Congrats again, and best of luck! Tenjuna, well done on graduating! Best of luck with testing, and take time to enjoy your career!

Chare answered this correctly, but to be clear: Nurse Practitioner/Nurse Midwife/Clinical Nurse Specialist = 2015 was a recommendation. CRNA = 2022 is the year for DNP being mandatory. I hope this helps!

lv2learn, I talked to the folks up in the CON at OSU the other day, and I was told that the curriculum is being changed and our adviser should contact us by late May. I hope all is going well on your end, and keep in touch!

Hi lv2learn, I only applied to OSU. How about you? I had also heard that it was very competitive this year, so I grew a little nervous towards the end. I haven't talked to anyone else who was accepted into the program. I still don't know how I got in considering my less than stellar resume. I suppose we are lucky.

Hello lv2learn, I was accepted into the OSU FNP program as well. It looks like I will be beginning with you in the Fall!

Hello, I am probably not the best person to answer your question, but I was intrigued by your background. I was a nurse aide before becoming an LPN, and finally, an RN. I just gained acceptance into Ohio State's FNP program. So, if anything, I respect the climb you've got ahead of you! There are a myriad of Pros and Cons with regard to becoming a practitioner. Things to think about include what area you are going to practice in (specialty and location), your motivations toward becoming a mid-level, and what path are you going to take to get there. In Southern Ohio where I live, NPs and PAs have a considerable amount of work. This is because the rural areas have seen a shortage in primary and community-based specialty care. In the cities, teaching hospitals have had to cut resident/intern physicians' hours in half over the last few years. It is much cheaper for those hospitals to hire a few NPs, rather than hire a couple of attendings to cover the shortage. The problem with this is that you run into salaried NPs and PAs working 50+ hour weeks. The shame of becoming an NP is that nursing is such a broad field. We are everywhere and we can do anything as RNs. Unlike PAs, many of the NP specialties curtail you to working with a certain age-group (PNP, ANP) or in a certain setting (ACNP). So you have to think long and hard about what you want to do as a practitioner. The benefits can range from a higher pay, more respect, a widened scope of practice, etc. The cons may mean that you could conceivably make the same amount of money per hour with a greater amount of responsibility. Certain states have very restrictive nurse practice acts which limit the NPs in their practices. I could go on, but the main idea is that you must do a lot of research and have plenty of forethought in making this leap. I wish you the absolute best of luck!