Entered MSN as a practicing RN (did my BSN right out of high school) after 20 years in practice. Definitely a little older than the typical student (late 30s/early 40s) took anywhere from 6-9 credits per semester, worked full time, 2 very busy kiddos at home, multiple school committees, wife, daughter to aging parents AND managed to stay sane through it all.
Yes it was TOUGH. I am in my last couple semesters right now. I did my MSN in a non-FNP track and am now doing the post master certificate for NP. I will sit for my boards this winter. I have grown accustomed to being so busy that when I have free time I don't know what to do with it. BUT...It is supposed to be hard. after all, we are preparing to become providers. My school expects you to have a pretty strong knowledge base of general medical issues, and the curriculum moved FAST. The reading was absolutely required, not like undergrad where you could peruse the pages. You actually had to read, absorb and be prepared to answer just about anything.
If I had it to do again I would make sure I was in a seriously good financial spot so I could either go per diem or just not work. That would have made it a little easier. For me, I generally was doing school stuff at least 20 hours per week, that included studying, being in class or doing assignments. Once the FNP clinical started, add another 25 hours a week for travel and being at clinical....and yes, I'm still working full time with all of that........
