DYS NP

I think it depends on what you can afford and how quickly you want to finish your degree. I worked as a nurse part-time in my field during the nonclinical portion of my program, got some tuition reimbursement, then left my nursing job to gun through PNP clinicals. I'm older and didn't want to take 6 years to graduate, so I did it full time. I could afford not to work for that last year, but a lot of people aren't in that position. I did miss that 2k/semester of tuition from my RN employer. On the other hand, my NP salary started at 33% more than my RN salary, so it was the right choice for me. Working part-time in a networked hospital system could help you line up clinicals though, if your program requires you to find them yourself, and you'd probably have preference as an existing employee if NP positions open up at your RN site once you graduate. Lots of variables to consider, you just have to figure out what'll work best for you.

Back up your argument with objective data from glassdoor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Do a search for "Nurse Practitioner Salary GA." Many sites can be sorted by experience and/or type of practice. Good luck!

She's entering the labs, but I assume you still need to cosign? If not, you could request adding that level of control in the EMR, or limit the types of tests she can order to standard panels. Also, you might try approaching it with her as preventing financial harm to patients, a shared goal. No one wants to think their error cost a patient 1k. (I hope.) Good luck!

That's true OMH. Honestly, it's a pro or a con, since you can end up siloed in one area of practice without learning skills in other areas.

On the other hand, for most PA schools, clinical experience is recommended but not required for admission (this includes highly competitive PA programs like Yale, Cornell, BU). The undergraduate degree doesn't have to relate to health care. The 2000-hour requirement in the PA program is divided into 4- or 8-week part-time rotations across 7 practice areas plus 1 elective (8 sites). The NP requires a nursing degree (including clinicals) plus a year minimum of FT nursing experience (2000+ hours). In order to graduate, I will need 4000 RN hours in my specialty track in addition to the 500 minimum hours of NP preceptorship, half of which is with one preceptor in one clinical environment, similar to a residency. Working as an RN is a different role, but it requires intensive education, clinical judgment, responsibility, and immersion in the environment we'll eventually practice in as NPs. Given that nurse training/experience is a program requirement, it's puzzling how infrequently it's included in the equation.

Hi NurseBee, There are non-military loan repayment options also, if you're willing to work for a year or two in an underserved area. http://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/ loanrepaymentprogram https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nhsc

where are they going to get all these preceptors, short of paying them a substantial sum? >> Good question! On the plus side, at least the burden shifts from the student to the program, which may help weed out bad programs. Willingness and ability to relocate seems inevitable. Programs doesn't have to say where they'll place you. I'd expect critical shortage areas would be open to precepting in the hope students stay on. (Not a bad plan when the Nurse Corps and NHSC offer NP loan payoffs to work in such sites.)

Exactly, UMB. Again, students in a preceptor bind, make some noise to the CCNE.

CCNE 2018 update to accreditation standards, in effect Jan 1, 2019: Key Element II-B: “Programs that have a direct care focus (including but not limited to, post-licensure baccalaureate and nurse educator tracks) must provide direct care experiences designed to advance the knowledge and expertise of students in a clinical area of practice...the program is responsible for ensuring adequate physical resources and clinical sites. Clinical sites are sufficient, appropriate, and available to achieve the program’s mission, goals, and expected outcomes.”

This is NOT true. It is important to be mindful of how to locate preceptors BEFORE you actually enroll in school. >> Hi, TraumaRUS, Can you show me where you got your information? Thanks, Emma

I heard that, as of 2019, the CCNE requires MSN programs to find preceptors for students who can't find them, or that program loses accreditation. Is this correct? If so, and you're a student in a preceptor bind, make some noise to the CCNE. That should put a fire under your program. ?

NP clinical requirements apply to all students, regardless of where or how they got their RN. It's hard to see how more than 5000 hours of RN experience will make us better NPs--a different profession requiring different skills—but I’m open to hearing your argument. My concern with this view is that it implies all nursing experience is equally valuable, regardless of specialty, complexity, range, or site, and that other experience (a four-year degree is required for DE entry) has little or no value. I learned how to manage a team and to separate EB science from shite as a medical research editor. Regarding the 500 hours required by the CCNE, med-school rotations per specialty last 3 weeks to 3 months for students with (largely) no clinical experience - then they take their boards. Most of us can pass a certification exam, but the bulk of our learning, as for any career, is in actual practice. I’d argue that a post-certification NP residency would better prepare me for practice than additional years of nursing before graduate school.

I'm in my final year of the Northeastern DE program. I applied to all of the programs mentioned above, and chose NEU because it had a pedi track (my first choice, Simmons, did not)awarded a BSN after the undergrad portion (most do not)guaranteed clinical placements (HUGE)It does take the longest of the 3 programs I feel confident recommending (Simmons, BC, NEU). The PNP DE track at NEU has a 2-year RN work requirement between BSN and MSN (for FNP, it's 1 year). There's an RN work requirement during the MSN portion also, in additional to clinicals. Simmons impressed me the most during the application process but didn't have a pedi track. MGHIHP impressed me the least--unprofessional, disorganized was my take-away from the info session through the application process. I will also stress what UMBdude stressed above: Make sure the program you choose 100% guarantees NP clinical placement. It's fiercely competitive in Boston because of the number of nursing programs and limited supply of willing/qualified preceptors. You'll hear horror stories from students in other programs about getting dropped because they couldn't find preceptors. One friend had to temporarily move to the western part of the state to complete her gradual clinical requirements because she couldn't find anything within driving distance. And it's VERY stressful looking. My NP clinicals start this fall, and I've got my placements without my having to do the legwork; both are in Boston and in the area of practice I requested.

From someone in the last year of Northeastern's PNP direct-entry program: It takes 5 years to complete full-time, not including the 8 pre-reqs needed before applying (stats, micro, A&P 1&2, chem 1&2, etc). Those took an additional year and a half. The total time will be 7.5 years. The BSN portion is 15 months (avg 16 credits/semester, 4 semesters)Work as RN FT for a minimum of 2 years before you can start MSNthe MSN portion is 2 years, with an ongoing RN work requirement that alternates FT/PT (depending on how "heavy" a semester is in terms of credit hours or practicum hours)The FNP program is a year shorter (4 years). They need 1 year of RN practice experience before starting the MSN but have the same work requirement as us during the MSN portion.

NEJM Journal Watch emails weekly summaries of the latest evidence-based research, with summaries by leading practitioners in the specialties they cover. I subscribe to the pedi and gen-med newsletters. They aren’t free; the hospital I’m affiliated with pays for the subscriptions. With time limitations, I like that someone else has sifted through the dross for practice/policy updates that are important and relevant.