eviewi

Hiya! I'm looking at applying to some DNP programs (Washington state requires DNP for nurse practitioner license), and I'm trying to decide between the Family Nurse Practitioner and the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner programs. I work in a hospital setting with adult patients and have not worked with children. I'm thinking that the AGNP might be a better fit for me but I'm reluctant to limit myself to only that population. On the other hand, it looks like the AGNP programs might be less competitive (read: easier to get into). The other decision point involves the question of acute care vs primary care. I haven't worked in primary care, which makes me wonder if it might not be a good fit for me. On the other hand, there are not as many programs focused on acute care, and I'm not sure I want to work in acute care for the rest of my career. :-) What do you think?

I'm 53 and will be starting an ADN program this fall. My five-year plan includes finishing the ADN, then an RN-to-BSN, and then if I'm not totally sick and tired of school, I want to complete an MPH. Or maybe an ARNP. I figure by the time I finish the ADN I will know where my true passion lies. So I'll be 58 when I finish my terminal degree (if I'm lucky and don't take time off). Is that crazy? Eh. All I know is that I want to do meaningful work, and if I get 10 years of work-life out of this program then it'll be worth it to me. Thank you all for sharing your comments and experiences! It's very encouraging and informative to read. :-)