Julie_0507

Hi everyone, I'm currently in an ADN program but my background is in psychology, in which I have a BA. Given my non-nursing baccalaureate degree, what would be a good path for me to take to become a PMHNP? Any suggestions welcomed and appreciated!

Then can I just go straight into a Ph.D. program given I have a BA in another field (and I will have an ADN)? That would be the best for me, I think. I am ready for graduate school. I haven't seen any programs like that. It seems like they always stress having a BSN at least. If that's possible, what are your thoughts about going straight into a doctoral program immediately after completing my ADN?

PMFB-RN: These are helpful comments. Which do you think would be faster given I have a BA in another field: BSN-->Doctorate or MSN-->Doctorate. I'm using "doctorate" because I may actually want to get a Ph.D. rather than a DNP; I've been looking into becoming a research nurse. I also have to think about cost. I've heard that RN-MSN programs are often more expensive than BSN-MSN programs.

are_you_a_llama: You're right about the RN-BSN route. I looked into a program that's offered at a college nearby and the only required class that I don't have is Nutrition, which I could probably pick up while I'm in the ADN program. Other than that it's all just nursing courses. Would be an extra ~$7k for me. Not sure if I should do that or just go into an accelerated MSN program, like akanini suggested. Decisions, decisions!

med-stallion: I've considered becoming an NP but I'm not sure that's what I want to do. I'm aware I would have to get a DNP to become an NP, to become any APRN for that matter. I'm just not sure. I think I would be more comfortable with research. I would need a Ph.D. to go all the way to the top with that. And you can get a MSN without having a BSN, without having a Bachelor's of any kind actually. These programs are usually expensive and do not necessarily award the BSN along the way. I am considering a BSN. I am young (24) and will probably work for a bit in an ICU as an RN before doing something more advanced. I need a paycheck; I have a 10 month old baby. I just didn't know if after I get my ADN if I should go for the BSN and then Ph.D./DNP (without getting the MSN) or if I should go straight to the MSN and then Ph.D./DNP. It's starting to look like I should get the BSN to best maximize my opportunities. Akanini: I'm like you. I'm limited on funds. I'm approaching the limit on my undergraduate federal loans so I'm hesitant to take out more money for a BSN. I'm looking into scholarships. There's a college nearby that wouldn't be too much more to get a BSN. It's online, too, so I could work while getting it. I definitely don't want limited opportunities and I know how the BSN is becoming the minimum requirement for RNs. I checked out EC and I could see it working for me. If I could do that and go straight into a Ph.D. program for research I think that would be the quickest route. By the way, what exactly is informatics? Is it kind of like computer science? If so, I might be interested.

Great job! My weakest area was A+P. I didn't even know it was going to be on the test! I've heard that if colleges require prior HS science courses then those will be on the HESI Entrance exam. Well, my school didn't require a HS A+P course so I didn't think it was going to be on there. I was wrong! It was on there and I got a 78% in that section. The only thing that saved me was there were a lot of questions about the brain and I know a lot about that because I have a degree in psychology (with a biological-focused perspective) from a different college. So for everyone studying for the HESI entrance exam and who know that A+P will be on there I recommend studying the brain and the heart. Those were the majority of the questions on my exam. For the brain it was a lot of knowing the corresponding function to a given brain region (sometimes general [like the frontal lobe] and sometimes a little more specific [like the hypothalamus]). The heart is what tripped me up because I had never had A+P, so definitely know blood flow and the different valves/atria and how all that works.

Akanini: That's great! That sounds like something I could do. What's your concentration? I see there's informatics, education, and clinical systems management. I guess I have a while to think about it and research it, but I am really leaning towards becoming a research nurse, at the Ph.D. level. I think I will have to get a BSN to pursue that.

Thanks for the responses, everyone. I've been MIA, I know. I've been finishing up my first semester of nursing school. It was rough but I made it. I appreciate everyone's responses. I've realized these are difficult decisions for us all.

cocoisis: I'm not sure if a BSN is absolutely necessary. I have the same question. It seems like it wouldn't be if you get a MSN. But I've seen quite a few MSN programs that award the BSN upon completion of its requirements. You might want to look into those. I will be doing that as well. In any case if you already have a BS it should be rather quick to get the BSN since you probably have a lot of the requirements done. I'm thinking about becoming a nurse researcher. I think that's what I would really enjoy. As an undergrad in psychology I conducted quite a few small experiments and then my senior year I conducted a large experiment from scratch, so I am pretty comfortable with the research process. I don't think being a nurse researcher involves directly writing the research papers (which would be okay because they are so tedious; I could totally live without them). But I think the idea of being involved in the process of discovering cutting-edge techniques sounds pretty awesome. How to go about it though? At the same time a psychiatric NP sounds like an interesting career and good fit for me, based on my background. Of course I would have to get a DNP. I'm a planner, as well, which is why when things don't go as planned I feel like the ground has opened up beneath my feet--or that I'm lost in a deep, dark forest. Analogies aside, I wish that I could just figure it out

I've read that a lot of nursing graduate schools do not require the GRE. I wouldn't be against taking it though. I should have already taken it. I was planning to go to grad school for psychology, until I found out I was pregnant :) I will consider getting a BSN though. It would probably broaden my career and grad school opportunities. Not all grad schools have accelerated MSN programs, unfortunately.

So_good124: I agree. The tuition is crazy for some accelerated programs. I'm fortunate to live close by a college that offers the ADN at a reasonable price. I really don't have the resources to relocate right now. And a college that's about an hour away that offers an accelerated BSN requires prerequisites that I don't have. Funny you mention TX. I've been looking into schools there but it might be a no-go because my husband is against moving there. He'd rather live in AZ or CA but I'm not so sure. I've heard the cost of living is outrageous in CA.

Hi everyone, I've been researching advice on my specific situation for quite a while, mostly by looking up related posts on allnurses.com, but I haven't quite settled on an answer to my question. I know there are several threads on my topic but I am really looking for a response that is tailored to my situation. So it turns out that I spent a lot of time and money getting a BA in psychology, got pregnant, had a baby, and realized I don't have the time or money to go to graduate school to get an advanced psychology degree that is nowadays a prerequisite to get a psychology-related job. So I felt I needed a career change fast and found that getting an associates degree in nursing would allow me to work in about 2 years. So here I am, in an ADN program, doing very well and enjoying the profession (the important part), and wondering what my next move should be. In any case I plan to work as an RN first, earn money, and get some experience. I live in SE Ohio so ADN-prepared RNs are still being hired. But what should I do after that? Should I get a BSN so I can move elsewhere? I really don't want to live in SE Ohio for the rest of my life. Is it necessary to get another Bacherlor's degree? What would be the advantages/disadvantages of getting a BSN before the MSN/DNP? Or should I go for an accelerated MSN program? I've seen ones that award the BSN along the way, although some do not. What are the advantages/disadvantages of getting a MSN and skipping the BSN (if I can't get it along the way)? My ultimate goal is to have some kind of advanced position in nursing. Maybe something administrative? I wouldn't say no to research either. I'm also not sure if I want to stop at the MSN. I might want to go for the DNP. I'm not sure what's the difference between the two degrees in terms of career opportunity. Can anyone speak from a similar experience? And can anyone give advice on which advanced nursing career path to choose? I realize you have to know what career you want before you decide on a degree. I'm just trying to get ideas! Thanks for the help in advance!