RN or DNP?

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Should I try to be a RN with a ICU or emergency room job, or should I try to be a family nurse practitioner or psychiatric NP? ICU nurses make a good penny, but have high responsibility.

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Specializes in school nurse.

Try to be a nurse before you think about being an advanced practice nurse. Also, think about being accepted into school, graduating and passing the boards before choosing a specialty.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

How could we possibly have an opinion on that? We don't know you, and you've given us no clues at all as to your aptitude, interests or goals.

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Specializes in School Nurse, past Med Surge.

ALL nurses have high responsibility. And if money is the driving force in your decision, rethink your chosen career path.

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I'm not even sure you can get your DNP without being an RN...........

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Money is not the main purpose it is a bonuses. Which is why I asked regarding the roles. I typed in a previous question I would prefer patient care. There is a reason I prefer ICU or ER nursing.

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What do you think

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

**removed paragraph -- I misread something.**

I agree with Jednurse and roser13 -- if you decide on nursing, cross the nursing school bridge first.

ED or ICU bedside are very different than psych NP...heck very different from each other.

Psych NPs have extreme responsibility, too, BTW. Severe mental illness can destroy lives, and you would be who these people depend on to keep well.

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Specializes in Assistant Professor, Nephrology, Internal Medicine.

Agreed with the above, take one step at a time. I thought about jumping right into APN practice. Retrospectively it would've been an unwise choice. Cross one bridge at a time.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Moved to the Pre-Nursing Student forum.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

Put one foot in front of the other. Get your pre reqs done, apply to nursing school, finish nursing school, take your NCLEX & get a nursing job.

You can't become a DNP without becoming an RN first. So clear that hurdle first.

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your cart is very very far in front of your horse! right now you aren't supposed to be narrowing down anything so specific as a specialty and an advanced practice degree when you haven't yet gotten into nursing school! you might change your mind several times before you graduate even if you think you have it nailed down right now to what you want to do. it's really honestly too soon to consider anything further than getting into school and graduating.

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