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Discussion

Second Guessing MSN

I am now having second thoughts about going directly for my MSN. I recently graduated a AS degree program and passed the NCLEX. I have a previous bachelors degree in Psychology. Silly me thought that I could just go and get an MSN since I already have a bachelors! It has been crazy looking at programs. I should not be lumped into a course projection with those that just have an associates, nor should it take 1 year and half to get a second bachelors degree. I applied to Walden and Western Governors RN to MSN programs. It really bugged me in talking to them that they do not have a program for RNs with a second bachelors, but their programs seemed interesting. I finally found that I can enter Excelsior and go directly for my MSN and applied there, but now I am second guessing the MSN. Here in the Northeast it seems that everyone wants a BSN for hiring purposes. I eventually want to teach and I even saw a job posting for a nursing instructor that required a BSN and MSN. Totally crazy to me, an msn in education is an msn education! I am also wondering if I will be hindered around here if I want to change jobs on my way to MSN and no one will look at me because I do not have a BSN. I am now looking into cheap and fast BSN programs, but again they keep ******* me off on the amount of time and classes they tell me I will need. Hell, if I didn't need to go evenings to get my RN in the associates route I could have done an accelerated second degree BSN in a year, and yet almost none of these BSN programs seem to get me out in that time. It makes absolutely no sense. This whole snobbery about having a BSN is better than having a Bachelor's in something else and being an RN is just ridiculous. I could go to law school without majoring in law! OK maybe if my degree was in drama you might have a case, but a degree in psych gives me statistics, several research courses and the same gen eds that nurses take at my undergraduate school. Not to mention whatever your degree we all take the same NCLEX! I am now under the impression that nursing education is in need of a complete overhaul. I am also realizing that the profession does not really value my education and is hung up on titles and that I can't fight city hall and win...so, I am seriously thinking of getting a second bachelor's before my MSN. Yes it is gonna cost me in time and money, but I am so frustrated. There does not seem to be a rational and logical path for me. I am very interested in your thoughts in a BSN program that as far as I am concerned should be only missing nursing courses!

Or.. an MSN program that is going give me a BSN and MSN, but is not going to take forever.

Totally disgusted in Massachusetts!

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    Look at Jacksonville State University. I did the RN-BSN program totally online (never went to campus) and completed it in 3 semesters, no clinicals either. I loved the school/professors. I highly recommend it!!! I am now in a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Program. You can PM me if you have any questions.

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    Try chamberlain college you can finish in a few months if you already have most of the basic classes.

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    To the OP, I am a Excelsior College student....I just wanted you to know that when you graduate from the MSN program you will actually receive both a BSN and a MSN! So problem solved!:yeah:

    Melody

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    you and i have similar situations. i have previous bachelors and had an associate in nursing....i just finished my bsn at texas tech:yeah:, 2 semesters and $7400 for the program. i could have done a rn to msn however i am glad i choose to complete my bsn first for several reasons. one while completing my np i am more marketable with a bsn (i think ...lol) but also the courses somewhat prepped me for the higher level classes i will have to take in my msn program. i was able to take a graduate level course at tech so i have seen what these grad level courses entail. i know you will have to take some of the bsn courses when you bridge in a rn to msn program but for me i feel like i got a good basic foundation to build upon. some of the classes i had to take like theory and research i felt like where a waste of time ...but in every msn program i have researched, they all include a grad level research and theory course... now i feel like i can successfully complete a msn whereas before without a bsn i may have struggled. now this is just my own personal opinion. many people take and successfully conquer a rn to msn program but for me i had to take each level....good luck to ya

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    • Author

    Thanks Melody, are you in their direct MSN program or their RN to MSN program? I couldn't find any info that you got a BSN if you entered their MSN program with a Bachelors in another field.

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    Remember you are working within a hiring system, aka human resources, that has very traditional ideas about what it takes to be a "qualified" nurse. Human resource employees typically have business or health care admin degrees and do not really know anything about nursing.

    Most resumes are filtered through computer systems that will not advance your resume if the right "tags" are not in your application, e.g. BSN, MSN, certification, etc. No one even reads your application or resume until it makes it through the filters! Outrageous, but this is how it has been done for at least the last 5 years at most health care organizations, local and federal government, and university/teaching jobs.

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    pls kimberly where is ur school located. wat state I am looking for a pediatric nurse practicioner program to attend in massachusetts or delaware area and is hard to find one. thanx. If is online it will be perfect for me but is hard to find a pediatric nurse practicioner program online

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    Hi KimberRN !

    pls kimberly where is ur school located. wat state I am looking for a pediatric nurse practicioner program to attend in massachusetts or delaware area and is hard to find one. thanx. If is online it will be perfect for me but is hard to find a pediatric nurse practicioner program online

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    Hi KimberRN !

    pls kimberly where is ur school located. wat state I am looking for a pediatric nurse practicioner program to attend in massachusetts or delaware area and is hard to find one. thanx. If is online it will be perfect for me but is hard to find a pediatric nurse practicioner program online

    I attend the University of South Alabama. The PNP program is completely online and only requires 1 visit to the campus for clinical orientation. www.southalabama.edu/nursing/

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    I was just looking at bridge programs for myself for associates to MSN, and I stumbled across some info on U Penn's website. There is pretty limited info from what I could tell, but they did list a separate program for people with a second bachelors going to MSN. I didn't get into details (because that's not what I was really looking for) but they did specify between the two programs. Hope this helps!

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