Starting Masters right out of nursing school?

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I have a friend who graduated Nursing School in May. She is working during the summer on a pediatrics floor. In the fall, she is set to start her Masters to become a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care. Her focus is on Hematology/Oncology. I didn't have a chance to ask her where she wants to work once she graduates from the Masters. I am guessing that it would be in a pediatric outpatient cancer clinic.

I want to be a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner but work on a general Med Surg floor, as a hospitalist PNP. Is there anyone else who wants to do something like this, and if so, how are you going about planning which school and program is best? I have been searching for schools that accept students in the Fall if they graduated the Spring of the same year, and I have found a few. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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I'm hoping to get my Masters too, although I am just now starting off in LPN school. :) My plan is LPN -> ADN -> online RN to BSN w/ the college I want my MSN at (so that I can take my time with it and do their part time course) then -> MSN. As far as the exact program, I'm still kind of up in the air as I want to get some real world experience before deciding. I've considered everything from Family Nurse Practitioner to Psych Nurse Practitioner to Nurse Educator.

I will say though that what I really like is how easily I can move within my company and how supportive they are of further education. After I've been there a bit longer I'll be eligible for a program where I can work part time and get paid for full time PLUS get money towards tuition and books. Granted I would have to work for them after but I really like the place that I work.

I'm not sure if that answered your question :) I am definitely planning on going "all the way" straight out of the gate. I just wanted a few pay raises along the way (hence the LPN then RN certs accelerated before my 4 yr investment towards my Masters)

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Specializes in 5th Semester - Graduation Dec '09!.

I can tell you that I will be finishing my BSN in a little over 1 year, and I am already thinking about graduate school. The way that the economy is going, I am thinking ahead.

My University no longer offers a Master level NP, but rather a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. They say by 2015 they this degree will take the place of Nurse Practitioners. It's a 4 year doctorate rather than a 2 year masters degree. At my university It's offered online, so I can even move and work full-time while I get my degree. The idea is that I can work on school when I have time.

Anyways, I am looking at the Adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner certificate. Figure that there are quite a few options (ie: ED, ICU/CCU, or a regular floor).

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I finish my basic nursing program on August 30th and start my master's classes September 24th. But that is the way my program is set up. It is a direct entry to master's for individuals with previous bachelors in other fields. Wish me luck.:specs:

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I finish my basic nursing program on August 30th and start my master's classes September 24th. But that is the way my program is set up. It is a direct entry to master's for individuals with previous bachelors in other fields. Wish me luck.:specs:

Hey, is your program online? That's awesome for the direct entry. I will be getting my ADN, but also a Regents BA. I am willing to take the few extra classes I need to get my BSN, however it would be even better to go straight to the masters. I guess I need to check around more to see what my options are. I'm just starting to research going further up the ladder! =) Good Luck to you!

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

I'm going RN-MSN for education....

Figure it's easier to go right to the MSN than stop inbetween...and spend all that money without getting my overall goal...

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

I AM SO PROUD OF ALL OF YOU!!!! :yeah:

If you promise not to tell anyone else, I'll let you in on a little secret....I think you'll find that grad school is a LOT easier than getting your BSN. You are focused on the area(s) you are really interested in - and it is a lot quicker - only about 36 semester hours for most programs.

One caveat - for those of you who want to assume an advanced practice role in an acute care setting. As the economy worsens, there will be increasing physician resistance to (ahem) any erosion of their incomes. There will be very few hospital-based jobs that NP-level salaries. I'm not passing any moral judgement - I'd probably feel the same way if I was a phs. Things are tough out here in the trenches and getting tougher because of ridiculous changes in healthcare reimbursement as well as the all-encompassing economic meltdown we're in.

Currently, most hospitals already have facility-specific "credentialing" processes that enable expert staff nurses to carry out medically delegated tasks such as arterial punctures, Dc-ing PA catheters, etc. They aren't going to pay more money for something that is already being done.

If you want an advanced degree but with non-academic salary levels (a living wage), you may want to look at the clinical specialist, nurse educator or nurse administrator roles. These roles are more in tune with the normal heirarchy - and aren't seen as threatening by physicians.

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