Becoming an NP with little to no nursing experience??

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Hello to all!!! I have worked as a parmamedic for 20 years, have a B.A. in Economics, and I wanted to advance my career in healthcare. I was originally looking to pursue the PA route, but for certain practical reasons (including my union not helping to pay for it) I have been looking at other options, nursing/NP.

I was very excited to learn of a school near me that has a combined BSN/NP program for people with non-nursing bachelor degrees. I was about to start looking deeper into this program when a good friend of mine who is a member of an interview committee at a nearby hospital told me that I shouldn't do the program because I would have trouble getting a job.

The reason stated was because I wouldn't have been seen as having "paid my dues" as a nurse first.

Is this true?

I could understand why someone might feel that way about someone who went through this type of program never having worked in healthcare before. However, I like to think that to a certain degree I've paid my dues (I know it isn't nursing, but from a time in healthcare perspective).

My friend did say that I might be considered an exception to that rule. The program is at a VERY well known school and I was told by my friend even then it wouldn't matter. I was wondering what people here thought regarding this topic.

Thank you for any guidance you can provide.

I still believe the skills you gained will rust and I doubt your time would apply towards recertification as an NP...

I highly recommend you look at the AANP and the ANCC recertification requirements..

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I still believe the skills you gained will rust and I doubt your time would apply towards recertification as an NP...

I highly recommend you look at the AANP and the ANCC recertification requirements..

You're right, RN experience doesn't count towards NP recertification hours. A NP must work a certain amount of hours IN THEIR SPECIALTY to recertify. I know someone who was audited recently when she tried to recertify - she had to "prove" her practice hours.

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Specializes in FNP-C.

I got this off of the AANP website:

http://www.aanp.org/Certification/Recertification/Qualifications.htm

Does this mean that I need minimum 1,000 hours of clinical practice and 75 hours of CME during the 5 year period? In that case, since I'll just be working as a RN for about two years in the Air Force, am I considered "safe" in terms of re-certification so I won't have to retake the certification exam?

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It will be 2 years (+): You have to go through a recruiter, submit your package, have that package accepted, get a COT date and get into the Air Force.... Once in will the Air Force let you transition as quick as you think you must remember needs of the service. There is a lot of ifs....

Technically safe per the minimum requirements. How do you believe your clinical skills will be to go from practicing as an RN one day to practicing as an NP the next? This all two (+) years after going to NP school. Ask yourself would you want to be that patient?

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I got this off of the AANP website:

http://www.aanp.org/Certification/Recertification/Qualifications.htm

Does this mean that I need minimum 1,000 hours of clinical practice and 75 hours of CME during the 5 year period? In that case, since I'll just be working as a RN for about two years in the Air Force, am I considered "safe" in terms of re-certification so I won't have to retake the certification exam?

As long as you're working fulltime, you'll have no problem reaching the 1,000 hour mark. Plus, retaking the exam isn't that bad - this isn't exactly rocket science.

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Hey sorry, what I meant to say was, I'm going to use a checklist provided by the faculty, to see if they're following the checklist step by step. Then they'll perform their skills according to the checklist in front of an instructor to be evaluated. I'm not going to actually "teach" them myself on nursing skills. If they have questions, they'll ask the instructors or other nursing faculty who had so many years of experience, in the learning lab. I will be bringing supplies into the room from the supply room, making sure people aren't fooling around, make sure the undergrads aren't missing a step on their checklist before they're evaluated, and help the faculty set up scenarios (putting mannequins on the beds with a leg wound, etc). I will NOT be doing ANY teaching because of liabilities from what I've been told. I just started orientation on this grad assistantship so i'm not very clear on what I would be able to do with the students in the skills learning lab. Probably limited though. However, I believe it may be good for me to be around them to refresh my memory on things.

In the simulation lab, I will only be running the electronic mannequins and the scenarios according to what the faculty wanted. In the simulation lab, basically I'll: restock, move around props, create a environment according to the scenario, work with the Sim man Program on the computer to run it, and make voices through the microphone acting like a patient. Very technical stuff, no teaching at all.

I don't see how this provides any meaningful nursing experience. The important experience you get in practicing bedside nursing is dealing with a wide variety of situation with real people, responding, assessing, making decisions about interventions, dealing with emergencies, etc., etc. -- not repeating a set number of skills over and over again in a controlled, lab situation.

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Specializes in FNP-C.

Hehe Ill continue on this path I'm going through. I will continue the FNP program and finish it in two years. At the same time, since the graduate assistantship hires on a yearly contract like basis, if I don't get hired next year, I will find a job as a RN. If I get the air force healthcare scholarship, then I would pretty much already be in the air force because then I would be obligated to serve.

I wouldn't mind doing more RN work while in the air force and if I must, I will retake the certification exam for FNP. Because what I wanted to do was work part time as RN and part time as a FNP for a while after school, which I doubt the air force would let me do. So that's why I wanted to go into the reserves as part time after my active duty service commitment of about 6 years. So I would be able to work both positions part-time as a staff RN and FNP and after so many years, I'll just work as a FNP. Don't get me wrong, I'm not planning to shun out the bedside nursing experience, cuz I know how important it is to experience that as a nurse. I know many APRN's who are working as partime as NP's and staff RNs. Some are working fulltime as a NP and part time as a staff RN. I guess there are many possibilities to gain the crucial experience needed as a bedside nurse.

Any thoughts on this? :) you guys are sure making me think and I thank you guys or telling me about the recertification process which is good to know right now.

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Some universities are offering a MSN, clinical nurse leader program where you get your RN with a masters. It is specifically designed for those with a Bachelor's that is non-nursing. This would be a great option for you.

http://www.nursing.uiowa.edu/academic_programs/graduate/mnhp/index.htm

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I hope people are still answering this topic... my question is basically related to this one, although not exactly the same. I'm looking at one of the DE-NP programs where I could become a psych NP in an accelerated 3-4 year program (I already have a masters' degree in social work.) I would be happy to work as an RN for awhile at first after graduation if necessary; the thing is that I know exactly what I want to do (work with the severely and persistently mentally ill population). I'm not really interested in anything else (I've worked with this population as an MSW), and I just want to know that this is where I'm headed the entire time rather than sort of starting out as a general RN. Does this sound like a good way to specialize in the psych area from the very beginning? All opinions welcome! :)

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Specializes in Mental Health RN now a FNP.

I am a graduate of a Bridge NP program. I was a teacher and decided to go back to school and become a FNP. I went to a program at in Nashville. I graduted in August and started practicing as a FNP in October in Virginia. The job market was slim in this area for NPs because of the PA programs in this area...but I did have 2 job offers.

I had a hard time of finding a job as a RN because I had an advanced degree. I worked as a RN while I was finishing up school, but it was in Mental health. I feel like my schooling prepared me well for the workplace, but I still feel like a fish out of water...it is only my 2nd week and I realize that I have A LOT to learn!

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I am a graduate of a Bridge NP program. I was a teacher and decided to go back to school and become a FNP. I went to a program at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. I graduted in August and started practicing as a FNP in October in Virginia. The job market was slim in this area for NPs because of the PA programs in this area...but I did have 2 job offers.

I had a hard time of finding a job as a RN because I had an advanced degree. I worked as a RN while I was finishing up school, but it was in Mental health. I feel like my schooling prepared me well for the workplace, but I still feel like a fish out of water...it is only my 2nd week and I realize that I have A LOT to learn!

I can appreciate what you're talking about and it does make sense. But it just seems like there has to be SOMETHING reasonable about the idea of starting at a more advanced level than a high school graduate would, and of getting some kind of credit for the fact that you already have an advanced degree in a related field and many years of work experience in teaching! It still seems to me that there should be a way of maybe working as an RN for awhile halfway through the entire NP program and then completing it so that we do have the RN work experience, but we always know where we're headed?

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. I was very excited to learn of a school near me that has a combined BSN/NP program for people with non-nursing bachelor degrees. I was about to start looking deeper into this program when a good friend of mine who is a member of an interview committee at a nearby hospital told me that I shouldn't do the program because I would have trouble getting a job. The reason stated was because I wouldn't have been seen as having "paid my dues" as a nurse first. Is this true? I

NETZER in Nashville:

I am troubled that becoming hired as an NP one must have first paid some 'dues' as an RN. This was nowhere in our study. hahaha. Well, I have to say as a recent NP graduate who is also a new RN, very similar to the program you describe, though Not with your years of prior medical expereince. I can say that there is are unspoken 'dues' to be paid, which has been spoken on a few occasians off the record with various charge nurses around Nashville. Hopefully your experetise in the feild and your schooling and contacts from the program will easily acquire you the job you require. One of your 3 second-year preceptors might even hire you off the bat. I encourage your entry into such a program.

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