Too soon for MSN?

Conqueror+, BSN, RN · Oct 5, 2009

Do what you feel is best but be careful. You don't want to wait so long that you become comfortable on your current level and don't continue your education.

JSBoston · Oct 6, 2009

I've noticed many schools want 1-2 years of experience. Why don't you continue what you are doing, research schools, prepare for entrance exams and also become certified in your area... that will also help your school application, and I believe you need at least a year of full time work.

elkpark · Oct 6, 2009

I personally believe that it's important to have worked long enough to become fairly familiar with the larger world of nursing and where you really want your career to go. Most people aren't even aware of how wide a range of career possibilities there are within nursing until they've been in it for a while. Most MSNs lock you into a specific role and career path, and you don't have the kind of flexibility and options at the Master's level that a generalist (basic licensure) nurse does. I've known a number of people (and I'm sure the few I've known personally aren't the only ones in this situation! :)) who rushed into graduate school because they knew they wanted "a" graduate degree, or entered nursing through an MSN direct entry program, only to find out after the fact that they didn't like doing what their degree had prepared them to do. Now, they're stuck with a degree (and the student loans to pay for it!) and career path they don't want, and are looking at going back to school to prepare to do something else.

Any MSN you take is going to require you to invest a great deal of time, effort, and $$$. I think it's smart to put in the time and effort up front to figure out clearly and in detail where you want your career to go, and then figure out what degree you need to get you there. There's no rush -- better to take the time to do it right. Best wishes!

Kindhearted · Oct 15, 2009

I agree with both comments mentioned eariler. It is wise to first get familar with nursing in general and continue to look into programs along the way. You may decide that what you orginially thought to be your plan has changed in a year or so. Talk to someone that is in the program that you would like to enter into in the future to get their take on the program. Initially, I thought coming out of nursing school that the NP program would eventually be my next move some years later but I actually received my MSN in Nursing Administration (didn't see that coming). My experience on the floor naturally placed me in the role of a nursing leader which ultimately changed my plans for what path I took in pursuit of a graduate degree. Good luck to you.

UVA Grad Nursing · Oct 15, 2009

I agree with many of the comments below. You need as much experience as it takes to determine what specialty you want to follow (passion + a desire to learn more). For some people, this takes months; for other a decade.

Graduate school will take time, money, some stress, and maybe a grey hair or two. I believe that it is better to do this sooner in your life rather than later. Trust me, graduate school is so much easier w/o worrying about mortgage and babies!

In nearly every other discipline, individuals pursue graduate degrees soon after competing undergraduate prorgams. The mean age of students in law, PhD programs in the sciences or humanities, or MD programs are in the mid-20s. Sometimes nursing is its worst enemy by insisting that RNs wait a decade or so before going for a MSN degree.

At my university, we will enroll parttime MSN students 6 months after NCLEX. The initial classes for everyone are the core classes: theory, research, health policy, epidemiology, patho. You do not need years of practice under your belt to take a course in evidence-based practice and research. Another good point for starting parttime is that your brain is still "wired" for being a student. Writing a 10 page paper is no sweat for someone fresh out of their BSN program; it is much tougher for someone who has been out of the college environment for 10 years or so.

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 15, 2009

I agree with the posts above. While it is not too soon to be investigating and maybe taking a few core (general) classes ... it's best to get at least a year or two of experience before committing yourself to specific specialty.

You need to explore all your options first ... AND ... you need to get to know yourself as a nurse before you can make a good decisions. A lot of people think they will like (and be good at) a certain advanced role only to discover later that it is not as good as a fit for them than they thought it was. I was one of those people -- but fortunately, I went to an MSN program (after 2 years as a staff nurse) in which I was able to switch my major half-way through without costing me much. I discovered that my first major was not the right fit for me. Graduate school is a big investment. Yes, do it while you are in a position to do the work and get it done -- but don't rush into a big committment without first doing a lot investigation first.

I also suggest you "try out" a few advanced functions and do some networking before finalizing your choice. Getting some practical experience as a preceptor, charge nurse, unit committee member, etc. will give you a chance to develop some leadership skills that are essential for success in any advanced role. That experience will also put you in contact with nurses who can give you some feedback on your professional strengths and weaknesses -- and who can be resources for information about local programs, career opportunities, job market for various advanced roles, etc. You'll meet people who can help you in all kinds of ways while you develop advanced skills and add to your qualifications. Such activities are a good investment of your time and enegry in this early stage of your career. You'll learn a lot and make useful contacts.

Good luck!

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 15, 2009

... now working in a Peds ICU since March. I really would like to start looking to go back to school, possibly for a PNP or master's in forensic nursing
After making my previous post, I thought of this question/issue for you to consider... The world of a PICU and the world of a PNP are totally different. One is focused on critical care ... and the other is usually focused on ambulatory care. If your interest as a new grad was more towards critical care, what makes you think you would like ambulatory care? If you like the ICU environment, you might not be sufficiently stimulated doing ambulatory care.
That's an example of an issue that you need to work through before you make a committment. I've known a lot of people to make the mistake of not considering that type of issue before making the big investment in grad school -- and regret it.

tmarie75 · Oct 21, 2009

i think the other people who have posted on this forum have given you some sage advice. i understand where you're coming from. i, too, was in a similar position, and started an msn program 6 months after receiving my rn license. needless to say, i wasn't as ready as i thought i was to start this program. i soon realized the program wasn't right for me, and my interests and focus had changed. long story short, i am graduating with my mph in december, but i also started pursuing another msn this semester. this time, the msn program is the right fit. my advice is to give it a little time to explore your interests and find out more about yourself as a nurse. however, you are the expert on you, and if you are certain that you know what you want to do, then go for it!! i wish you all the the best!