Which is the best path to NP for my situation?

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You guys were so helpful on my last thread (re: "Am I nuts to go for an NP at almost 40?"). I've decided to just go for it as we only live once. My follow-up question is, what is the best path to NP for my situation? My situation is:

  • I am almost 40yo,
  • I have a bachelor's degree in a non-medical field (graduated with honors),
  • single mom with 2yo and no ex to share weekends or family to help (considering moving someone into my bottom floor for free rent to trade-off with help with house and son during school),
  • would love to get through school as soon as possible since we're a one-income family while still seeing my son during nursing school.

As I look at local colleges, my head spins with the varying degree options.

  • University of Maryland just ended their MSN program for NPs in 2015 so now it's either go for a BSN or get a doctorate to be an NP. So my options here seem to be: 1. another 4-year bachelor's degree (this time in nursing) to be an RN,
    2. a CNL degree (for people with bachelor's in a non-related field) but be paying for a master's degree and still only come out as an RN (so same nursing license for more money, is what it seems -- is there any real value to a CNL since you don't get the BSN needed to move on to the NP?), or
    3. go to community college, get a nursing cert. to work as an RN, do an RN-BSN program (having employer pay for it), then go to UofMD for their doctorate program to be an NP.
  • Hopkins still offers (what appears to be a direct entry - but don't hold me to that) MSN program for NPs but it's four times the cost of University of Maryland and seems to take four years (it's late so I could be remembering that part wrong as I'm going cross-eyed with too many browser tabs open).
  • Towson offers a P.A. program (not nursing, I know, but similar role as an NP).

I'm clearly dizzy with data and lack of sleep. This isn't an exhaustive list and I might be able to write more coherently on the subject tomorrow with more sleep, but what do you suggest is the best option to get to an NP given my personal information? TYIA

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Specializes in Psychiatric and emergency nursing.

If you're absolutely certain NP is the way you want to go, have you tried looking at online programs that allow you to attend from states other than the school home state? Duke, Vanderbilt (mostly online), and the University of South Alabama (completely online except for clinical and a mandatory campus visit before beginning clinical) all offer direct-entry MSN programs for people with a BA/BS in a non-nursing field. The only requirement to these is a few pre-requisite classes such as math, some science, nutrition, etc that you must have before beginning. I know there are more schools than this, so just Google "direct entry online nursing programs." I don't have much in the way of old reliable B&M programs, as I've always been a better online learner. Hope this helps a little :)

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Specializes in ER.

Are you licensed as an RN? If you are not, PA may be the best way to go if you have met all the license requirements. However, both PA and regular RN schools are very competitive.

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PsychNP2Be2017, I've tried online in a former degree. While I graduated with top honors in-person classes, I am horrible at online. Also, how would they do clinicals online? And how would one gain hospital experience so they are able to get a job when they are done with the degree? I hadn't considered it but would if I got a thorough education that way.

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Are you licensed as an RN? If you are not, PA may be the best way to go if you have met all the license requirements. However, both PA and regular RN schools are very competitive.

applesxoranges, I am not. No nursing experience to this point, aside from tons of geriatric, psychiatric, and pediatric caretaking and some pre-nursing classes I took years ago, but a severe injury put that degree on the backburner until I could walk again (then I had a baby).

I was considering PA too. There are just far too many options.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and emergency nursing.
PsychNP2Be2017, I've tried online in a former degree. While I graduated with top honors in-person classes, I am horrible at online. Also, how would they do clinicals online? And how would one gain hospital experience so they are able to get a job when they are done with the degree? I hadn't considered it but would if I got a thorough education that way.

Clinical isn't done online, just the didactic portion. I do all of my "classwork" online, then arrange my clinical experiences in hospitals and clinics in my area

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Clinical isn't done online, just the didactic portion. I do all of my "classwork" online, then arrange my clinical experiences in hospitals and clinics in my area

Ah, that makes sense. Thank you.

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