Why I Will Never Regret Getting My BSN First

[thocat1989]

I just wanted to share my experience in choosing to do an accelerated BSN program versus a BSN straight to Masters program (or as some people call it direct entry to practice BS/MS).

I had the option of going to Columbia and MGH and being done in approximately 2 1/2 years, graduating with my NP/ Masters in Nursing and becoming a Psychiatric NP. See, the thing is if you apply to these programs that lead straight into a Masters degree you will have to pick a specialty to go into when you apply. Having known that I chose to pick psych because that was what I loved at the time. I volunteered at hospitals and was able to see a wide range of floors inducing geriatric, psych, neonatal, and med-surg. I also worked at a facility for mentally disabled children and thought that this was what I wanted to do. As stated above, I was accepted into those two direct entry programs, but at the same time I was accepted into U of R's accelerated BSN program. I chose the latter and will never ever regret doing this. In fact, I love and stand by my decision so much that I wanted to share my experience with you all so that I may help open some eyes and help those with the decision to make the best one for themselves. Now, I am not saying that you shouldn't do a direct entry program. Some people that I know that have done one love it and love what they do now, but for me I will never ever regret decision not to go to them and to instead get my bachelors first and practice nursing/ being an RN before going back to school.

The reason why I love the decision I made, although it was a tough one and I doubted my decision constantly over the year, was because of the value that being a RN has given me. Without going through clinicals and getting to experience every field of nursing I would never have seen that I love something even more than I loved psych. Now, if I had done the direct entry program and discovered I had loved something else changing over would have been tougher because they admit you based on the specialty that you chose and they may not have an opening somewhere else. Also, going through the clinicals showed me how difficult being a nurse can really be, but it also taught me how rewarding the job can be as well. I am now working in the OR, something very different from psych nursing. Being able to get my BSN in nursing and then go out and practice helped me a lot because now I know for sure that I love where I am and what I am doing. Sure I would have loved being a psych NP, but being an RN first and practicing my nursing skills are values/ experience that I could never get in a classroom or in our hours of clinicals. I have to say that actually practicing as an RN not only will make me a better NP (if I choose to go that route), but will help me understand things better because I would have had the experience as a staff RN that I wouldn't have had otherwise if I went through the direct entry program. The knowledge you gain as a practicing RN can not replace anything that you can learn in school.

I hope this has helped some of you make the hard decision to either go the direct entry route or practice as an RN first after obtaining your BSN.