Would you recommend going strait to DNP after BSN program

llg, PhD, RN · Dec 29, 2015

Not enough information. Would you be expecting to work in the Reserves as a nurse? If so, I don't think you would be qualified to do so without first getting some nursing experience. Would you be working as a nurse at all ... anywhere?

Going straight to DNP without ever working in health care in any capacity is sometimes possible, but not advisable for most people. However, depending on your background ... and what you would be doing while in school ... it can work. Do you have experience as a corpsman or something?

ED Nurse, RN · Dec 29, 2015

As for joining the reserves- you need at least a year, if not more, of actual nursing experience.

A Doctorate is fine, however, I've only seen doctorates of education in the nursing world thus far. If you wanted to be an NP you need an MSN. Again, many NP programs require minimum experience before applying.

llg, PhD, RN · Dec 29, 2015

As for joining the reserves- you need at least a year, if not more, of actual nursing experience.
A Doctorate is fine, however, I've only seen doctorates of education in the nursing world thus far. If you wanted to be an NP you need an MSN. Again, many NP programs require minimum experience before applying.

Your information is a little out of date. While there are still some MSN programs for NP's ... the world is moving towards the DNP for nurse practitioners -- and there are lots of us with PhD's out there, too.

ED Nurse, RN · Dec 29, 2015

Your information is a little out of date. While there are still some MSN programs for NP's ... the world is moving towards the DNP for nurse practitioners -- and there are lots of us with PhD's out there, too.

I guess my hold up with this is- what is the point of obtaining a dnp with no practical experience prior to applying. Several of the schools I looked at for my NP require two years of clinical experience- actually acute care experience. With no experience, how can you be successful in understand the dynamics needed to have a dnp or even a masters.

I think people who obtain their msn and their dnp are much better rounded with actual clinical experience as an RN. I do not think this new idea of just jumping into an advanced clinical degree foregoing real world experience is doing a disservice to your patients and those counting on you for your expertise in those clinical specialties.

That is just my opinion.

Dranger · Dec 30, 2015

I live in Los Angeles and currently there is an over saturation of new RN graduates with BSN and ADN. I was thinking of applying to become a DNP as soon as I get out of nursing school while joining the Army Reserve (hopefully reimburse some of my loans). I am a bright young man and I strongly believe the job of an NP will better fit my intellectual desires. Would this be a smart move?

The Army is pretty full on on nurses. You might be disappointed in loan reimbursement currently. 1 year experience for reserves and 2 years for active duty. Also AD is very competitive.

Also as an officer the TA and GI BILL options are bad until (or if) you get active duty time under your belt.

bag003, BSN · Dec 30, 2015

I guess my hold up with this is- what is the point of obtaining a dnp with no practical experience prior to applying. Several of the schools I looked at for my NP require two years of clinical experience- actually acute care experience. With no experience, how can you be successful in understand the dynamics needed to have a dnp or even a masters.
I think people who obtain their msn and their dnp are much better rounded with actual clinical experience as an RN. I do not think this new idea of just jumping into an advanced clinical degree foregoing real world experience is doing a disservice to your patients and those counting on you for your expertise in those clinical specialties.
That is just my opinion.

My current DNP program allows you to enroll with no clinical experience, however it requires you to work a certain number of hours while also obtaining your degree.

divobari · Dec 30, 2015

Have you considered moving to another state for a year or two and work as an RN? There are so many areas of the country where you will be welcomed, with open arms. :-)

Bluebolt · Jan 1, 2016

I wouldn't recommend going straight into a BSN-DNP program, even if you can find one that allows you to have no experience as a nurse. I'd suggest getting at least a year if not two before you jump back into an advanced practice program. Advanced Practice programs assume that it's students have already worked a few years at least and have real life clinical knowledge, skill and cultivated nursing assessment and judgement.

In NP school you'll get paired up with an MD or you'll have to find your own to pair up with (networking you probably don't have yet) who will expect you to be an experienced, competent and knowledgeable nurse and will start teaching diagnosing and prescribing at a level that fits an experienced RN. They will certainly get annoyed or even drop you as a precept if they have to waste time having to teach you how to be a nurse so that they can teach you to be a practitioner.

This bizarre problem of new grad RN's who are unable to find employment at all is unique to these large cities in California where nurses make higher incomes than anywhere else in the U.S. and probably the world in general. I live in the bay area now and for the first time have met these newer nurses who moved to Boston, Louisiana etc for their first nursing jobs and two years later moved back to get a job once they had experience. It's because nurses make $150,000 a year here so every nurse in the country (including me) who is highly specialized and trained is being recruited by the hospitals using travel companies. Here at Stanford they recruit travel nurses and 80% of them stay on full time. Why waste money training new grads when you can pay that income to already trained and specialized RN's who hit the ground running, have a 3 month evaluation period and if they are great you just keep them full time. It saves them money and time and keeps a level of excellence in their care, no new grads blowing all the IV's, putting an NG wrong into the patient, etc.

I'm sorry you went to school in an area that it's very hard to get a job in post graduation but there are plenty of outlying towns away from the big cities in Cali that would be willing to train a new nurse. Other nurses from here seem to use this time to explore a part of the U.S. that they'd like to see. Probably 80% of the places you'll go in the States will be more than willing to hire and train a new RN.

Go out there, get your experience and continue your education once you're prepared and ready, enjoy the journey!

Goldenfox · Jan 2, 2016

My take is that you should get some good RN experience first. At least 2 years, preferably with a mix of med surg/tele or a bit of ICU. You want to actually see the interventions and outcomes in action, not just read about them in textbooks. Once you have accomplished that, then you can go on the NP and you will actually have a more solid foundation. If where you are now is saturated with RNs and you can't get a job, then move. You will be able to move back later or to go wherever you want to go after you have some experience under your belt.

DNP is a hot-button issue for a lot of people because not everyone sees value in it. I do, but that's just me. If you are young and ambitious and you someday may want to teach or publish articles and books on health care science topics and issues or get a high profile health care position in government or a private organization then doctoral education will come in handy. Pursue the DNP/PhD if your long-term goals will possibly include any of the aforementioned stuff. But, it may not be worth the time and effort if being an NP clinician is all that you really want to do. Think about it. If you decide that you want to do DNP then you may find that it takes less time and money to do a BSN to DNP degree than it does to do a masters degree first and then do the DNP degree later. Again, think about it.

Since you are thinking about loan repayment you may want to look at alternatives to the military for that. Military pay and loan reimbursement options for NPs are not all that great. I would not recommend. Look instead to urban and rural acute care facilities across the country. Many of them participate in the federal loan repayment program and their offers are much more generous that what you would get from the military. If you're a very patriotic person and you want to go the military route, fine. I'm not in any way saying that you shouldn't. BUT, if you want to look at other options, they are there.

PG2018 · Jan 3, 2016

Sure, shoot for a HPSP payment.

vetukudoh · Jan 7, 2016

I am currently in WGU about to start MSN in leadership. Does any one know if ASU or UA accepts WGU MSN in leadership into their MSN to DNP program. My eventuality is to be a PMHNP. Please what are your thoughts. Anyone with a similar situation?