I've recently found interest in the NP career field and I was wondering if anyone can answer my questions.
1. Is it possible to directly become a NP or is becoming a RN necessary?
2. What should I major in if I plan to attend UCSD? Should I transfer to a nursing school instead?
Thanks so much!
HopefulGal wrote:I've recently found interest in the NP career field and I was wondering if anyone can answer my questions.
1. Is it possible to directly become a NP or is becoming a RN necessary?
2. What should I major in if I plan to attend UCSD? Should I transfer to a nursing school instead?
Thanks so much!
NP's are advanced practice RN's so yes you have to be a RN
Don't know what UCSD is (was trying to figure it out but could only come up with USCD) does UCSD have a nursing program? do they have a NP program? is there a NP program near you that accepts credit transfers from UCSD? There are requirements to get into NP programs usually like a certain GPA in your BSN program, working a certain number of hours, letters of recommendation. Check with schools near you is all I can say. There is a ADN to NP program near me but you basically go through the BSN and MSN program in in combo with the NP.
HopefulGal wrote:I've recently found interest in the NP career field and I was wondering if anyone can answer my questions.
1. Is it possible to directly become a NP or is becoming a RN necessary?
2. What should I major in if I plan to attend UCSD? Should I transfer to a nursing school instead?
Thanks so much!
Hi Hopeful,
Yes, you would have to be a Registered Nurse with a current license before entering any NP program. Although it isn't necessary to gain work experience in the field before becoming a nurse practitioner, anyone who is a nurse would strongly recommend that you do so. The clinical exposure, executive decision making and assessment skills that are gained while working bedside prove invaluable for anyone going on to advanced practice. You really should learn to walk before attempting the marathon.
If you don't already have an undegraduate degree, a BS in Biology or Health Science would be ideal. Check with the school and see if they offer an accelerated program in which you could enroll as an undergraduate and earn a masters degree in a shorter period of time like, four years. This kind of program would require that you have some college credits accrued. If you do have a baccelaureate degree and if it isn't in science, plan on taking a bit longer or doubling up on the science and math core. Eventually you will finish with a masters degree in nursing and then prepare to sit for the appropriate licensing exam. In a NP program, you will have the option to specialize in adult, family or pediatric practice.
Hope this helps. Good Luck,
R
thanks for the replies!
UCSD=University of California of San Diego; unfourtunately they don't have a nursing program but they are highly ranked in sciences
1. Does it really matter what university I go to if I plan to become a NP? Will someone coming from a local community college earn the same as someone coming from UPenn or UCSF?
2. Would it be best if I transfer to a nursing school like UCLA, or UPenn?
3. What does a typical RN do? Are those the nurses that help bathe and clean?
Thanks! :)
An RN from a community college earns pretty much the same as an RN from a 4-year college. To be a Nurse Practicioner, if you do not already have a degree, you would need to get your Bachelor's in Nursing (BSN) from a 4-year nursing college & become licensed as an RN. Most nurses reccommend you then work as an RN for a couple of years before returning to school to become an NP. Then you need to go on & get your Master's Degree in Nursing (MSN) & become licensed as a Nurse Practicioner. You're looking at a minimum of 6 years of schooling. To answer your last question, No RN's are not the nurses who give baths and cange bed pans all day. While some of us may occasionally do that, most hospitals have unlicensed personnel to assist with those tasks (Techs, CNA's). Check out this thread:
http://forums.ultimatenurse.com/staff-nurses/what-do-rn-really-do-23532.html
You may also want to consider shadowing an RN or two to see for yourself what RN's do- contact your local hospital or college of nursing to do this.
I am interested in becoming a NP as well. Heres what i personally plan on doing. I have been in school for a while and i am currently a junior in a IT field. I have two associates degrees but i decided i am going to go to nursing school since i dont have a lot of prerequisites and i do not feel like waiting another year to finally get started in a BSN program.
So my plan is take one step at a time. I will get my ADN and get my RN license. Start working as a RN while hopefully going to school part time or trying to get into an accelerated program (it can be done) and get my BSN. From there i will see where i would want to go in terms of a NP or if i go really crazy go to medical school. Thats the path i want to take because a good combination of on the job experience and school work can really pay off in the long run. It is longer but i think it is well worth it especially if you have the right amount of determination.
What you really need to do is research! Do you absolute best to understand what a RN does and what the differences are in jobs in the hospital/clinic settings etc. It can really help, ask lots of questions and as Amanda said... go shadow a RN :).
