I am currently a senior in nursing school, and I plan on pursuing a graduate degree to become a nurse practitioner. Should I wait and get experience first, or just keep on going through school?
Carlie
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November 16th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
I am having the same issues. I decided that I’m going to get 1 year of med/surg experience and apply then. If they want more experience than I’ll keep working until I get in! What area do you want to specialize in?
November 27th, 2007 at 7:42 pm
I think that all new nurses should have a year or two of experience on a Med/Surg ward after graduating from any program before going on to advanced education. As a nurse with 30 years of experience I can tell you that what you learn in school is only 1/2 of what you need to know to be confident and competent. You will continue to learn so much over the years but in the first couple you will learn enough to help you with time management, people skills, emergency management, problem solving…
November 27th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
I’m actually in nursing school also and before I decide to pursue nursing I worked as a nurses aid for about 1 year. Working as a nurses aid really helped alot on what I’m learning and I find myself capable of grasping to concepts faster. I think it is a good idea to work as a med-surg nurse first then go on from there.
November 27th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
As Associate Director for Graduate Nursing Programs at Georgia State University, I have heard this topic discussed frequently among faculty. There is rationale for both the positions–experience or no experience. The rationale for experience is compelling from the perspective that building competence and expertise in nursing practice provides a strong foundation upon which to add advanced practice nursing skills. It would see logical that a new nurse would strength her assessment skills, her knowledge, and her confidence with some experience before tackling advanced practice. Others would argue that that is not necessary as a good new graduate can pick up the knowledge and skills without a significant amount of clinical practice. Some faculty agree that a new nurse can be admitted to advanced clinical practice tracks but should go part-time the first year while she/he attains clinical experience as a registered nurse. I did not choose to get my master’s degree for several years after my bachelor’s degree. About one year after graduation, I remember thinking how much I had learned and how confident I was of my nursing skills and my ability to make good clinical decisions. I knew then that I could have moved into advanced practice. So maybe the question is one of feeling confident in one’s knowledge, skills, and clinical decision-making abilities.
November 28th, 2007 at 3:23 am
Carlie, the fact that you raises the question and invite opinion gives me great confidence that you are already reflective about the issue and I suspect you will do fine with either pathway.
I like Cece’s question of ‘confidence’ and generally agree but hesitate on the fact that some people over-rate themselves. “Confidence” and “competence” are not synonymous.
Whether there are screening processes that would weed these people out thru education – or at least identify “growth-need areas” (I love PC talk) – would remain to be seen.
However, I believe advanced practice requires clinical experience as much as practical application, just like psychology and medical training requires clinical practice before people can carry the appropriate titles that refelect ‘competence'(similar to how many countries are now providing newly qualified vehicle drivers with “P” for provisional plates fro 6-12 monthsP).
For those who progress purely academically, I would advocate an “Advanced Practitioner – Provisional” who then completes clinical practice (aka precepting) under competent and formal supervision. For the likes of Carlie who is able to already question herself, as a good nurse always does, I doubt the probationary/provisional period will cause any difficulties.
My main reason for this ‘protective layer’ would be safety of the patient – would you trust a mechanic fresh out of theoretical training with no or little practical experience to then bleed and adjust your brakes?
December 2nd, 2007 at 2:41 pm
I have been working as a nurse for 1 1/2 years so far. I didn’t go directly into med-surg like people suggest. I started in the neonatal icu since I knew that’s what I wanted to do, I don’t like working with adults and never have. I haven’t regretted my decision once, I love every minute of my job and have learned time management, delegation and how to deal with residents. I started about 6 months after I graduated in a graduate program to become a FNP, wrong move! I don’t like adults and that’s all we talked about. I decided that wasn’t for me and I still needed more time to feel confident as a nurse. I’m feeling more confident now and have started practicing as a charge nurse on my unit 1 year after I started (which they usually make you wait 2 years to do) I’ve gained so much experience and might want to try L & D or follow a midwife before I commit to my real dream which started in school of becoming a CNM. I love babies and the birth process and being with the families it’s a wonderful experience.
I just recommend you wait to see if that’s really what you want to do before going back to school right away. Nurse practitioners have a lot less patient contact, so if you like being around your patients, think twice if becoming an NP is really for you.
December 4th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
I decided not to go into med/surg afterall. I am going to work on a chest pain unit w/ telemetry and get some experience there. I really like the independence and creativity that NP’s have, and have no desire to be a hospital nurse long-term.
I have to take 2 more classes and then I’m going apply for an RN-MS program where you can get a MSN in Adult Primary Care and a Master’s in Public Health at the same time. Those fields really interest me a lot!