How to Start Your NP Career
1. Start Nursing School
Ok, so this is an obvious step but here me out. Find the right nursing school for you. What are you education needs? What are your financial needs? What are your family needs? As the number of online nursing schools are starting up, more options for you to take classes which considers with your schedule and your life. However, I would advise you to make sure the nursing school is an accredited school. Make sure your nursing school is a legit and once you have your diploma there will not be any complications.
2. Begin a career in nursing
Another obvious step but it is important to begin a career in a field that you enjoy and will learn skills and allow you to practice your skills. Depending on your life circumstances, you may start graduate school in a year from graduating nursing school or you may wait a couple of years until you apply. You can always change your fields while waiting for the right time for grad school, but I recommend choosing fields that would help you as an advanced practice nurse. Think ahead and plan for anything.
3. Assess why you want to become an advanced practice nurse
A lot of nursing school students have a goal of attaining their advanced practice nurse degree. Which is great but make sure this pursuit is something you want to do and not what “everyone” wants to do. I would recommend listing your pros and cons for starting graduate school. Graduate will be a challenge. It is important to see if you are ready for that challenge.
4. Review how pursuing an advanced practice nurse degree will affect your life, social engagements, family life, and financial status.
As mentioned above, graduate school is challenging. Examining how graduate school will affect your life is important before you start. Long days and long nights on top working will affect your relationships but if everyone is on board, graduate school may be a little bit easier. Further, you may have the ability to pay as go through grad school or you may have to take out loans. This is obviously an important issue to talk about with your spouse and/or family.
5. Look into advanced practice nurse programs.
I highly recommend looking into the variety of on campus and online advanced practice registered nurse programs. You may want to look at class schedule, access to professors, and assistance financially. Then decide which type of program you would like to start. Do you want to just get your MSN? Or do you want to get your MSN and DNP/PhD? There are so many advanced practice registered nurse programs, it would be vital to see which program fits you best. Talk to the university’s counselors, talk to alumni, and talk to current students. There are social media groups online that you can join to ask the crucial questions that you may have.
6. Review your qualifications and grades needed to get into the programs of your choosing.
You have decided that you want to go to graduate school and your family is on board. Now it is time to look at your qualifications for graduate school. This maybe actually the first step because graduate schools look at your BSN grades. If this is your goal and you are not doing well in nursing school, please ask for help. Just because you are struggling in nursing school does not always mean you are not fit to be a advanced practice registered nurse. However, you fill must do some soul searing and some grade improving. I recommend taking a deep dive into your grades, references, and work experience to help your chances to getting into graduate school.