Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nurse practitioner here - it IS a great field with a lot of flexibility, opportunity for life/work balance, and growth. The best way to get a sense of the field is obviously spend some time in a health care facility that has volunteering/shadowing opportunities for high schoolers. That may be tough to find (it's hard enough for RN/NP students to get placed) I'd start by asking someone in high school guidance office what opportunities they know about as they are likely the best versed in this.
On the "going to a top nursing school" issue - that is definitely relevant for advanced practice (NP/CNM/Nurse-Anesthetist) but for RN level education it really is just a matter of covering the nursing content needed for the NCLEX and getting clinical placement time. 4 year bachelors is preferable to 2 year associates degree, that is the only real distinction. Where I think the "top school" issue does become relevant is she may think she's all about nursing, and then decide to pivot to public health or PT or something else health related. So I'd find schools she likes that have a range of options for healthcare related careers so she has a chance to explore this a bit. Good luck!

What is your basis for saying this? My DC and I have talked with a variety of nurses/NPs/CRNA and they have all said this is really not relevant at all. In one instance, the student went to a "low ranked" (acc to pple on here) school for bio, then nursing degree and is now at an ivy on the PA track. (Stat sample of 1, i realize. But is consistent with what we've been told from many other nurse/health care providers in terms of "does undergrad matter"?) There was also another post on this recently and the overwhelming response was it doesn't.

I'm just interested on why this is your take as it seems to be the outlier in the opinions I've seen.

PP here (who is an NP) I think we're saying the same things. For nursing (education for RN license) it doesn't matter where you go. You may have better new grad opportunities if you have a 4 year bachelors rather than 2 years associates but even there the differences aren't huge. For someone interested in advanced practice work after getting their RN (NP/CNM) there is some consideration to "prestige" of program, particularly if one is interested in scholarship or teaching down the road. You can certainly get a job with an degree from schools that are not as well known but the clinical placement experience might not be great and that's really important in advance practice training. Well integrated clinical and classroom components are pretty critical.

I'm not entirely sure we are saying the same thing, actually. Because the bolded is not my understanding at all after talking with a LOT of current practitioners. So now you have me concerned.

So you're saying that unless my kid goes to a "top" nursing school, they won't be placed in, for ex., a critical care unit due to where they went to school (that sort of experience is necessary for some advanced degrees)???? (I understand that there are other considerations, as well.)

I can't speak to placement in all the disciplines of nursing, i'm just one Nurse Practitioner/Nurse Midwife giving you one provider's perspective. I've been in this field for almost 18 years so I've met lots of clinicians of various educational backgrounds but you are most welcome to disregard any of this it's in no way definitive.
In summary - for nursing (the work you do with an RN license) there is no such thing as a "top" program, the content will be the same across programs and clinical hour requirements will be designed to meet licensing requirements. Go where you can get in and won't come out with huge loans.
For advanced practice nursing (NP/CNM/Nurse Anesthetist) there is a "ranking" of programs out there, so if somebody is interested in a "top" program there are some to aim for and there's a reason they are highly ranked which will have to do with the institution they are affiliated with, research/clinical opportunities etc. To be clear, this is ONLY relevant for graduate work, not undergraduate. Hope that helps. Best of luck

Oh I totally get that there is a ranking of the grad programs. I was asking more does it matter where you got your undergrad bachelors to qualify for the grad programs. That's not my understanding and what I've heard but I am not in the field and so don't know.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nurse practitioner here - it IS a great field with a lot of flexibility, opportunity for life/work balance, and growth. The best way to get a sense of the field is obviously spend some time in a health care facility that has volunteering/shadowing opportunities for high schoolers. That may be tough to find (it's hard enough for RN/NP students to get placed) I'd start by asking someone in high school guidance office what opportunities they know about as they are likely the best versed in this.
On the "going to a top nursing school" issue - that is definitely relevant for advanced practice (NP/CNM/Nurse-Anesthetist) but for RN level education it really is just a matter of covering the nursing content needed for the NCLEX and getting clinical placement time. 4 year bachelors is preferable to 2 year associates degree, that is the only real distinction. Where I think the "top school" issue does become relevant is she may think she's all about nursing, and then decide to pivot to public health or PT or something else health related. So I'd find schools she likes that have a range of options for healthcare related careers so she has a chance to explore this a bit. Good luck!

What is your basis for saying this? My DC and I have talked with a variety of nurses/NPs/CRNA and they have all said this is really not relevant at all. In one instance, the student went to a "low ranked" (acc to pple on here) school for bio, then nursing degree and is now at an ivy on the PA track. (Stat sample of 1, i realize. But is consistent with what we've been told from many other nurse/health care providers in terms of "does undergrad matter"?) There was also another post on this recently and the overwhelming response was it doesn't.

I'm just interested on why this is your take as it seems to be the outlier in the opinions I've seen.

PP here (who is an NP) I think we're saying the same things. For nursing (education for RN license) it doesn't matter where you go. You may have better new grad opportunities if you have a 4 year bachelors rather than 2 years associates but even there the differences aren't huge. For someone interested in advanced practice work after getting their RN (NP/CNM) there is some consideration to "prestige" of program, particularly if one is interested in scholarship or teaching down the road. You can certainly get a job with an degree from schools that are not as well known but the clinical placement experience might not be great and that's really important in advance practice training. Well integrated clinical and classroom components are pretty critical.

I'm not entirely sure we are saying the same thing, actually. Because the bolded is not my understanding at all after talking with a LOT of current practitioners. So now you have me concerned.

So you're saying that unless my kid goes to a "top" nursing school, they won't be placed in, for ex., a critical care unit due to where they went to school (that sort of experience is necessary for some advanced degrees)???? (I understand that there are other considerations, as well.)

I can't speak to placement in all the disciplines of nursing, i'm just one Nurse Practitioner/Nurse Midwife giving you one provider's perspective. I've been in this field for almost 18 years so I've met lots of clinicians of various educational backgrounds but you are most welcome to disregard any of this it's in no way definitive.
In summary - for nursing (the work you do with an RN license) there is no such thing as a "top" program, the content will be the same across programs and clinical hour requirements will be designed to meet licensing requirements. Go where you can get in and won't come out with huge loans.
For advanced practice nursing (NP/CNM/Nurse Anesthetist) there is a "ranking" of programs out there, so if somebody is interested in a "top" program there are some to aim for and there's a reason they are highly ranked which will have to do with the institution they are affiliated with, research/clinical opportunities etc. To be clear, this is ONLY relevant for graduate work, not undergraduate. Hope that helps. Best of luck

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:mine announced it for the first time in 11th grade. we just kind of thought, ok, whatever, we'll see, lots of people change their minds. apparently, she wanted to be a nurse since she was a little kid.

she stuck with it all the way through and is now a high-acuity nurse at a top hospital. she works part-time (6 days per month) and makes about what a teacher makes full-time, so pretty flexible.

if she is sure, easiest and cheapest way is CC for pre-reqs and then straight to nursing school. she will also probably have better grades at CC then she will at regular university. these good grades will help her get into nursing school.

Wow! She only works 6 days per month?? Please can you clarify this?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nurse practitioner here - it IS a great field with a lot of flexibility, opportunity for life/work balance, and growth. The best way to get a sense of the field is obviously spend some time in a health care facility that has volunteering/shadowing opportunities for high schoolers. That may be tough to find (it's hard enough for RN/NP students to get placed) I'd start by asking someone in high school guidance office what opportunities they know about as they are likely the best versed in this.
On the "going to a top nursing school" issue - that is definitely relevant for advanced practice (NP/CNM/Nurse-Anesthetist) but for RN level education it really is just a matter of covering the nursing content needed for the NCLEX and getting clinical placement time. 4 year bachelors is preferable to 2 year associates degree, that is the only real distinction. Where I think the "top school" issue does become relevant is she may think she's all about nursing, and then decide to pivot to public health or PT or something else health related. So I'd find schools she likes that have a range of options for healthcare related careers so she has a chance to explore this a bit. Good luck!

What is your basis for saying this? My DC and I have talked with a variety of nurses/NPs/CRNA and they have all said this is really not relevant at all. In one instance, the student went to a "low ranked" (acc to pple on here) school for bio, then nursing degree and is now at an ivy on the PA track. (Stat sample of 1, i realize. But is consistent with what we've been told from many other nurse/health care providers in terms of "does undergrad matter"?) There was also another post on this recently and the overwhelming response was it doesn't.

I'm just interested on why this is your take as it seems to be the outlier in the opinions I've seen.

PP here (who is an NP) I think we're saying the same things. For nursing (education for RN license) it doesn't matter where you go. You may have better new grad opportunities if you have a 4 year bachelors rather than 2 years associates but even there the differences aren't huge. For someone interested in advanced practice work after getting their RN (NP/CNM) there is some consideration to "prestige" of program, particularly if one is interested in scholarship or teaching down the road. You can certainly get a job with an degree from schools that are not as well known but the clinical placement experience might not be great and that's really important in advance practice training. Well integrated clinical and classroom components are pretty critical.

I'm not entirely sure we are saying the same thing, actually. Because the bolded is not my understanding at all after talking with a LOT of current practitioners. So now you have me concerned.

So you're saying that unless my kid goes to a "top" nursing school, they won't be placed in, for ex., a critical care unit due to where they went to school (that sort of experience is necessary for some advanced degrees)???? (I understand that there are other considerations, as well.)