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Question:
I am currently obtaining my Bachelor's degree (not BSN),
and am planning to go to nursing school. I have applied
to John's Hopkins, 13 month accelerated prgm (culminates
in a BSN), and to Vanderbilt's 2 year bridge program. The
bridge prgm accepts non nurses with a bachelors, and lets
them obtain an MSN in 2 full years (3 semesters per year).
I was wondering if anyone is familiar with these programs,
and could advise about the good and bad points of obtaining
an MSN without a BSN, and what the job oppurtunities are
like for one with that background.
Answer:
Obtaining an MSN without ever serving some time as an RN
is a bad decision, it isn't respected by hiring officials.
Getting an MSN without a BSN underlining is almost unheard
of and could be very difficult. Job opportunities for the
MSN grad rest on a couple of points: Previous nursing experience;
whether the MSN wanted to become a Clinical Nurse Specialist
or not; whether the program also
graduated one as a Nurse Practitioner. From the shape of
your question, it appears that you are trying to choose
between two paths, one that gets you a BSN, one that goes
from BS (non-nursing) to MSN. Frankly, since you won't be
a RN until you pass your exam, regardless of which one you
choose, you will still be a new grad nurse, the MSN will
have absolutely no effect over the BSN on your job opportunites
as a new grad. There might be some difference several years
down the road AFTER you have some serious clinical time
under your belt, but when you graduate and become an RN,
the MSN will have no advantage over the BSN for increasing
job opportunites. Employers want to know what you can do
not how many years you spent in school.
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