APRN students here?

[disholicious]

Just wondering if there was anyone in a nurse practitioner program. I am seriously thinking of starting.

[BlueSkiesAhead]

I'm in the contemplating stages of it myself. I need to get my husband through his LVN school first, though - so it looks like it'll probably be April until I can apply, and fall before I could start. Unless I win the lottery (crossing fingers) - then I could start as soon as the check cleared.

BlueSkies

[disholicious]

Have you looked at different programs? That's the stage I'm in. Trying to decide between adult acute and family practice programs. Ugh. I really don't know what I want to be when I grow up. I really don't enjoy taking care of kids (I like to be able to reason with my patients-at least most of them) but I don't want to lock myself out of a lot of jobs. I live in rural IA so they hire mostly for clinics, I think.

[BlueSkiesAhead]

I want to do ACNP - but there don't seem to be as many of those programs as there is FNP. I need something that will meld around my schedule. I'm an ex flightnurse and current CVICU nurse - so acute care makes more sense. However, the structure of the ACNP programs might not work for me. So, I'm looking at Graceland's FNP. How about yourself?

[OldSquidNewNurse]

I saw something the other day where DNP's are going to be the norm in 2011. That's right, you can call your nurse doctor!

[disholicious]

What is a DNP? Never heard of it. Will have to check that one out. BlueSkies- I have done med/surg, cardiac care, and intensive care. Neurology is my love but I would definately have to relocate for that one. Just starting to look at 2 schools in Nebraska, Creighton University and Univ of NE Medical Center. How did you like flight nursing? Would like to give that a try for a year or two.

[OldSquidNewNurse]

Originally Posted by disholicious

What is a DNP? Never heard of it. Will have to check that one out. BlueSkies- I have done med/surg, cardiac care, and intensive care. Neurology is my love but I would definately have to relocate for that one. Just starting to look at 2 schools in Nebraska, Creighton University and Univ of NE Medical Center. How did you like flight nursing? Would like to give that a try for a year or two.

NurseWeek: New Doctoral Degree Aims to Advance Nursing Practice : New programs for DNP are enrolling students, but many issues remain unresolved. :

More about the DNP
· NACNS, White Paper on the Nursing Practice Doctorate, NACNS
· AACN, Position Statement on the Practice Doctorate in Nursing, www.aacn.nche.edu/DNP/pdf/DNP.pdf
· NONPF, Practice Doctorate Resource Center, Practice Doctorate Resource Center
· University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing Blog — Forum for Information on the DNP, http://blogs.nursing.upenn.edu/practice_doctorate