As I sit here in Panera, ready to continue and tackle my 13 page take home mid-term…I decided that I really need to get on with writing another blog.  A couple of my fellow bloggers have asked me a couple of questions during our meetings (and I was asking them because I was stuck on what to write about).  They asked, before continuing on to get your MSN and become a nurse practitioner, is it best to get out there after nursing school and get some experience first?  Now granted, I’m coming from the “experienced” side but I have observed a couple of things from those who are in my class with no nursing experience. 

To be experienced… As I have said before I have about 5 years of critical care experience ranging from ER to ICU.  I always want to get out and do the nursing thing before going on for my MSN, but I didn’t want to wait too long.  My experience has definitely helped me during my course here so far.  I have called upon the knowledge, skills, and critical thinking I have learned many times for tests and clinical experiences.  But my experience and knowledge only goes so far in that, like in my previous blog, I have absolutely no idea what to do with children.  In that aspect, I have no experience and I fell like a new grad.  In my first clinical with adults (something I am confident in) my preceptor kept telling me to think “practitioner” not “nurse”.  So there is a difference.  During the initial exam, deciding what is emergent, what is not, getting the patient’s history, and doing your physical exam, a lot of it is the same. But as a practitioner, you are thinking, differential diagnoses. You are going through them thinking what supports this and what rules some out, what tests should I do to support my thinking.  Then you go through possible treatments.  I know nurses do this as well…be we anticipate the treatment.  Trust me it’s a bit daunting when you’re the one who makes the final decision! All in all, I fell better that I do have experience to call upon.  It gives the confidence I need and I rest in the fact that I have been through this before where I felt like I have no idea what I’m doing but it will all come to me in time.

Not to be… Those who have gone right into the MSN program from their nursing undergrad do have the upper hand in some aspects.  They haven’t taken a “break” from school.  They still have that study mentality and remember how to write 10 page papers.  Trust me, when you go out and make money and can go out every night of the week and not have a test to study for…it VERY hard to give that up and go back to sitting in front of a book every night and living off student loans…again!  They also don’t need to be told “think like a nurse practitioner, not nurse”.  They are going into this fresh and their minds are open.  They can be taught to think like this. It is hard to transition your roles in the profession.

So with that said, I guess it’s up to you.  I’m glad I went out there and did it and saw what areas I am interested in.  I very much enjoyed being a nurse and I always will be no matter what.  Guess that’s what sets us apart from physicians.