9 Essential Questions to Ask Before Starting Nurse Practitioner School
Going back to school is a big decision. There is a lot to consider – for yourself, your career, your loved ones. How will you know if going back to Nurse Practitioner school is the right (or wrong) decision for you? Absent a crystal ball — read on for 9 essential questions to ask before starting Nurse Practitioner (APRN Nursing) school.
Do Not Start Nurse Practitioner School Without Assessing the Situation
A key skill of nursing is assessment. This essential tool in your toolkit is what has helped you help others while practicing nursing as a RN. Before you just head first into the sparkling promise of a new career — take the time to breathe deep x 5 and focus on being mindful of assessing the situation you find yourself facing.
Nurse Practitioner School Can Be Rewarding — Is it right for you?
The end result of Nurse Practitioner school (graduation) is followed by boarding (ugh) and then credentialing (that’s a process) and finally practicing as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in your degree specialty. The journey of learning never ends – but how do you know if taking this next step is right for you? How do you know if NP is right for you versus say… PA school? How do you choose?
- First – Read this post on how RN school has helped develop key skills in you to prepare you for the next step.
- Then – consider what it is that you want to do with your career (do you have a specialty in mind, where do you want to work, in or out of the hospital setting?)
- Next – Consider what the requirements are for your state (do they follow a consensus model –Acute Care certificate required for hospital, plus FNP if you want to see kids, Psychiatric and Mental Health if you want to prescribe beyond SSRIs, plus FNP if you want to maybe address the metabolic syndrome that can accompany clients you see in the PMHC setting)
- Evaluate what the steps and the process look like for you
- Then take a look at job boards – what do you see? More listings for PA or NP?
- Reach out to colleagues in the field – what is their advice for you in your state/area?
- Considering all of these things together – look at your options and evaluate them.
Take all of these things under consideration and educate yourself on your options for online, in-person, ability to do clinicals, availability of preceptors, and most importantly: life balance and assess your options for a hot second.
Take the time to ask questions
Once you have the information, make a list of Pros and Cons.
Be honest and realistic in your approach.
I am a paper and colored pens kind of girl, but if you are a spreadsheeter (I just made that word up — but you know what I mean!) or even just all on one page folded down the middle – it is up to you. List them out and make them real.
Good! Now: Pause.
Take those deep breaths all over again. Put the list away (for just a moment).
Reflect.
Who else (besides you) will going back to Nurse Practitioner school impact? What is the social/emotional/relational impact of this decision? Get out another piece of paper and do the Pros and Cons for this one. It’s a big question. But it deserves an answer. Be honest.
Think about how the answer to the questions to ask before starting Nurse Practitioner school may look differently when answered from your loved one’s point of view.
Write it down. Put it away. Pause and Reflect.
Have the conversation
With your loved ones (the ones who it will impact). Start with your major stake holders and present your case. Be open to discussion and input from them. Take note of their list of Pros and Cons. It may surprise you when you review the two versions of the list!
How Specific Should Your Assessment Be?
Pretty specific. You want to compare the options available to you.
- Is PA a better fit to allow more flexibility in your career choices without requiring additional education and certification beyond your PA school?
- Is NP a better option because of the flexibility an the specialization in certification?
To do a proper assessment, consider the questions and details you need to make the right decision for you.
Seriously consider these questions to ask before starting Nurse Practitioner school — even before applying.
9 Essential Questions to Ask Before Going Back to Nurse Practitioner School
Here are the top 9 questions you should ask and assess before deciding to go back to Nurse Practitioner school. Use these as a guide to your research and your comparison of options (PA vs NP) and programs within the two certification programs.
- Length of the program
- Important to know what you are getting into, how the semesters are structured, what the program breaks are
- You need to be aware if you are required to be a full time student (even through the summer)
- Can you still work and attend all required classes?
- Start and end dates
- Of the program and of the semesters (if available to you)
- Most of the time, you can find this information on the program’s website and also by calling and talking to an enrollment counselor
- Travel requirements
- Are you required to attend onsite orientation (for distant/online programs)
- If you are required to travel, how many times and for how long?
- Clinical requirements
- Include the question about getting preceptors – is this solely your responsibility?
- How many hours are required and what does that look like (reasonably) in the time frame required in?
- Will you need to work 40 hours / week in clinicals to fit them all in?
- Are weekend clinicals an option?
- Therapy and Medical hours
- Some programs (PMHC comes to mind) has different requirements for different things
- There may be requirement for clinical orientation with Pediatric and Adult, for example
- It is important to know what activities are required for clinical and what are allowed for clinical
- Some FNP programs allow a specialty rotation for exposure and interest in different sub fields, others do not
- Preceptor credential requirements (ie must be a LMHP, APRN certified in PMHC with a minimum amount of experience, a psychiatrist, can it be a PA, etc?)
- Obtaining a preceptor can be one of the hardest pieces of the NP school puzzle
- Set yourself up for success by understanding what your options and requirements are
- Start networking to express upcoming interest to colleagues in the various fields
- Number of hours by clinical type (therapy and medical, pediatric, adult, senior adult)
- VIP to avoid a pretty bad time later at the end of clinical rotation when you realize you are short hours…
- Also ask how these hours are recorded
- When looking at your classes, include time for clinical documentation, as it may be needed
- How classes are conducted (online, flexible scheduling, static times, self paced)
- Are semesters defined by start and stop times, is is flexible scheduling
- If you needed to work, are you able to work and attend in the evening or night / weekends?
- Testing (online, flexible timing, static timing, ability to schedule outside of working hours)
- Ideas on future employment
- What do you want to do?
- Why do you want to do it?
- Where would you prefer to do the thing you want to do?
Bonus Questions to Ask Before Going to NP School:
With these nine questions in mind, think about your why. What is your goal? Your reason? What is your passion that is going to push you forward?
Two Bonus Questions to help you think about the options in context:
- What are your GOALS for working and school (balancing)
- This will not be easy
- It will be smoother if you have a plan
- What are your GOALS post graduation
- What do you want your life to look like after graduation?
- What role do your loved ones / stakeholders play in the future landscape?
- What dreams will you be able to accomplish together through the successful completion and boarding (and beginning to practice!) in your future role?
Go ahead and write these down too. Put them where you can see them. Tape them to your bathroom mirror, put them in your planner. Think about your goals and ask yourself if going to Nurse Practitioner school is the right path for you and your family.
Questions and Answers that Lead to Action
Being purposeful in your assessment of the pros and cons of going back for an Advanced Practice Degree can really help you pause, reflect and make the best decision for you.
Going back to school is personal. Yet, it impacts so many — the people that love you and know you the most. Doing school can be hard. Making the sacrifice together with your loved ones and keeping the goals in mind can also help you be more balanced in your approach.
Knowing you have thought through the options, looked at things objectively, evaluated the cost and the reward — all these things can lead to a better experience, and even lower stress.
- Your Goal is to graduate, not graduate with all 100% A+++s
- Your GOAL is to go on this journey with your family — not go at it alone
- Your GOAL is to make a life and build a life together with the ones you love
- School is a means to accomplish the goals. It matters that you are able to start, and finish, but it matters even more how you arrive and who you arrive with at the finish line.
For more information on how to know if going back to NP school is right for you, read this article: How to Go Back to NP School.
And, for even more tips and tricks on how to approach your nurse life with balance, follow My Nurse Life Balance and share on Pinterest!
Wishing you the best on your journey to wellness!
