Hello! I have a real passion for nursing and specifically pediatric oncology. I’m wondering what colleges will allow me to take a path to achieve that!
I have heard that the Columbia School of Nursing has a Pediatric Oncology Nurse Practitioner program as part of the oncology nurse practitioner course of study, and that UPenn School of Nursing offers a concentration in pediatric oncology concentration as part of their pediatric acute care nurse practitioner program.
Any other options out there for me? And what are these programs like?
Those are graduate level programs. Are you currently enrolled in an undergraduate nursing school?
Ohh thank you for pointing that out to me, I didn’t realize. But no I’m still in high school and do need to look for an undergraduate nursing program then
I suggest you concentrate on getting into a quality direct entry BSN program, but not worry right now about graduate school. Most students need a few years of experience as a RN before they can be admitted to undertake a Nurse practitioner program, and before they can afford to attend it. At that time, the grad program will be more interested in your abilities as a RN than the name on your undergrad degree. You may find out at that time that you prefer to take some courses part-time from a local grad program, while your employer subsidizes the classes.
Therefore, there is no need to spend enormous amounts of money on a BSN degree for a prestigious name, if you have quality affordable choices. I’ve heard about some U. Penn nursing students complaining that they were doing clinicals right next to community college students who were paying 1/20th the price.
By the way, the last time I checked, Columbia U. did not even offer an undergrad nursing program.
A BSN is a generic degree. You have to do clinicals in various areas, but you do not typically “major” in a particular field of nursing. You could take some electives in fields related to what you want to do, such as child psychology.
I understand that large numbers of nursing students start out wanting to work in pediatrics, but then find other specialties that are of greater interest to them. I understand working within in-patient hospital pediatics can also be depressing.