Confused about Nursing

College Majors Nursing Major
1

<p>{I apologize in advance for sounding incredibly naiive}</p>

<p>Hello,
I'm a senior in high school, considering obtaining a BSN in nursing. I very recently started thinking about this trajectory, different from what I had intended/thought I would be doing. I'm just looking at things from different prospective/angles right now.</p>

<p>Tbh, the track to obtaining a BSN is a tad confusing. What I know is this:
-There is nursing grad school
-You can get a MA, BSN, Ph.D in Nursing
-There are different 'kinds' of nurses (i.e. you can do different things with diff degrees)</p>

<p>What I am confused about is this:
-Do you graduate with either a MA/BSN in a nursing major in undergrad?
-Then is Ph.D the only degree you can earn in grad school?
-What is the 6-year program I hear some schools have...how is it different from getting a MA/BSN in undergrad and then going to grad school?</p>

<p>Again, apologies for sounding very naiive; the internet provides conflicting content and just muddles this even more. Thank you in advance for trying to clarify!</p>

2

<p>No matter what specialty you may decide in the future, and no matter what grad program you may undertake, you will still need the same BSN degree to start. Most grad programs want nurses to have experience before they enter, so you will have plenty of time to decide other options later.</p>

<p>Some BSN programs allow their top students to take some graduate courses for grad credit in their fourth year. One example is DeSales University.</p>

<p>Some colleges with nurse practitioner programs have moved to make it a PhD degree, while others have not. A national organization wants PhDs, but states have been understandably resistant about requiring it.</p>

3

<p>Actually the doctoral level degree for Nurse Practitioners is the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Degee. While a PhD is also avaialable for Nurses this degree would be more appropriate for Nurses planning on pursuing an academic career (Research and university teaching).</p>