Hi everyone! So a little background: I’m a senior in HS right now and will be attending a direct entry nursing program in the fall (very pumped!!). Obviously it’s early now, but my plan is to go to grad school and become a nurse practitioner after I receive my BSN. The thing is I don’t personally know any nurses and am a first generation college student, so I have quite a few questions about the process of becoming an NP or even just scoring a job as a new RN in general. I’ve mostly been doing internet research, but I’d love to get some advice from the college confidential community! Here goes:
Should I work as an RN first or go straight into an NP program after my BSN?
Do student nurses work in hospitals over the summer? Are they considered internships? Do I need an LPN license to do so?
What sorts of things would make me a competitive applicant for NP school?
I know there is a major nursing shortage in the US currently, but is it still tough to find work straight out of school? (both as an RN or NP). What would make me attractive to employers?
I apologize for the bombardment of questions! Thank you for helping 
My daughter just completed her first year at college so I don’t have very knowledge to answer, but I will try.
First, if you haven’t, check out allnurses. It is an community of nurses and nursing students and has a wealth of information.
My daughter got a job for the summer at our local hospital as an nursing assistant. They didn’t require for her to be a CNA, but I can’t tell you how common this is. She hasn’t started yet so I also can’t say exactly what she will be doing. There was no need to get it as an internship as any college credits wouldn’t be helpful in her program, so it is “just a job” but will look good on a future resume.
Future jobs look good as a whole, but location will play a factor I am sure. You have four years til then so don’t fret about it now. Solid grades and a good work ethic is usually best to attract employers.
As far as becoming an NP, that is also at least 4 years away. Awesome goal to have, but concentrate on one step at a time. If your school has an NP program, start there with questions on enrollment requirements. From what I have gathered, someone who has practiced nursing, especially one who has multiple years of experience, makes a much better NP. More and more people are using NPs as their primary and you can tell who has more work knowledge than book knowledge. HTH
While some Nurse Practitioner programs say you can be admitted without work experience, I would imagine it is rare. One program released data that successful applicants have an average of 10 years of work experience. The academic program will be easier to complete if you have experience. Also, you will probably need to save up money during your work years to be able to afford to become a NP. The feds offer grad school loans, but I still would save money. I imagine you can take many classes part time while working, if there is a program near where you live. In any case, assume you will be working as a RN, and NP is a longer term goal.
It is common for nursing students to work as a nursing assistant between the 3rd and 4th years. Many hospitals treat students at that level as being able to do CNP work, without having to get the certification. My daughter also worked a few hours a month as a nursing assistant during the school year during her 4th year, which was particularly valuable during breaks. She said she learned a great deal from that time in the hospital.
A LPN is a different level, which involves a 2 year degree.
In most parts of the country, RNs do not have trouble getting a job right out of college. It is nice to get a job where you had done some clinicals, because you have a better idea what to expect, and because the hospital staff will get to know you. Different hospitals vary in how they treat their nurses. However, it is not necessary to be hired by a hospital where you did clinicals - most of my daughter’s classmates did not…
Get a job (volunteer or paid) this summer in a hospital or other care facility. You will meet plenty of RNs, you can ask them questions, you can see what the job is like.
IMHO this is something you should have done senior year in HS to know that nursing is right for you before choosing it as a major. Nursing is a great career but isn’t right for everyone; I had a bio teacher in HS who entered a nursing program and got her degree before she realized she didn’t like being around sick people 
A little investigation before going much farther would be a good idea…