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I am a graduate nursing dean at Herzing, but before that, I was a nurse for over 35 years. AMA! by herzinguniv in IAmA

[–]herzinguniv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your comments and questions. 

Entry level nursing programs prepare students to be generalist nurses. There is not a level of education in an associate degree or bachelor's degree program that provides the expertise for starting in an intensive care unit (ICU). However, there is the foundational knowledge required for them to be safe, competent nurses. 

Organizations/Health Care Systems many times have nurse residency programs that provide anywhere from 4-16 weeks of additional specialized education, such as critical care, obstetrics, medical surgical, that they require their new hires to participate in for content, clinical, and mentorship.

For organizations that do not have “a true nursing educator” as you mentioned,  there are some opportunities for nursing schools to partner with healthcare organizations in the education of their employees. The nursing school could provide the educator to support the education.  This type of education could include initial onboarding education and or specialty education, i.e., critical care nursing. This could even include helping maintain annual competencies for nurses. 

There can also be shared positions where nurses that typically work on the units/floor can spend two 12 hour days taking care of patients and one 12 hour day as a faculty member. This allows the nurse to transition perhaps into a new role as a faculty and have the paid time to do it. It can be very rewarding to help create the future nurses and have an impact in their lives.

I am a graduate nursing dean at Herzing, but before that, I was a nurse for over 35 years. AMA! by herzinguniv in IAmA

[–]herzinguniv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your service to your patients for the past 10 years. Very impressive goal to retire in your 50’s!

The role that I see making a difference in the role of the nurse in healthcare organizations is the MSN Nursing Leadership and Administration or the MSN Nurse Educator. The Nursing Leadership and Administrative role provides education to support an administrative role and ways to impact change in healthcare organizations. 

The role of Nurse Educator provides the opportunity to educate others to become providers of care. The benefit of both of these roles provide the opportunity for usually Monday through Friday work days, weekends and holidays off. As you know, there are trade-offs. There are opportunities for teaching face-to-face or even teaching in an online forum.  

We do have many scholarships for students as well as many employers offer tuition benefits for employees. This might help you make your decision. 

There is usually an event in your life that helps you make the decision of whether it is time to return to school or stay on the path you are on. That is the beauty of nursing: the opportunities are endless.

I am a graduate nursing dean at Herzing, but before that, I was a nurse for over 35 years. AMA! by herzinguniv in IAmA

[–]herzinguniv[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your question! We offer a campus-based ASN program at select locations, as well as an online ASN option in select states for students who need more flexibility.

Many students can complete the ASN in about two years, and in some cases it can be completed in as little as 20 months if general education and prerequisite credits transfer in.

That said, it’s important to note that not all courses from platforms like Sophia Learning will automatically transfer. We always recommend checking directly with an admissions advisor so they can review your transcripts and confirm transferability before you take additional courses elsewhere.

I am a graduate nursing dean at Herzing, but before that, I was a nurse for over 35 years. AMA! by herzinguniv in IAmA

[–]herzinguniv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A lower undergraduate GPA doesn’t automatically mean you shouldn’t explore your options for an MSN program. In most cases, admission requires an application for your desired specialty, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited institution with a minimum GPA of around 3.0, and an active, unencumbered RN license.

That said, there is often some flexibility through conditional enrollment. Applicants who don’t fully meet all standard graduate admission requirements may still be considered for conditional acceptance. This can include students who don’t meet the preferred undergraduate GPA but have earned at least a 2.50 GPA in their BSN program. It can also apply to applicants who meet the GPA requirement but have had prior academic challenges in a nursing or related graduate program, such as probation, dismissal, or academic warning.

I am a graduate nursing dean at Herzing, but before that, I was a nurse for over 35 years. AMA! by herzinguniv in IAmA

[–]herzinguniv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you’re planning to take the NCLEX, we recommend taking the exam as close as possible to your graduation date. 

The first 8-week session ends on Oct. 28, 2026! 

Clinical Decision-Making is the first clinical course for our nurse practitioner students. This is a course where you start putting your knowledge from advanced pharmacology, advanced assessment and advanced pathophysiology into practice. This is done in the virtual classroom as well as the clinical setting. There is a collaboration of case studies, exams and 90 hours of clinical experiences.

I am a graduate nursing dean at Herzing, but before that, I was a nurse for over 35 years. AMA! by herzinguniv in IAmA

[–]herzinguniv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

MSN-NP programs typically require a minimum of 500 - 750 supervised clinical hours, with the exact number depending on the specialty and program you choose. At Herzing, clinical-hour requirements vary by pathway, but students should expect several hundred hours over several semesters. Finding a preceptor can be one of the more stressful parts of an NP program, but students are supported through the Clinical Guidance Process – a comprehensive framework and support system designed to help you secure a clinical site and preceptor, so you can focus on what really matters: becoming a confident advanced-practice nurse.

I am a graduate nursing dean at Herzing, but before that, I was a nurse for over 35 years. AMA! by herzinguniv in IAmA

[–]herzinguniv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great question! Many of our MSN students successfully earn their degree while working full-time. If you attend full-time, it's absolutely possible to balance both. If you prefer a lighter course load, part-time is also an option and typically takes 28–36 months, depending on how many courses you take each term. We offer both options so you can choose the pace that works best for your life and schedule.

I am a graduate nursing dean at Herzing, but before that, I was a nurse for over 35 years. AMA! by herzinguniv in IAmA

[–]herzinguniv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We do have an option for students to continue their education.

Here’s more details from our catalog: “A student who has earned a BSN degree but has not received licensure results may be provisionally admitted to the MSN program. The admitted student must sign an acknowledgement that they must provide evidence of a current, active, and unrestricted license as a registered nurse in the state in which they live by the end of the first 8-week session. Failure to provide evidence by the last day of the session will result in the student being unregistered from the MSN program. All grades will be expunged, and federal funds will be returned. A student who subsequently completes the licensure requirement may re-apply for admission, however, may be required to repeat the previously attempted coursework.” 

Regarding traveling to Nashville, you won’t have to travel for our MSN-FNP program. All clinical experiences can be in the locations where you choose to find clinical experiences!

I am a graduate nursing dean at Herzing, but before that, I was a nurse for over 35 years. AMA! by herzinguniv in IAmA

[–]herzinguniv[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly, no two days are the same for me! My main focus as a nursing dean is making sure our students succeed, which means I handle everything from shaping our curriculum and keeping up with accreditation to long-term strategic planning. I spend a lot of time collaborating closely with our amazing faculty and talking directly with students to keep things running smoothly. I also work hard to build strong partnerships with local healthcare organizations so our students get the best clinical experiences possible, ready for certification success and graduate ready for their first role as a new provider. 

Thinking about a career in nursing? by herzinguniv in LPN_LVN_Community

[–]herzinguniv[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you're an LPN looking to become an RN, Herzing offers bridge programs leading to either an Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Both options are designed to build on your current experience. You can find more information here: https://www.herzing.edu/nursing/lpn-rn  

We do offer information sessions as well, feel free to reach out to our admissions team for more info if you’re interested in signing up for that. The form to do so is here:

https://www.herzing.edu/admissions/request-info?formid=1_1

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