Expert: Violet Argo RN - 5/10/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hello I've been a cna since 1997, I have worked in a variety of fields ie, NICU as clinical partner 1, Psych with adolescents and alzheimers 6 yrs, in total I have worked psych for a little over 13 or 14 yrs, I want to go straight for the goal, I want my master's degree in psych, what will i have to do first and how long will it take me with the experience I already have, please help? Thank you,.

ANSWER: Brenda, yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh for you. The first thing you need to do is enroll in a 4 year university or state college to get your RN/BSN degree, once you have obtained that, go to work on some kind of psych arena of your choice, then work on your masters. Your experience will not help you directly but is will indirectly. Any one willing to hire you will take into account that you are already familiar and comfortable with that environment and it will certainly count for you. Congratulations on you decision and good luck to you.

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QUESTION: THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR RESPONSE, BUT I REALLY DON'T WANT TO BECOME A RN AND I KNOW IN MY HEART THAT I SHOULD, IF I WERE TO BECOME A RN I WOULD "ONLY" WANT TO BE A PSYCH RN, BUT I REALLY, REALLY, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MY MASTERS DEGREE IN PSYCH, WOULD THAT BE POSSIBLE?? I WILL START WORKING (WORKING SOON, I HOPE) AT THE VA HOSPITAL AND I WILL BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR EDUCATION REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM AND WOULD HOPE THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE TO START AT GROUND ZERO. WHAT DO YOU THINK??

ANSWER: Brenda, sorry I mis-understood you. Are you talking about becoming a psychiatrist? or a psychologist, or a social worker specializing in psych?

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QUESTION: Ok, I'd like my degree in psych and would love to be a social worker specializing in psych or even a dual degree, like psych with a lpn degree, see i'm just lost I don't know the correct terminology for these courses, I apologize I'm trying to get there. What I would really like is to get a 2 for type of degree in the fields that I mentioned, although I do not want to be just a nurse I would LOVE to have my psych degree with an lpn license together, is this possible?

Answer
Brenda, I am glad you are thinking this through. An LPN is a nurse, and they do not get degrees, they get diplomas, so you could not get a psych degree as an LPN. So let's see if I can help. You can enroll in college with a psych major and graduate with a masters in psychology. I think that should be a straight way to your goal. I would not advise you to go to LPN school and college at the same time, you could not do both with any real level of success. Please let me know if this helps any.