RN to BSN, RN-MSN help please

Nurses New Nurse

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Quick low down on my situation:

I have a previous BS in Elem. Ed.

I am enrolled and starting an ADN program in August. The program itself is NOT accrediated. I didn't realize this might be important when I started this journey but because of my age, financial status and age of my kids, I want to get the ball rolling. They won't remember that I wasn't around as much now because they are little... but they will if I wait for a program around here that is accrediated to have openings!

I am only doing the ADN vs. BSN because of money situation (since I already have a BS, I don't qualify for grants...even though financially I qualify more than I ever did before...)

I want to finish ADN off with either the BSN or MSN. My goals (at least at this point) are to work in a specialty area- Burn, L&D, Onc, etc... I don't want to teach or at least not right away. Teaching wasn't for me... I just did that degree to make my parents happy and to fill the time between H.S. and kids.

I am trying to find schools that I can plan to complete at. Are online schools ok? How do I know which are reputable? An accrediated school to finish off is a main requirement because I am hoping to work in Madison at some point and all of those hospitals require either CCNE or NLNAC. I can't get any information from them because all of their forms want to know if I have a degree and when my license was issued. I don't have one, I just want the information... I'm a planner! :)

What would you do?

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

There are plenty of accredited online programs. The difficulty for you might actually be in getting accepted to a BSN or MSN program with a non-accredited ADN. I realize this is a bit after-the-fact, but have you looked at any accelerated/second-degree BSN programs in your area, since you already have a BS degree?

nope... haven't even heard of that- where can I find info? I live in WI. I haven't started yet so anything is possible. I have an actual school that I can go to who is accrediated by CCNE as a backup plan but online would be nice.

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Try a Google search on "Wisconsin accelerated BSN." A lot of universities offer them. Examples (and I don't know where you live in relation to these):

http://www.uwosh.edu/con/undergraduate-bsn/accelerated-online-bachelors-to-bsn

http://www.uwec.edu/admissions/facts/nursing_accelerated.htm

These programs are geared towards people who have a BA/BS in another area. I was surprised to see the online one -- most of the ABSN programs are typically traditional classroom ones, from what I've seen.

I just think your best bet would be an accredited school from the get-go, even if it means waiting a little bit longer to get started.

Thanks! The online one looks promising. Unfortunately here "a little bit longer" means 3 years minimum. I'm already 29 with 4 kids and we need more income... it isn't possible to raise the kids the way we want to on 1 income... :( I let me license expire for teaching so that would be about $2000 on a gamble of whether I would get hired anywhere which is a "probably not" since I haven't been practicing for the last 6 years. The other options that have openings right now are 32K/year and 20K per year and since I have the BS already, I don't qualify for grants so that just isn't feasible, either! Thanks for the help though... I didn't even know some of this stuff existed! Most of the people around here just do the ADN and end up working in Nursing Homes- great place for some people, just not my 'forever job'!

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