[Altra]

Originally Posted by buddhak0n

I say this with 100% certainty, there is not a true "nursing" shortage... if there were why would there be "Per Diem" nurses and Nurse managers and "agency" nurses.. If there truly were not enough nurses to care for a community or any private hospital's patient necessities, why wouldn't all these people be fully employed? Sorry it's the business person in me that sets off this glowing Neon sign <g>..

Per diem nurses and agency nurses are not underemployed - they choose their particular work situations that work for them. They are able to do this partly because of the nursing shortage that exists in many markets.

[Altra]

Originally Posted by buddhak0n

Never in a million years am I retaking basic Chem or anything of that Ilk... lol <g>.

Then consider taking CLEP exams, if this is acceptable to the school to which you are applying. Otherwise, you'll be at an impasse, won't you?

Don't quit your day job anytime soon.

[multicollinearity]

Originally Posted by catlover13

I graduated with a BS in Physics in 1985.

I had to re-take Psychology 101 and English 101 before entering my nursing program.

Was it silly? Yes, in some ways. However, I DID learn new things in each class. I don't see any opportunity for learning as a waste.

While re-taking these classes, I had a different mind set also. I thought about Psychology in regards to nursing, and English in terms of charting and effective communication.

Even if you have a solid background in ANY advanced degree, nursing is a totally different ball game. I would see value in having to re-take classes, as your emphasis is now different. I will have to re-take more classes as I continue on for my RN, and that's OK, I'll learn something new.

It was more problematic to find a nursing program that did NOT look at my 20+ year old GPA as part of their competitive entrance process :-)

I pursued my LPN, and am planning on bridging to RN....but this is definitely a 2nd degree for me.

This is such a good attitude.

[arciedee]

I haven't the foggiest why I'm even jumping into this thread, but I just wanted to note that the idea of having to retake pre-reqs because they are "too old" is not unique to nursing and it's not a ploy to pump more money into the local colleges. I was a non-traditional pre-med prior to choosing nursing and on the forum I used to frequent then quite a few people commented that they had taken the general chem, bio, orgo, and/or physics requirements for their prior degree but were now having to retake it because med schools wanted their coursework to be more current. Again, it depended on the school as to what was considered "too old" but it certainly wasn't an unusual occurrence. The overriding opinion there, as here, was that schools wanted you to have studied the material recently because you weren't going to have the time to review once you were in med school, plus the sciences are not static... there are new changes and developments all the time and you need to be current. What they are teaching you BUILDS ON that foundation. And as someone used to mention on the pre-med site it's: "Their ball, their rules, their game." You can choose to play it or not.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Originally Posted by MLOS

Per diem nurses and agency nurses are not underemployed - they choose their particular work situations that work for them. They are able to do this partly because of the nursing shortage that exists in many markets.

Exactly right. Well-spoken. I work perdiem by choice, not due to lack thereof.

[wincha]

I have my BA and then went to nursing school. I have been a RN for over 20 years. I am seriously considering going back to school for my MBA. I also have sales experience.

[wincha]

Repeating basic Chemistry and Biology courses that I qualified for AP Credit at the age of 15 in prep school is certainly not going to make a better qualifed "nurse" in a crisis situation in any ER... Completing my base level education requirements that would get me "in the front door" coupled with years of experience working alongside qualified personnel would be just about the ONLY way you would gain that type of experience>>

Wow, I just don't understand your posts. You just finished training to draw blood? You went to a prep school and took AP courses, I do understand that since my teenager is in that process now. How do you think that you are above taking classes in nursing school and why didn't you just go straight to college in which your AP courses would or should have given you credit for those courses? I am getting an attitude that you are not suited to be in the nursing profession. There is no way you would "test" out of nursing courses. Also, the part about paying for college again.... well you have finished your courses for being drawing blood thats hardly a degree. Many people do "pay" to go on to law school, med school, and to get their MBA and "pay" to do this. Many people go back to school and "pay" to become teachers or pick another field they are interested in.

[wincha]

Seriously, I went to graduate school as well and there's a ton of "nurses" out there that wouldn't have passed some of the "core" classes in my junior year of High School. And I'm sure that in my field they would struggle with certain coursework just as anyone would not be able to digest and interpret usefully a Physicians Desk Reference within 48 hours.>>

?Prep school and AP classes? ? Just finished community college for Phlebotomy? and now discussing that you went to Grad school. I think this poster is full of it. You wouldn't last in nursing school also with that attitude those nursing instructors would chew you up and spit you out. Just to let you know nursing school would not be like any other experience you have ever had and I would compare it to boot camp. This poster sounds like she could not handle that but I don't believe this person is for real now.

[luvmy3kids]

I agree Wincha... why would you become a Lab Tech if you've attended grad school?? It doesn't make sense.

This thread could have been very interesting and beneficial to me as I stated before... I have a BS in another field and I am so excited and happy that I've decided to go back and get my degree in Nursing. I'd love to talk with others in my same situation to see how it is going for them or how it worked out.... I'm not getting my BSN in hopes that my BS will be a bit of an edge for me... in the long run... I'd like to bridge to that point... but right now it just isn't feasable.

I wasn't thrilled that I had to re-take my Chem 101 because it was over 10 yrs old.... but not because I'm above and beyond it... but because I know it is going to be a hard course that I'm going to have to work at.

However, I know how much Chem is required for further use in my Nursing courses so I am thankful that I'll get the refresher course. It's obviously to my benefit or I really don't think that all the colleges in America would require it...
oh yeah.. it's a scam... I forgot

If I were a Chem/Bio major and I decided to go back to nursing school 10+ yrs later... hmmm... well maybe I would be a little aggrivated that I had to repeat courses that I really didn't need to take. But I would be looking at the BIG picture and the fact that I would get to be an RN at the end of this journey and if taking a "easy" class was what it would take to get me started... then so be it.... no big deal right??? (Hey easy class = easy A right???)

The OP never stated what his/her's degree was in so it's hard to understand quite where they are coming from. They stated they are a "business" person which tells me they aren't into Bio or Chem... but I could be wrong...

They never stated really why they would want to become a nurse. I haven't quite figured that one out yet.... I mean come on... if you really wanted to become a nurse (like most of us here)... then wouldn't you just bite the bullet and take the requirements...

I just feel like this was a ploy to make someone feel good about themselves and make everyone else feel lousy (which I doubt happened... but YKWIM?)

[guy_nurse2b]

What is it that you do now?
In my experience I have found that the accredited facility curriculums are set by the state and the accreditations board. You saying that you have excellent test skills and can test out of many core classes if only given the opportunity is EXACTLY why that opportunity is NOT given.
If you truly want to do this, just go back and take the classes, if you know the material, good for you, you will have an advantage; you never know you just may be surprised to find that you don’t know everything.
I am a male 36 year old steel fabricator, and I have lots to learn; I have classmates that have associate degrees, bachelor degrees, and some who have worked in the medical field as techs, LPNs, administrative, accounting, etc. and they have to devote more to this than anything they have ever done. It is not easy, and you are correct to assume that this is some sort of conspiracy—it really is; if you are not willing to put forth the effort—the school nor the health care facility—want you. Good luck!