[mstigerlily]

I am in the San Diego area, I went to Palomar College - they have a great nursing program but I hear now their waiting list is 6-8 semesters!! I only waited two. http://www.palomar.edu/health/nursing.htm

Here is where I have decided to go online - unless my hospital decides to have an RN-BSN program onsite, which I guess they are considering. If anyone is interested in the RN-BSN program online, I recommend this small university, they are NLN accredited, comparatively cheap and they've been so nice and friendly when speaking or e-mailing with them.

http://www.opsu.edu/science/nurse/nursehome.htm

Melissa


I am applying to

Originally Posted by susanrdh

Hi Melissa,

Wherever your CC is I am shocked they charge so little for each credit! Paying $75 for a 3 credit course is unheard of! Where are you from? Here in Connecticut all of the CC & public universities have increased fees for the fall. If you want to obtain a BSN say from Southern CT State Univ. you will pay $6000 per yr. not including fees & books. What you are paying online is probably very similiar to what SCSU charges to attend regular classes which is really a fair amt. considering what the private Univ. charge. But I know going back to college in today's world has gotten to be a burden financially for many and there is so much debt from borrowing it is amazing. I know that when I start the actual Nursing courses at St. Vincent's I'll be paying upwards of $430 or so per credit But what can you do? I look so forward to helping people attain a healthier lifestyle that the $$$ I'll be paying for my education will be well worth it in the end

I wish everyone the best in their futures!

Susan

[sbic56]

Sure we all have the choice...we choose ADN or BSN for varied reasons. I haven't felt it was worth it for me to keep going, am happy with the ADN, but if my needs change, I'll go for it. After all, I was happy with the LPN for years!

[Mar-Lynn]

I'm new to all of this so I'm a little afraid of sounding simple or stupid but I was under the impression that if I signed a contract to work for a hospital for a specified time that they would pay for my school. Do I need to change my plans?

[r_janice]

I have currently made the decision between ADN vs. BSN being that I finish my prerqs at the end of next month (5 weeks of A&P II and Im done!!! ). I decided to go for the ADN. As others have said no matter which degree you have, for an entry level RN position you will basically get paid the same. The BSN, as was said already, is good for mamagement positions. I do plan to get my future employer to pay for my RN-BSN program that I plan on pursuing after my ADN, just in case I need to go into management or teaching in the far future. Im only 20 and I know that things happen so I wanna prepare myself and have something to "fall back on".

[sbic56]

Originally Posted by r_janice

I have currently made the decision between ADN vs. BSN being that I finish my prerqs at the end of next month (5 weeks of A&P II and Im done!!! ). I decided to go for the ADN. As others have said no matter which degree you have, for an entry level RN position you will basically get paid the same. The BSN, as was said already, is good for mamagement positions. I do plan to get my future employer to pay for my RN-BSN program that I plan on pursuing after my ADN, just in case I need to go into management or teaching in the far future. Im only 20 and I know that things happen so I wanna prepare myself and have something to "fall back on".

Good plan. At 20. I think you can expect the minimum degree in nursing to be raised to BSN in your career. It won't be for several years, as the shortage won't allow for it, but I'd be prepared to get the BSN if I were 10 or more years younger!

[Momto3andNurse2B]

Originally Posted by Mar-Lynn

I'm new to all of this so I'm a little afraid of sounding simple or stupid but I was under the impression that if I signed a contract to work for a hospital for a specified time that they would pay for my school. Do I need to change my plans?

Not necessarily. My problem is, once I graduate, I have no intention of sticking around in sunny South Florida (Yuck, yuck, yuck!!!!!!) for long enough to fulfill a 2 year obligation to a hospital.

Richele

[Momto3andNurse2B]

Originally Posted by susanrdh

Hi Richele,

Wow, $175 for a 3 credit course at your CC? That is fantastic!! Here in Southern Connecticut, the fee for a 3 credit course is approx. $320. That is good but your CC really is inexpensive. The CC here charges $2600 per yr. for full-time student status of 18 credits or less, not including lab fees or books. How much is your CC for a full yr? The fee for an ADN program at a local hospital's private college is approx. $21K per yr. and you can only transfer in no more than 18 credits from any other school. The BSN program at a local private university, Fairfield Univ. charges $31K+ per yr. currently and that is NOT including the many fees involved in the Nursing program, uniforms, or books. I do hope to get accecpted into the ADN program at St. Vincent's College because I like the atmosphere, the fact that it is a Catholic based institution as well as a good hospital so much better than the other Diploma based Nursing program at Bridgeport Hospital. I just hope tht when I do end up applying in the summer or fall of 07' that I will not be in too much competition. I wish you and everyone sll the best in your studies

Actually, when you add in all of those crazy fees, my CC isn't that much cheaper than yours. A gen ed 3 credit class is $175, but nursing classes are ultimately $200 because of some extra fees. Clinicals, although only 2 credits, add up to $222 when you look at insurance and other fees. My bill for next semester (13 credits: Pharmacology, Dosage Calc math, Nursing Process 1 & 2 with clinicals) is $1,024. Books for first semester are steep, about $1000, but after that it's only 1 or 2 books a semester. I still think I'm getting a pretty good deal!

Richele

[2ndcareerRNmaybe]

I looked into all the schools that offered nursing degrees (ADN,BSN,diploma) around here and decided on the accellerated BSN program ONLY because it was the fastest and cheapest way for me to start a nursing career. The school has a good reputation too which I also considered.

If I did't already have a degree I'd be doing ADN all the way baby.

I think higher education is what you make of it and the words on your degree doesn't necessarily equate to how much you actually know or how well you will function in your chosen field.

[Sheri257]

I too have thought the debate was absurd ...

The one BSN program in my area is refusing to take applications indefinitely ... because their waiting list is so long. They are literally refusing all applications.

So much for ... "if there's a will there's a way." The only "way" in my neck of the woods is to get your ADN and work toward an online BSN after you graduate.

[ZASHAGALKA]

The debate IS absurd.

It's an absurdity brought to you courtesy of the ANA. Without their misguided statements on the issue, it wouldn't be an issue at all.

~faith,
Timothy.