Advice please?! In a pickle!

Nurses General Nursing

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I don't know what to do. Here's my situation.. I want to be an RN. Well, my husband is joining the police academy and when he's done we have to relocate to where ever he gets a job offer. Here are my options:

1. Go to my local tech school (Hillyards) to obtain my LPN in 1yr. Credits will not transfer but to 3 colleges in my area. Two in Kansas City, MO and one in Trenton, MO. Otherwise, I can not bridge to RN at any college, which will be a problem when my husband, our baby, & I must relocate (probably to St.Louis, MO.) We currently live in St. Joseph, MO.

2. Go to my local university (Missouri Western) to work on my BSN until we must relocate, which my credits will then transer anywhere. I'd have to begin prerequisites this Fall, apply January, and if accepted, start nursing the end of March, 2014. My husband finishes the police academy in 2015.

My question is, which should I do? Also, can I transfer credits from a BSN program to an Associates degree? I'm 18 with a 5 month old, I'd rather obtain my RN as fast as possible. If I do my BSN, my son will be 5 by the time I graduate. I personally want to get a stable income in before he begins school. That way my husband isn't the only one providing for such a long time. I might eventually go back for my BSN when the time allows me to do so.

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Specializes in L&D.

How long will the police academy last? In that situation, I would go to an Associates program so you will have your RN license quicker than the BSN program and then do the RN to BSN online at a future date. OR wait until he finishes the police academy and has a job and then apply to a program in your new location.

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The police academy starts this fall and ends sometime in 2015. I would do an associates degree but the only thing that is in my town is a BSN. :(

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Just because you say your BSN credits would transfer "anywhere" doesn't mean that the next school is going to end up accepting all of your BSN classes. What about doing an LPN program now and then down the road doing an LPN-RN bridge? Many community colleges offer this option.

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Specializes in NICU.

I have never heard of being able to transfer nursing classes to another school, pre-req classes can transfer.

What about North Central Missouri College? They have an Associate's degree RN program at the outreach site at Northwest Technical School in Maryville, MO. It is 50 miles from you or Park University, also 50 miles.

I would do an LPN now then a LPN-RN bridge later, travel 50 miles for RN now then RN-BSN later, or pre-reqs for nursing school and transfer those credits to the school you are getting your ASN or BSN at.

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Because the tech school that has the LPN program doesn't have credits that transfer to just any college. They only have an agreement with 3 colleges. I wouldn't be able to go to any of those three because we'd have to move when I graduate.

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Specializes in Hospice.

I'd say get your CNA for now and work until your husband and you get your relocation. Then apply for ADN/BSN programs in that area. I've never heard of a police academy lasting that long. Isn't that like, a couple months usually?

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Well he's also getting a degree in criminal justice so he can move up the ladder quicker. But yes, police academys usually last about 11 months..at least in my area.

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Well, from my understanding and dealing with should I do an LPN or should I do an RN program, the LPN can still do a LPN to RN bridge class. You would get credit for the nursing classes but the general pre-reqs would not transfer. Meaning you would have to do stuff like anatomy, microbiology, English, computer classes, and other general education classes. However, it may be quicker to a bridge class and the gecs versus doing an RN. My school has it figured out to where the LPN to RN program is still an additional year with all the pre-reqs/GECs built in.

If you plan on staying in the state, consider doing the GECs at a college or university and then applying to a different university in your state. However, this could screw you up and the credits may not transfer. My state made a move to allow all state institutions to have the general education credits transfer between them.

Our police academy is about 9 months in my area.

Also, not to be discouraging, but it may take him awhile to be hired onto a police department. It isn't a quick in my state. Usually there is a lengthy process of civil service tests. My state may be outdated though. Like you have to apply to take a written test. Then do a background. Then do a physical. Then an interview. Or in some sort of order like that. Some do the physical before the test to weed people out. But, it may be outdated process.

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