RRT to RN bridge....BS ?'s!!

[rgrah420]

O.K. heres the scoop: I recently graduated from UWSP with a BS in health promotion and I'll have my CNA this fall, so I have many prereqs needed for admittance to a nursing program. My GPA is alil low however; a 2.95 is alil low to get into public nursing schools. However, I have been accepted by two private nursing programs. One offers a BSN which I could complete in about 2.5 yrs, and the other offers an ADN which I could complete in about the same time. Both programs cost about $11,000-$16,000.

Now, I'm no fool, but the ADN program sounds like a complete waste of time and $$$$ and the other is pretty damn costly too!! I've noticed that there are a couple of AAS respiratory therapy programs that are wide open (cheap too!). As much as I wanna be a nurse, it would almost make sense to try to get into one of these schools. I've done some research on getting the CRT and RRT, and it seems like the pay is pretty comparable to RN work, however, it seems RN's do have more jobs available as well as offering more job options. During my BS, I've done alot of personal training and my studies also emphasized on cardiac rehab, do yall think that having my BS would make any difference in hire/pay potential in the RRT field. Also, has any one heard of a bridge from RRT to RN?

Thanx for all of your awesome replies!!!!!!!!!!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

If you want a healthcare profession where you can make a very good wage look at the radiology programs. CAT scan techs, ultrasound techs and MRI techs make very, very, good salaries. The CAT scan and ultrasound techs have to start at the basic radiation tech level and get more training to do those jobs, but once you get them you won't have trouble finding work. I have a friend who is a radiation therapist and I've seen the ads in his professional newpaper for CAT scan techs and ultrasound techs and the salaries they offer are huge compared to nursing! Radiology departments make money for most hospitals and with new advances in non-invasive testing coming along all the time, radiology is right at the front of the line for assured job security in the coming years.

I'm not quite sure of the requirements, but the AMA offers training in and certification for heart/lung bypass techs. I may not be listing the job title correctly. These techs put the heart surgery patients on the bypass machine during surgery and monitor them. It requires very specialized training and I believe it pays very well. I didn't think it required a nursing degree to get into these training programs, but I could be wrong. Maybe some of the OR nurses on this site can give you some information on this.

Something else you might consider is getting a degree in prosthetic making. I believe they are BS programs and there is high earning potential with this career. There are exciting things happening in prosthetics right now, so if you're inclined to be a little creative and artsy you might want to check these programs out.

If you already have a bachelors degree I wouldn't even bother looking at AA programs unless there are no BS programs offered for the healthcare career you're looking for. I know that this is a site for nursing, but I think it's important to look at all your options before making a decision. Employers making hiring decisions are always going to want to hire someone with the highest educational achievement if it suits their needs. A BSN will also open doors of opportunity into management and administration more readily than to an AA prepared person.