Best approach to nursing school

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I am currently a 23 year old Combat Medic in the Army. I will be getting out next year and was planning on going to a 4 year University to get my Nursing degree. Some people have told me, however, that it is often better to do a 2 year program first and than get a bachelor's once you have more experience. Which of these is a better approach?

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I personally think if you're planning on getting the degree just do that right from the start. You never know what life will throw at you and if you stop you may never have the chance to go back.

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Unless you have already completed your prerequisites, most 2 year programs are not 2 years. These prerequisites can take 2 years or longer to complete depending on how competitive it is, then you start your nursing core classes which usually take 2 years. My 2 year program will take me 3.5 years in the end, not counting the 6.5 years I spent before that in college "figuring things out". It will then take me at least another 1.5 years to get my RN-BSN. I chose this route because it's the cheapest and I can still get a job in my area with an ADN. If you can afford it, go with the 4 year university route unless you're certain that you can get a job with an ADN in your area and plan to bridge to BSN soon after.

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Also, if your actual name is what your user name is, I would recommend changing it to something less identifiable. Nursing is a small world and this is an anonymous site :)

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

If you know you want to get your BSN, go straight for it. It'll save you time and money in the long run, and unlike a master's, BSNs aren't set back by not having prior experience any more than any other RN. Is there a particular reason you want your BSN over your ADN? Do you plan to go for your master's at some point? Is the market where you'll live then better for BSNs than ADNs?

Are you using your GI Bill? If you're going to do a 3 year program, save most of it for university tuition, and do your prereqs and general ed at a community college. Have you done any classes while on AD? I would get done what you can while you're still on AD. You can do some general ed courses online if you're overseas or somewhere where going to a local community college isn't feasible.

I agree about your screen name- change it to something more anonymous to protect yourself.

I'm a former Navy corpsman, and went through my program with a former Army combat medic. Feel free to ask if you have any questions. I'm also familiar with navigating the MGIB and post-9/11 GIB, as well as vocational rehab through the VA.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Corrections.

My advice would be to research both types of programs, and then pick the one that's going to work best for you. There's this ridiculous belief that in the very near future, a BSN is going to be REQUIRED for employment. While that is a future possibility, many institutions and healthcare organizations continue to hold new grad ADN and BSN nurses on a fairly level playing field. Ideally, I would have loved to do a 4-year program, but limited funds dictated that a 2-year program at a community college was the best option. I also had an Associate's degree in Psychology going into the program, which I completed over a 6-year period while working full-time. I also find that many of the students in my cohort are non-traditional students (25-35 years old, wives/mothers, employed full-time, etc.), and since I am a non-traditional student myself, it makes for a better experience overall because we all have this deep understanding of each other's situation. Again, whichever program you choose is going to have to be the one that works best with your situation. No matter which program you choose, you'll still be an RN, and you'll still be able to work and care for patients.

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I don't have a ton of experience with whats right or wrong but I chose to do the ADN route and go for my BSN after. I chose this because I am along with nursing classes finishing my prereqs so by time I am done with my 2 year ADN I can bridge immediately into BSN which full time will take about 1.5 years. So all and all 2.5 years for my BSN and I have saved a TON of money! I also like the idea of having experience early rather than later. I want to get a masters and need to be in an ICU until atleast 2 years prior so I figure the sooner I can work the sooner I can get my time in.

Good luck to you which ever you choose! :)

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