Need advice from nurses. Accelerated BSN, RN, or LPN program...which would you do??

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Specializes in ER.

I have a dilemma. I'm changing careers from the chemical industry to nursing. I have a BS Chemistry and MBA already. My ultimate goal is to become a NP. I could do the PA route, but it would cost me more in terms of having to move to where a program is and it would disrupt my life a little too much financially. So I've researched the NP enough to know that I want to be one.

I've looked at the Accelerated BSN option which is costly but quick (12 months). Then I could enroll in an NP program

I've looked at the LPN route which is cheaper at good community college and quick. I figured that if I got the LPN I could worked while I worked on a LPN to BSN program, but job prospects may not be the best for LPN.

The next option is the RN (2 year option). Then RN to BSN. Then NP program.

I'm not afraid to work my way upwards being a farm girl and all. To start, I'll get a CNA I next month. Then get the CNA II certification. Then I'll start working part time to get to know the industry while still working as a chemist until we get the layoff in December. Yes, I can hear the questions now...why would I want to switch from chemistry and making great money to nursing? The answer is simple, I've fallen out of love with it. I want more happy. I didn't get into chemistry for the money, it was because I loved it. This will be my 3rd layoff in the chemical industry over a 15 year career span due to plant closures. I've always been attracted to the medical industry, and with the upcoming layoff, I feel like its perfect timing for a change to something I can enjoy more.

So please lend me your thoughts and advice. I'm open to hearing you and take your advice.

Thanks,

Z

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

I also have a bachelor degree in chemistry and a master of public health. I decided to go the ADN route because it is much more cost effective. I am looking at RN-MSN bridge programs for after graduation.

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Specializes in ICU.

You forgot one option - you could also just do a traditional BSN. It would have the exact same amount of schooling as getting your ADN at this point since you'd only have to do nursing prereqs for both and then have two years of the nursing program, and it will save you time in the long run because you'd never have to enroll in a RN to BSN program.

I did a traditional BSN after my first bachelor's for several reasons - the ABSN schools were an hour drive for me or more and the traditional BSN program was at my alma mater, which I loved. It also cost me around $3k a semester - which was a heck of a lot less money than the ABSNs wanted, though more than a community college would cost.

Not to mention in my area the traditional BSN programs have a better reputation with the local hospitals and you have more time to learn the material. I worked at least part time, sometimes full time throughout my BSN program and I graduated with honors - you'd have significantly more difficulty working full time through an ABSN program, so if you need money coming in I would not do an ABSN program.

So I vote for traditional BSN! Depending on your area, getting an associate's may be as dodgy a move as getting your LPN.

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Specializes in ER.

Huummmm that traditional route seems interesting. I think that the only reason why I initially disregarded that option was because after I looked at the UNC Charlotte curriculum, it seemed as if it would take forever. I guess I really didn't look at it the right way, and perhaps there's another school that may be available in the Charlotte, NC area other than UNCC. Thanks for bringing that perspective into this.

Z

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Specializes in Infection Prevention, Public Health.

The advice I'm giving isn't what you were looking for. Get your RN and then work as a nurse for a year or two. If being an NP still appeals to you, then go for it.

RNs can work in an enormous variety of settings. NPs not so much. Probably the majority of NPs go on to do primary care in outpatient settings. Just as chemistry is a business, so is being a primary care provider. You will be assigned a "panel" of patients, commonly about a thousand patients. Your time will be scheduled for you in 15-20 minute slots. There will be pressure to have adequate billable hours. You might make about $120,000 per year.

I've always loved public health. I have felt incredibly lucky to have had the freedom of being in public health nursing. You can work for the Indian Health Service and have a jeep and a community of people that you look after. Alaska also has great opportunities in public health. You can work for states, cities, counties, tribes, lots of places where your life is not blocked into 15 minute intervals.

And that's not even counting the opportunities available for RNs in inpatient settings, home care, hospice, long term care....the list is endless! Now that I am older, I have slowed down a bit and do epidemiology and infection prevention in a hospital setting and I really like that as well

So good luck with whatever you choose. Who knows-- you might end up loving being "just an RN"

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Specializes in ER.
I also have a bachelor degree in chemistry and a master of public health. I decided to go the ADN route because it is much more cost effective. I am looking at RN-MSN bridge programs for after graduation.

I think that this is also a good route, because it skips the BSN with the RN to MSN option.

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Specializes in ER.
The advice I'm giving isn't what you were looking for. Get your RN and then work as a nurse for a year or two. If being an NP still appeals to you, then go for it.

RNs can work in an enormous variety of settings. NPs not so much. Probably the majority of NPs go on to do primary care in outpatient settings. Just as chemistry is a business, so is being a primary care provider. You will be assigned a "panel" of patients, commonly about a thousand patients. Your time will be scheduled for you in 15-20 minute slots. There will be pressure to have adequate billable hours. You might make about $120,000 per year.

I've always loved public health. I have felt incredibly lucky to have had the freedom of being in public health nursing. You can work for the Indian Health Service and have a jeep and a community of people that you look after. Alaska also has great opportunities in public health. You can work for states, cities, counties, tribes, lots of places where your life is not blocked into 15 minute intervals.

And that's not even counting the opportunities available for RNs in inpatient settings, home care, hospice, long term care....the list is endless! Now that I am older, I have slowed down a bit and do epidemiology and infection prevention in a hospital setting and I really like that as well

So good luck with whatever you choose. Who knows-- you might end up loving being "just an RN"

I was actually thinking along these lines actually in terms of getting my feet wet first. I figured that I do need to get the experience first before trying to become an NP, because you're absolutely right...I might just love the RN career. I want to make the best possible decision that I can make with all of the information I can get my hands on. I really appreciate all of the honesty.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I am a nurse that has a bachelors degree prior to becoming a nurse. In my case, I had essentially 3 pathways that I could take to earn my nursing degree. The first pathway was the traditional ADN route. This is the pathway I ended up taking and so far I have done just fine. The 2nd pathway is the ABSN and that pathway was simply too expensive. The 3rd pathway was the traditional BSN route and at the time that I was preparing to enter school, the traditional BSN route was closed because the University was closed to all bachelor's pursuing a 2nd degree. If I had an option of all 3 regardless of cost or what have you, I would've taken the traditional BSN route because the University here has a very good reputation for turning out decent BSN nurses. The other reason I would've taken the traditional BSN route is that it would have been just as long as a traditional ADN degree, adding only a couple of extra units, because I'm already bachelors prepared.

Because of the above, the traditional ADN route was the only route that was truly open to me. Within the next couple of years, most likely within the next 6 months, I expect to begin pursuing a BSN degree.

Something that you may not realize is that if you are already bachelors prepared, you might be able to get a traditional ADN degree, get licensed as an RN, and perhaps skip the BSN and proceed directly to a Masters program as long as you meet their entry requirements as far as education and work history. The downside of this is that since you will not have earned the BSN, you may not have all of the background that might otherwise be expected of you, particularly in regards to public health/community health nursing.

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Specializes in Developmental Disabilities.

I would recommend the traditional BSN route as well. I also had a Bachelor's degree prior to becoming a nurse and found this was the best route. ABSN programs tend to be very expensive and the thought of cramming everything into 12 months was not appealing to me. However, it is a viable option if it works for you financially and you are ok with the time frame. I personally would not recommend the LPN route (nothing against LPNs!!!), however, based on your ultimate goal (NP), it would seem that becoming an LPN first would just prolong the journey unnecessarily. Whatever you decide, best wishes to you in your career change. Switching to nursing was one of the best things I have ever done. :up:

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The other option not already discussed here is the entry level masters. If you are sure advanced practice is where you want to end up, check it out in your state. There will be those that say you need bedside experience before you move to advanced practice and those who will say that primary care is nothing like the bedside, so it's not necessary. People feel strongly on both sides. I have a previous BA and that's the route I took, although after the prelicensure portion (which is the equivalent of a 15 month accelerated bsn) I took a job as a bedside nurse and am finishing the Masters part-time. I will have 3 years of bedside experience by the time I graduate. Part of my dilemma is I am seriously considering an acute care np path, and bedside experience is very useful for that.

The entry level masters programs have pretty good reputations here, and mine required a 240 hour preceptorship before finishing the prelicensure portion. I was a very competitive new grad candidate.

The other thing I would suggest in your decision making process is to check the NCLEX pass rates for the programs you are considering. That may help narrow it down for you.

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Specializes in ER.

Thank you this information is extremely helpful to me. I'm so glad to have this resource. I gotta say that everybody has a point. Your experience and know how is just unbelievable. Thank you all. I've got major decisions to make.

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.
You forgot one option - you could also just do a traditional BSN. It would have the exact same amount of schooling as getting your ADN at this point since you'd only have to do nursing prereqs for both and then have two years of the nursing program, and it will save you time in the long run because you'd never have to enroll in a RN to BSN program.

I did a traditional BSN after my first bachelor's for several reasons - the ABSN schools were an hour drive for me or more and the traditional BSN program was at my alma mater, which I loved. It also cost me around $3k a semester - which was a heck of a lot less money than the ABSNs wanted, though more than a community college would cost.

Not to mention in my area the traditional BSN programs have a better reputation with the local hospitals and you have more time to learn the material. I worked at least part time, sometimes full time throughout my BSN program and I graduated with honors - you'd have significantly more difficulty working full time through an ABSN program, so if you need money coming in I would not do an ABSN program.

So I vote for traditional BSN! Depending on your area, getting an associate's may be as dodgy a move as getting your LPN.

This is a great option. However, make sure you calculate your costs. When I was looking even the ADN+RN/BSN bridge was still less expensive than the traditional BSN but my area also is still hiring ADN RNs.

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