Switching Careers from Legal to Healthcare

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jan 20, 2014

You do not need to become an LPN prior to going to RN school.

We can't tell you whether you can work and go to school because we have no idea about your capacity for learning, your energy level, what type of job you would be doing, your school schedule, etc. Unlike most other types of college education, maintaining a high GPA is crucial in nursing.... because there are significant consequences for low grades or failures. Be sure to investigate this prior to committing yourself to a specific nursing program.

Your pre-requisite (general education) classes will transfer between any regionally accredited schools. But clinical classes DO NOT transfer unless the schools already have an articulation agreement. Nursing is not a "major", it is a program (very important difference). Nursing school accreditation rules require schools to meet the same minimum requirements, but those requirements can be arranged very differently in each program. For instance, pharmacology may be a separate course in school A, but it is integrated into other subjects in school B. If you want to switch nursing programs, you would have to start all over in the clinical program. If you have to leave because of poor academic performance, it is extremely difficult to gain admission to any other nursing program.

Job transfers are regulated by the employer, but it's very common for nurses to move around and work in many different areas in the same hospital.

Sam J. · Jan 26, 2014

It's possible to work full time and go to nursing school, as long as going to nursing school IS your full time job.