When to quit non-nursing job, now that I have been accepted into BSN program?.

[Tally4970]

I am 38 years old and have been in Law Enforcement for 16 years. I am doing a complete career change, I just finished up a year of pre-nursing classes and have been officially accepted into a BSN program. I will graduate in two years.

My question is when should I quit my current job, to start working in a nursing/medical setting. I would like to get my foot in the door someplace, but I know it will be a huge pay cut for me as well. I think the exposure and experience would be worth it in the long run. I am also unsure which positions to apply for.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to which positions to apply for, or when I should make the transition to medical/nursing work. Currently, I work full time, Monday through Friday, and my BSN program is an evening and weekend program.

I could wait until I graduate and then leave my job, but I am worried with no experience finding a job might be more difficult. Thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated good, bad or indifferent!

[Tally4970]

At our local hospital I am 100% certain this is the way it works, your non-RN job can and does count towards your RN seniority once you become an RN.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

At our local hospital I am 100% certain this is the way it works, your non-RN job can and does count towards your RN seniority once you become an RN.

I think you may be confusing employment seniority vs nursing seniority.

The housekeeper you mentioned may have the PTO, pension, and other perks of a long time employee, but in terms of salary, unit seniority, etc the new RN would probably start at day one

[Tally4970]

Actually, I know that's not how it works at my local hospital, my mom is a NP and my sister is an RN at this hospital and that is exactly how it works there. Again this is not the question, it's when should I make the transition.......

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

Education is expensive, and you may at some point decide that nursing isn't for you. I'd keep the old job as long as I could, maybe till your last year of nursing school

[pixiestudent2]

Honestly, I assume you make goid money now, I wouldn't quit anytime soon to make 10$ an hour.

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

In my area, it's almost a necessity to work as an aide/uap if you want to find a hospital job. I work at a large academic hospital and probably half of our new grad positions are for in-house staff, only. The big children's hospital down the road hires almost exclusively from its uap pool, etc. I would personally apply for a uap spot as soon as possible...again, in my area, the pre-req is passing nursing skills/fundamentals I. Waiting until you are a senior will close a lot of doors since by the time you've been adequately trained, you'll be graduating and looking for a RN job. If you can afford the paycut, I would get into a medical based job as soon as you're eligible