Just Starting NOT an RN ...

Nursing Students School Programs

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All I see are schools RN TO BSN or RN TO MASTERS.. I am just starting

I have recently moved from NY and am now living in Virginia My husband is in the Military so we move quite a bit..

Which is WHY I need to do online courses I have a son in which I take care of at home I know at some point im going to need to physically go to school but im sure in the beginning there are some classes I could do online..

anyone have ANY suggestions I was looking at south Hampton but im not to sure they call me all the time and are just annoying me at this point. please someone

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Specializes in Hospice.

You can't get a nursing degree online because it is a hands on education, with clinicals and lab time. But once you have your RN, you can do the BSN or MSN online.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

You can take prerequisites such as the math, English, psych, and humanities courses online. It is recommended to take your science courses on a campus. I took a lot of my humanities, and addition core requirements online. The setup is to read required material and respond to message board style questions in the material and engage in responses and conversation. Responses should be in essay format, and grammar is counted. The more thought out, coherent, and grammar correct, the more chances for a higher grade. I did not have a math class online, so I'm not sure of the setup for that one; my math and science classes I did on campus.

One class I took while I went on vacation in Hawaii, lol. I turned in my assignments early and enjoyed my vacation! ;)

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You should search community colleges in your area they will have the necessary pre-reqs and you should be able to do them online...but you can search the cc nearest you so when and if you have to travel to campus...its in your area...Good Luck

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

I'm also married to the military. I took most of my prereqs online when possible; if it wasn't possible, I took them at the local CC. Sometimes, I did both--for one semester I was a student in two schools in two separate time zones.

I have transcripts from schools across the country...though it's kind of annoying whenever I have to produce transcripts for endorsements, employers, educational programs, etc. :)

Anyhow...

Unfortunately, you are not going to find an online RN program because doing it solely online just isn't going to get you the clinical hands-on experience that you need as a nurse. Even Excelsior--which is probably the closest thing you're going to get to an online RN program--will only accept LVNs or paramedics...in short, those who already have significant prior hands-on patient care experience.

Get all of your pre-reqs done. Then try to time nursing school for when you know you'll be stationed somewhere for at least 2-3 years.

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Are you new to the military? I'm going to assume you are in the Navy since your in VA and with that being said, chances of you moving are slim. I wouldn't stress about it. You can however do online course from regionally accredited community colleges. You pay out of state tuition at some and other are the same price for everyone as they are online courses. I too am enrolled in two schools right now lol one at the university and another is some community college in New Mexico. Might possibly switch that one to Kansas cc. The courses I'm taking online include the labs and look no different on your transcript as face to face and are no easier. The ones in Kansas (edukan) have virtual labs. The one in New Mexico (clovis CC) you get sent the specimen and dissect at home and take pictures for the lab. Edukan is a really great resource and charges 130/credit plus 115 lab fee and includes online book and lab. Clovis is 89/credit plus 50online fee plus another couple of fees. If your military spouse you can fax them your ID card and you get resident tuition which is 39/credit plus 50 and other fees. Clovis courses are 16 weeks, too long for me and I haven't yet heard back from teacher to see if we can go ahead of schedule. I prefer self paced. EduKan has 12 and 8 week. There are many, I recommended these because cost is a big thing for me right now. If it weren't I'd go with Rio Salado which is 215/credit and self paced, start every Monday.

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Also if you haven't done so yet look up MyCAA on military one source and take advantage of the 4000 you can use toward school. Not sure your husbands rank, but you can see if you qualify

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Specializes in Transitional Nursing.

Whatever you do, make sure that the pre-reqs you do take online are going to transfer to the nursing school you will likely choose, or at least to most nursing schools.....

I made the terrible mistake of starting my pre-reqs online (a nationally accredited college) and NONE of my classes transferred because it was quarter based semesters....I lost 10,000 for one year of school. I was very foolish and did not know not all schools are THAT expensive. The college I attend now is about 1500.00 a semester.....foolish, foolish girl!! :(

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One more thing.....I can't find any info on S Hampton colleges. If they are constantly calling you, I would be concerned that they are a private school which is nationally accredited. If so STAY AWAY!! Meaning if you do get orders to go somewhere NOTHING will transfer. You could go the longer route and go for an LPN program you could get into ASAP with no wait list and then do an online bridge to RN. Problem with this is you HAVE to finish it. We got transferred half way through, which was such a hit. Nothing transfers over and even if you complete it, you will have to go back to school later on and do prerequisites over again from a regionally accredited school because no regionally accredited school will accept nursing/pre req credits from a nationally accredited program. The few that "may" aren't accepted in all states when it comes time to work. Example if you went to school at Excelsior, you can't get licensed in GA, if you go to ISU you cannot get licensed in RI. Just a couple of examples

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Whatever you do, make sure that the pre-reqs you do take online are going to transfer to the nursing school you will likely choose, or at least to most nursing schools.....

I made the terrible mistake of starting my pre-reqs online (a nationally accredited college) and NONE of my classes transferred because it was quarter based semesters....I lost 10,000 for one year of school. I was very foolish and did not know not all schools are THAT expensive. The college I attend now is about 1500.00 a semester.....foolish, foolish girl!! :(

Lol I was just finished writing what I wrote and saw this!

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Specializes in Transitional Nursing.
Lol I was just finished writing what I wrote and saw this!

Yup. I learned the hard way. I am trying to get the loans forgiven based on all of the lies the recruiter told me but I doubt I'll be able to do it. People like that are so wrong!!

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