Which school in Pittsburgh? RN or BSN?

laramyy · Jun 4, 2011

Hi! I don't have all the answers you are looking for but I thought I would just tell you what I am doing. I found that when I was trying to find a starting point hearing about other people's experiences helped. I do not have any degree, so I am starting at CCAC. It is a two-year program. After I pass the boards I plan to do a program at a university in order to go from RN to BSN in one year. I also work full-time and am low on funds, so I have found this to be the cheapest route. I know nurses who have gone through CCAC's program and found it to be competitive with the more expensive schools.

Shadyside is a good school and will pay for your tuition. You have to commit to work for them for three years (I believe) after you finish. If you already have a degree this may be a good option for you. You get a diploma, can sit for the boards, and have a guaranteed job.

Good luck!

TC3200 · Jun 5, 2011

I'm at The Washington Hospital diploma program. But from what I've heard in the gossip circles, there is no shortage of new-grad nurses in the Pittsburgh area and the hiring preference is for BS RNs. Overall, diploma and associate degree RNs are kind of discriminated against in the larger cities where numerous colleges crakn out BS RNs. Associate degree and diploma RN jobs are in the more rural areas and down South and in areas that don't produce many BS RNs,

jlpsu · Aug 10, 2011

I know this thread is a little old, but I just found it and wanted to comment. I am also going back to school for nursing after having had another degree. I am trying to get into the UPMC Mercy SON or possibly Citizens General SON. Then I will go back and take my bridge classes to get my BSN, which I can do completely online. I think a BSN is needed eventually, just maybe not as a new grad.

As far as job prospects, they seem to actually be very good here. I've talked to many of my nurse friends who say that jobs are all over the place and with UPMC actually building new hospitals and Highmark just recently putting all of that money into WPAHS, the hospital systems look to be in good shape around here.

Now, hopefully it will also be as good if not better when I graduate! Of course, there is no way to know this...but right now, according to my friends out there in nursing, a new grad shouldn't have trouble finding an entry level job as a bedside nurse. Just don't expect to advance far without your BSN (at least).

TC3200 · Aug 10, 2011

A student who was at Mercy and switched to Washington Hospital said Mercy is teaching a block curriculum but allows you no free time to do anything but nursing school. She said avoid Mercy if you have kids at home or you have to work or whatever, b/c it's set up so that you need all of your time for school.

Caveat: I'm personally finding that to be true at TWH, too. I think if you are very experienced in college coursework with it's steady schedule and well-structured courses, then stick with a college-based school of nursing. The dipolma schools can be very rigorous, and their order of presenting content can be very non-typical.

jlpsu · Aug 10, 2011

Thanks TC3200...that is a great perspective from someone who has BTDT. I will think about that for sure.

I do have 4 kids, but they are all school aged so they will be in school all day, so that should help. I also have many of the college courses done from my prior degree, so when I start I should only have the actual nursing courses to complete - which should help as well.

I don't know. Part of me thinks it best to get in with a diploma program because then it might be easier getting a job with that facility after graduation...and the other part of me likes the CC aspect of being able to schedule your classes when you need them.

I hope that I have the luxury of having the problem of picking a school, as I am applying to three and am hoping to get accepted at at least one! I'm applying to Mercy SON, Citizens SON (which is WPAHS), and Westmoreland County CC.

Not interested in CCAC as I've not heard anything good about it, and Shadyside and St. Margarets go to school during the summer which I don't want to do.

I take the PSB for Mercy next Friday and am freaking out a bit about it. You have to pass the PSB before they even let you apply.

strider1500 · Aug 27, 2011

Hi,

I am not a nurse YET, but I already work within UPMC and most of the nurses who have their BSN tell me that the only time it makes a difference is they might pay you a few more dollars an hour. Other than that they tell me that they mainly got the BSN to eventually help them move into perhaps a management position.