Guy with a degree in non-nursing, lost

[NASA]

Hi all, my situation is that I want to be an RN, but have no idea what the process is like for nursing school.

I am going to graduate from a 4-year university with a degree in Biology and Psychology in a couple of months. They have nothing to do with nursing though.

Now I'm 21 without a job, but have always wanted to do something in the health field.

Nursing seems perfect to me, but I have no idea where to go from here.

I've taken some courses such as microbiology, organic chemistry, and tons of psychology courses. But what exactly do I need to do in order to start my nursing education?

I tried researching schools, but to apply, I need to have done certain classes. Where should I take them, now that I cannot go back to my university (they kick you out after 4 years)? A CC? What else do I need to know about nursing? Thanks in advance!

[zoe92]

Hey NASA. I will try to answer your questions the best I can. First, you need to find a specific program you like and see what they require & when their deadlines are. You have different routes you can take to becoome a registered nurse such as an associate's, an accelerated bachelor's, a second degree bachelor's or even an entry level master's. I would recommend taking pre reqs at your local community college & trying your best to get A's. You may need to take a nursing entrance exam, become a nursing assistant first, or get some volunteer experience (but your specific program will let you know). My biggest piece of advice is to make sure the nursing program you want to get into is accredited. This is important! You can find it on their web page. Also, ask how many people actually graduate. Retention rates are important too. Good luck!

[violetgirl]

I would take your remaining pre-reqs classes at a near by Jr. College... They will transfer!

Sounds like you may need only a couple of classes, if that? (For entry into a BSN or ADN

program) :)

Your B.A. will give you extra points on your app! Oh, ya!

Check out the nursing programs websites for each college for their required courses, time

limits, gpa, app dates for entry, ect...

Wow, what a great start!

Keep us posted on what you have found out!

Blessings~

You sound excited about becoming a nurse! Good for you!

[NASA]

Thanks zoe! ah I ran across a lot of posts about accreditation. All the schools I researched are accredited, (except for some brand new schools which I'm probably not going to consider) and some of them are different.

Are national accreditations better than regional ones?

[zoe92]

I would make sure they are NLNAC or CCNE accredited, which is the national nursing accredidation.

[elkpark]

Thanks zoe! ah I ran across a lot of posts about accreditation. All the schools I researched are accredited, (except for some brand new schools which I'm probably not going to consider) and some of them are different.

Are national accreditations better than regional ones?

There are two different kinds of accreditation to consider. One is the general academic accreditation -- this is usually only an issue with the proprietary tech/voc schools. They all say they are "accredited," which is a true statement, but they're accredited by their own national organization that only accredits proprietary tech/voc schools. This means that credits at those schools typically (although there are exceptions) can't be transferred to "regular" colleges and universities. "Regular" (for lack of a better term) colleges and universities are (academically) accredited through regional accreditation organizations, and that is the preference in terms of academic accreditation.

Then there is the issue of specific nursing accreditation. There are two national organizations that accredit nursing programs, the NLNAC and CCNE. NLNAC/CCNE accreditation is voluntary -- there is no state BON that requires programs to be NLNAC or CCNE accredited in order for graduates to be eligible for licensure. And the accreditation process is lengthy and expensive -- many perfectly good programs have simply chosen not to pursue accreditation. However, most programs of higher education in nursing (BSN completion programs and graduate programs) require that you be a graduate of an (NLNAC/CCNE) accredited program to be eligible for acceptance, and a growing number of employers will only hire nurses who are graduates of an (NLNAC/CCNE) accredited program -- including some of the most desirable employers in US healthcare; the entire US military, the entire VA system, most academic medical centers, and most "better" hospitals across the board. While it's certainly possible to graduate from an unaccredited program and have a full career, one is closing off an awful lot of future educational and professional opportunities for oneself by doing so.

So, national accreditation is bad if you're talking about general academic accreditation, but it's good if you're talking about NLNAC/CCNE accreditation. (I know, it's like TPTB are trying to make this all as confusing and difficult as possible ...)

Best wishes for your journey!

[Sweet charm, ASN, RN]

You should try taking your classes at a community college if you can. I am like you but a year older, I just finished my degree in psychology and its a lot cheaper to take your classes at a CC and then apply to nursing schools. Most schools need you to have completed general antatomy, general physiology, microbiology and chemistry. Chemistry and Statistics are usually needed if you plan on going to a 4 year college.