Pre-Nursing Student in Central Mass, advice anyone on ABSN vs. ADN/RN to BSN?

[wad1224]

What's good everyone? New pre-nursing student here getting ready to start my slog to the RN finish line this upcoming spring semester. I finally finished my first B.A. this past year after taking a long break and I'm finally ready to tackle nursing school. I'm 27 years old and chomping at the bit to get into the field of nursing. It's something I've seriously considered since I was a teenager but I kinda gave up on the dream because I genuinely didn't think I had the intellectual capacity to hack it in the field of Nursing. I changed my mind after meeting some real badass nurses at the Tufts picket line and strike this past summer.

I'll be honest, my Undergrad GPA from Umass-Amherst wasn't all that stellar at a 2.9, but I took both Psychology and Nutrition both with solid B's, and it wasn't really until my last full-time semester that my grades started slacking (D, withdrawal and an F). Besides that little mishap, I was largely a B student, but didn't have the patience or money to repeat my failed course (It was a nearly 200 person computer science course and I was battling a pretty tough bout of untreated depression, working nearly 40 hours a week with a full course load) I'm on track to knocking out Statistics, Life Span Development, General Biology, Microbiology, as well as A&P I and II by the beginning of the fall 2018 semester.

While I have the prerequisites all figured out, I'm still at a loss as to what to do in regards to what programs I should apply to: ADN, BSN, ABSN, or reach for the stars and go for the direct entry Master's program at Umass Medical School. Ultimately, my goal is to follow in my mother's footsteps and become an ED nurse (she just celebrated her 40th year working as an ED nurse, and 45 years altogether including her years as an LPN - F*****G WONDER WOMAN) and I'd like to eventually acquire the highest possible level of qualifications you can hold as a bedside ED nurse. I'm in total awe of what you guys/gals do, and I think I have the temperament to handle it but I know things may change. My mother personally thinks I'd be better suited as an ICU/CCU nurse, but I digress.

Initially, I was leaning more towards the ADN and RN to BSN route but my mother (who holds an ADN having worked in nurse management and currently as a head charge nurse at a Boston area hospital) has been pushing me to look at the accelerated programs due to the trend towards only hiring BSN grads at just about all of the major hospitals in the Boston area. I also think my research heavy, dialectical seminar-style undergraduate experience make me well suited to handle the academic rigor of the ABSN programs I've read up on.

The main reason behind my interest in the ADN route over ABSN programs is cost. They are a fraction of what it'll cost to attend an ABSN, but the cost benefit of having a BSN in about the same time is very alluring. I've considered the ABSN programs @ Umass- Amherst, Umass-Boston, Umass-Dartmouth, and the relatively new program at Salem State. As far as ADN programs go I've considered Mt. Wachusett, Bunker Hill, Quinsigamond Community, Roxbury Community and Laboure College. Any and all advice, criticisms and the like for this overthinking, yet determined aspiring nurse are greatly appreciated.

[salukigirl]

I have a masters degree in another field but am going the ADN route. The hospitals in my area hire ADNs, though. I plan to complete my bachelors online after that. The cost for the nearest ABSN program was about five times as much as the ADN program and just more than we could think to afford right now. Not wanting to do the student loan thing!

Good luck to you in your decisions and future career!

[wad1224]

I'm leanin more towads the ADN route as the more reesearch I do. For one, I just cannot justify taking out a private loan for an ABSN when I'm still eligible for 17,000 in stafford student loans. That is more than enough to help me cover the complete cost of an ADN program and probably a good chunk of an RN to BSN program while I'm at it. I'm also thinking of getting my CNA certification and working while i complete a program. As things stand right now, I'll pretty much only have clinicals to complete when if I get into a program for next fall. I'm hoping the CNA experience at the very least will help me get comfortable with handling patients, but it could also be a good way to network and get my "foot in the door" so to speak. Anyways, keep me posted on how things go with you and your ADN and I'll do the same :-)