Becoming a RN after high school

libran1984, ASN, RN · May 16, 2013

Here is a decent thread regarding...

Associate degree PA-C's

Bachelor degree PA-C's

And then Masters.

physicianassistantforum.com/forums/showthread.php/24746-Associate-Degree-programs-viability

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · May 16, 2013

As a graduate of a well-known, private university (and no university/accredited college is for-profit by definition) with a nationally-ranked nursing program in the top 10 in the country, this statement bothers me - my assumption is you're meaning for-profit technical schools, like ECPI.
I'm not being a snob here, but places like Yale, Vanderbilt, and Duke all have stringent requirements for entry, are definitely private, and actually hand out more scholarship, grant, and need-based financial aid monies than public colleges and universities simply because they can.
In fact, generally an applicant will receive more aid from a private college/university than a public one, because demonstrated need is obviously greater. That's one reason I went private: I got grants and need-based aid that no public institution would grant, and my out of pocket costs were considerably lower.
Not all of us who go private have daddies who build libraries on campus after we graduate as a tribute to his offspring.
Sorry - that just bugged me.

No, I'm sorry, Pooh.....I was referring to the "diploma mills", the schools that charge a ridiculous fee but don't offer a better quality of education, and they justify the fee with ton of TV hype---and the fact that they have a spot WAITING for you .

Certainly didn't mean to belittle the schools you describe :)

llg, PhD, RN · May 16, 2013

As a graduate of a well-known, private university (and no university/accredited college is for-profit by definition) with a nationally-ranked nursing program in the top 10 in the country, this statement bothers me - my assumption is you're meaning for-profit technical schools, like ECPI.
I'm not being a snob here, but places like Yale, Vanderbilt, and Duke all have stringent requirements for entry, are definitely private, and actually hand out more scholarship, grant, and need-based financial aid monies than public colleges and universities simply because they can.

Carolinapooh: You are getting hung up on the "for-profit" and "private" labels. The respected schools that you listed are "private, non-profit" institutions. That category is very different from from the "private, for-profit" institutions that have the questionable reputations.

And yes, there are fully accredited colleges -- and even universities offering doctoral degrees -- that are for-profit institutions. It is not just the "technical" schools that are "for-profit." A recent trend has been for corporations to purchase private (non-profit) colleges that are struggling financially. They buy the colleges and use their name, tradition, reputation, and accreditations to give a nice face of legitimacy to their "family" of schools. The for-profit company is the parent company, staying out of the public eye, but determining policy behind the scenes.

In other words, just because a school is a "private" institution does not mean that it is a "for-profit" school. Private simply means that it is not part of a state school system. There are many fine private schools (such as the ones you mentioned) that are run by non-profit foundations whose mission is to serve the community.

"For-profit" schools are run by corporations that run as a business in order to make a profit, which then belongs to the owners (shareholders in the corportation.) The fact that their primary mission is to make a profit -- as opposed to serving the community -- can cause problems when the best interests of the individual student or of the community in general are sacrificed for the profit of the shareholders.

The key factor is not "public vs private" ... it is "for-profit vs non-profit."

The same distinction and factors are relevant when considering hospitals to work for as well.

courtney,rn · May 17, 2013

I was scared to apply to bachelor degree (BSN) nursing schools during high school because i thought i couldnt make it though a nursing program (boy!, was I wrong). So i decided to go to my local community college for three years under general studies to try and get the general studies classes for nursing school done at a much cheaper price (i dont qualify for financial aid thanks to my "rich" parents according to MA financial aid). In that time i also became an EMT (emergency medical technician) and worked for ambulance companies as well as my towns emergency ambulance, i gained a lot of experience caring for patients in emergency situations.

In the spring of 2011 i was accepted to a 21-month associate of science in nursing program at a private college, it was really tough but i just graduated in march and have also passed my NCLEX-RN so im a registered nurse. In all im so glad i did it the way i did, fresh out of high school i could not have completed nursing school. Im so happy i became an EMT because a lot of that experience i had i used in nursing school and being an EMT i had opportunities that my fellow classmates with out a medical background didn't have such as the basics of an assessments, heart sounds, EKG reading, lung sounds, taking vitals, certain medication protocols, etc. Also during the program a lot of my classmates had a heavier course load because i had all the general studies classes done (psychology, nutrition, maths, englishs, etc) and they had not.

I was also president of my colleges student nurse association so i spoke with a lot of the students and we only had a few fresh out of high school and they were really stuggling. I feel part of this is because you become disciplined in college courses which are not like high school at all. So if you go to a community college you become disciplined and learn the way of college with classes that aren't as tough as nursing classes.

But this is just y opinion and my story, i understand others may have different experiences.

Hope this helps!

courtney,rn · May 17, 2013

Also if you plan on becoming a physicians assistant (PA) i wouldnt go through nursing school. As a nurse you dont diagnose which is what PA's and doctors do. Even though the two occupations work so closely together they are almost totally different when it comes to the treatment of a patient. I would imagine PA school would be difficult to comprehend for an RN because you have to change you whole way of thinking when it comes to treating and caring for a patient.

SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN · May 18, 2013

*** No she can not do 2 years of pre-reqs and then do an RN BSN program. RN BSN programs are for people who are already RNs.

Not true. I wasn't an RN before I got my BSN.

I had a friend who did exactly this. She took her prereqs right out of college at the community college. She then transferred her credits, applied to the BSN school and was accepted.

PMFB-RN, RN · May 18, 2013

Not true. I wasn't an RN before I got my BSN.
I had a friend who did exactly this. She took her prereqs right out of college at the community college. She then transferred her credits, applied to the BSN school and was accepted.

*** Yes but that wasn't an RN BSN program. That was a regular pre-licensure BSN program.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · May 18, 2013

These questions might sound really "stupid," and I'm not even sure I'm wording this correctly, but I really want to know:
1. What is a BSN (in reference to a RN)?
1. Is it better to attend a two-year community college and get my ADN, or is it better to attend a four-year college and get my BSN?
2. Is it true that I can become a RN with a BSN in about four years right after high school?
3. Can I become a PA (hopefully with a PhD) after I get my BSN?
4. Last but not least, What are the (close to exact) steps I should follow right after or during high school in order to get my BSN?
Thank you so much!

1. BSN is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

2. Whether or not one is "better" than the other day depends on a lot of things. If your area of the country (like mine) only hires BSN new grads, then BSN is better.

3. Yes. I did. It's called a traditional BSN program. You enter college/university directly out of high school and graduate with a BSN.

4. PA is not a doctorate level degree. If you want to be a PA, I wouldn't pursue nursing. An undergrad degree in nursing doesn't give you all the science courses you need to enter a PA program so you'd have to finish your BSN, take more undergrad courses and then apply for the PA Masters program. Why would you want to get a degree you have no intention of using? If you want to hold a doctorate level degree as a practitioner, why not go to medical school?

5. You should take the ACT/SAT your junior/senior year in high school. You should tour prospective colleges the summer following your junior year. You should talk with your high school guidance counselor about the admission requirements for the schools you are interested in. You should go to information sessions held at these colleges about the nursing school/nursing program. Finally, you should apply by the deadline. Basically exactly what all of your classmates are doing to enter 4 year colleges/universities.

SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN · May 18, 2013

*** Yes but that wasn't an RN BSN program. That was a regular pre-licensure BSN program.

Are you talking about the RN (ADN) bridge program to BSN?

SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN · May 18, 2013

1. What is a BSN (in reference to a RN)? A bachelor's degree in nursing.

1. Is it better to attend a two-year community college and get my ADN, or is it better to attend a four-year college and get my BSN? It works for some people to go the ADN route first, but most people I knew went the 4-year route and got their BSN right away.

2. Is it true that I can become a RN with a BSN in about four years right after high school? Yes.

3. Can I become a PA (hopefully with a PhD) after I get my BSN? I'm not sure why you'd first become an RN if you want to be a PA. If you want to do the PA route, get your PA education.

4. Last but not least, What are the (close to exact) steps I should follow right after or during high school in order to get my BSN? Exact steps? Good grades in high school, participate in extracurriculars so that your application looks good, perhaps volunteer at a hospital or try to get work as an aide. After you've graduated high school and have decided associates RN vs BSN vs PA school, apply to your prereqs and study!

PMFB-RN, RN · May 19, 2013

Are you talking about the RN (ADN) bridge program to BSN?

*** Yes RN BSN program where RNs (not just associates degree) can earn their BSN. As compaired to a BSN program that trains people who are not nurses to be nurses and makes them eligable to sit for NCLEX-RN and become RNs.

besaangel, ASN, BSN, MSN, CNA, RN, APRN, NP · May 19, 2013

Also if you plan on becoming a physicians assistant (PA) i wouldnt go through nursing school. As a nurse you dont diagnose which is what PA's and doctors do. Even though the two occupations work so closely together they are almost totally different when it comes to the treatment of a patient. I would imagine PA school would be difficult to comprehend for an RN because you have to change you whole way of thinking when it comes to treating and caring for a patient.

I beg to differ. I am a BSN student and I have an interest in becoming a PA (maybe NP). Although the learning model is different, I dont see why it would be "too" dificult to adjust the way of thinking about patient care. I mean, as a NP, you do have to diagnose and treat also :yes: so there really is no significant difference except for the way the programs are taught.

Yes NP is a great career with more autonomy but I just dont get why we tell people its either PA or NP... If you are a competent RN, PA is a viable option regardless.