Advice needed on nursing path!!!! Please&Thanks!!!!!!

[breezy119]

Hello all!!

I need some advice, Im going crazy trying to decide! So here is my dilemma: I started my undergraduate in nursing but didn't get into the professional program at my school but got on an "alternative list" (basically waiting list) because my grades were good enough but there was a professor shortage. Well I didn't want to sit on my behind and waste money waiting (I go to school out of state.From CO. Go to school in AZ)....so I changed my minor of Family and Human Development into my major and am graduating this May, 2009..........Well I still want to be a nurse. I got accepted in to Scottsdale Community colleges accelerated program for ADN (16 months). I also got accepted into two Denver schools for accelerated BSN. I don't care if I move back to Colorado or stay in AZ for now. My question is.... should I go to the community college and get my ADN. It only costs 6,000 and I heard that when your a starting RN, it doesn't matter if you have a ADN or a BSN. It only matters when you want to continue in your career (to management..ect.). Is this true? If it is true then I could become and RN and start working and then go back when I am more stable with money to to a RN to BSN program and possibly get my employer to pay for it. Or.....should I just do an accelerated BSN program (program for people who already have their bachelors in something else). They are very expensive (30,000-40,000) and I heard they are very difficult. But it is only a couple more months then the ADN (one is 21 months, another is 18 months). However I'm not sure I really want to rack on that much in student loans if an RN with ADN is basically the same. Any advise would be amazing!!!!!! Im going crazy!! Oh also another tidbit on making my dicision even harder....my long term boyfriend who moved here with me is moving back to CO (home) in Dec. So if I stayed in AZ , we would have to do a year long distance. Boo! But I have to do what I have to do! THANKS!!!!

[hope3456, ASN, RN]

The AZ program is only 6k as opposed to the CO program 30k?? Definately go with the AZ program!!! You can always do an online bsn program.....i am going to start one soon. I has been my experience that when interviewing employers want to know more about your work history and references than about your schooling, as long as you have an active license. A big consideration for you would be, however, where are you willing to go to get a rn job once you graduate? It sounds like (and was my experience) it is getting more difficult for new graduates to find jobs. IMHO, in CO there are just alot of nsg schools graduating alot of students, so it makes for competition.

[RNtwoBE]

I am having a similar dilemma, however I'm doing my pre-reqs for nursing and don't have a bachelor's. I have been told by many working nurses and HR departments that it really doesn't matter except for moving up the ladder. The pay is exactly the same for RN's, regardless of ADN or BSN. I'm an older student, so I'm not really interested in doing anything but working with patients! ;-) However, there are many online RN to BSN programs, CU has one! The community colleges out here (CO) have 2-3+ year waiting lists and cost about double what your program will, so shoot if you can do that in AZ, go for it! But if you know you want to move up, it may be worth just biting the bullet and do it all now. I guess it just really depends on what you want to do long term.

[FrogKissingNurse]

Well from the sounds of the job market in CO you are better off getting a BSN. I guess all the new grads are having trouble getting jobs but you are pretty much out of luck if you only have ADN. So if I were you I'd go BSN and just be done with it. Plus you never know if may want to continue your education later you won't have to go back for the BSN also.

As for staying in AZ or going to CO keep in mind that you have to be a CO resident for 1 year before you will get in state tuition...