Advice needed for nursing program

im currently am doing my pre-reqs .. 5 courses to go if I decide to get pharmacology out of the way before nursing school .... I often think that LPN would be great experience... but ive been told by CNA's I met in school that... doing LPN is a waste and I should just focus and finish the ADN program.. then finish BSN online while I work... I don't know... I guess if you have a steady job that pays okay.. then go for the ADN but if you need a job.. then do LPN..... you should first search the job market.. see if LPN are still in demand...

Good Luck!

Hi are you in the NYC area?

No :) Michigan!

Hi, I'm a single mom as well, to an almost 7 year old! I would recommend checking out various schools in your area and going in and speaking to admissions counselors. I don't know how long ago high school was for you or what kind of grades you pulled, but your first step should be to get your high school transcript, show it to a counselor, and talk about what pre-reqs you should take and the grades you need to get to make yourself an attractive candidate. Find out if you can take courses through your community college and how the credits will transfer. See if a few schools in your area will accept pre-reqs taken on-line (this was honestly the easiest and most convenient option for me as a single mom, but you really need to make sure you take your on-line courses through programs that are accepted by whatever nursing school you want to get into). Start saving money now. You're going to need money for uniforms, books, supplies, possibly a new computer, shoes, etc. It also helps to have a bunch saved up to hopefully live off of if you have to cut your work hours drastically or even quit your job.

I would skip the LPN. Many places have 2-year RN programs and I think getting an LPN is a waste of time/money when you could just get started on your RN. If you want to get some sort of experience under your belt to make your application look good and to get a taste for what things might be like, volunteer at the hospital (if possible) or a nursing home. Be prepared to have to get a physical, updated shots, TB test, etc. (I had to do all of that just to be a volunteer visitor at my local nursing home).

Have your ultimate goal in mind, but break down the process into smaller steps first. Focus on collecting all the information about pre-reqs, etc. Then focus on getting those done and getting really good grades, then move on to focusing on the application process. Be as organized as possible and accept that this will take a lot of time. I just got accepted to nursing school last month, but the research and process of figuring out what to do started over 3 years ago for me, and this is after I already had an associate's degree. It will take time, focus, and a lot of motivation, but it's definitely possible.

Why not go strait for bsn? APNs require a BSN, let alone ICU work experience. Time is money, and if crna is the route you want to pursue you're just wasting a terrible amount of time.