Already have a BA and want to pursue BSN - which programs?

[aheadofthegame]

Hello everyone,

I am living in Seattle, WA, and I am currently attending the University of Washington - majoring in both Communication and Political Science. I will graduate in December 2013 at the age of 21 and will finish my BA degree about two years earlier because of a program I chose to attend when in high school.

I used to be really interested in Nursing and used to want to pursue it, however, two years ago when I was in my senior year of HS it just seemed too competitive and I thought I would not get into any program and therefore basically threw in the towel.

Two years later, I still am very interested in it and I know that this is what I want to do and what career I want to get into.

My family is moving to Nevada - Las Vegas - this summer and I plan on moving as soon as I am done in December.

I contacted Nevada State College about their Accelerated BSN program but they were very vague and they don't know if some of the prerequisites that I already have will transfer, etc. They told me to call their Admissions and I have now sent their Transcript evaluator an email but it all seems very vague ... I thought about attending College of Southern Nevada (CSN) for the prerequisites but I don't want to do that and apply if there's no guarantee that my other prerequisites from WA will not transfer over.

I looked at the BSN program at both UNLV and UNR - and UNR says on their website somewhere that you have an advantage if you already have a Bachelor's degree when applying. UNR also has someone who I emailed who specifically deals with candidates who have a degree already. UNR also has WUE tuition/reduced OOS tuition if you're from a western state ... but it is about 7 hours away from Las Vegas and I wouldn't be able to save on housing and food (I'd live with my parents when staying in LV).

UNLV - I haven't emailed them yet but I plan on doing so today.

From experience - would it be better to enter a "regular" BSN program or should I start at a community college and do a bridge program, even though it would cost more time?

Sorry that this is such a long post but if anyone is attending UNLV or UNR or even NSC and enrolled in the programs in which I am looking into - any feedback is greatly appreciated!

[christina731]

Hi,

I am currently a student at CSN's ADN program so I may be a bit partial :) but here's my (long) story:

I wanted to be a nurse for many years and after high school in Las Vegas (I graduated in '03) I started researching different nursing programs. I had already completed a few semesters of gen-ed courses at CSN. I finally settled on the regular BSN program at NSC. At the time I didn't know much and I wasn't really thinking about an associates degree at CSN because at the time I felt that a bachelors degree was the only way to go and I felt that UNLV's tuition was a bit high. I felt that NSC was a nice middle ground. So I went to speak to a (non-nursing) "counselor" at NSC. They basically told me that my 3.2-or so GPA was "not good enough for the super competitive nursing programs in LV". I was disappointed and basically gave up on my career as a nurse. For the next few years I continued to work full time at various odd jobs that I didn't enjoy, took a class here and there and basically kept school on the back burner.

Fast forward to 2011, I was still futzing around with school and rapidly approaching the ripe old age of 30, which had become my "goal age" to get my life going with a "real job". I finally discovered the ADN program at CSN and in 3 semesters I finished up the 8 remaining prerequisites I needed to apply. I applied in the Fall of 2012 and was accepted! I started the program in January 2013 and I absolutely love it! The classes are extremely challenging and the clinicals begin right away, giving you a great start.

I still plan on completing the bridge program at NSC right after I finish at CSN but from what I have heard from recent CSN grads and seasoned nurses in LV, CSN grads are the best! I guess thats the main point of my long story. I want to complete my BSN only in the event that I move out of NV to an area where a BSN is required. At this point in time, ADN nurses are getting plenty of jobs in LV. So basically, if I were to give you advice, I would say go to CSN and then bridge to NSC.

Good luck!!

[aheadofthegame]

I thought of going to CSN actually to do my prerequisites there!

It's just super frustrating for me because every school just seems super competitive - especially up here in WA - and I don't want to give up again ... I know that I want to be a nurse.

I am afraid to just waste more and more time completing the prerequisites right now to get into NSC's Accelerated program or to get into UNR or UNLV's BSN programs maybe .. but who knows if they will even transfer my WA prerequisites and I feel that nobody really can give me a guarantee.

Man, this is frustrating.

Yeah, CSN seems like a really good option - thank you so much, really!!

Do you know with whom I should talk to or whom to contact? I am helping my parents move at the end of August and then I'm driving back up for my last quarter at the UW to Seattle middle of September so I would have a couple weeks to figure things out with CSN hopefully.

How competitive is it to get into CSN? What kind of prerequisites do they want?

It seems cheaper in the long run - I mean yeah it will take more time with the bridge but I was mainly looking at the BSN option because I wasn't sure if I would get a job with an ADN. And how soon I would get a job, if ADN grads are respected in the area, etc.

The way you described it though it seems like the safest route.

Thank you so much!!

[christina731]

CSN has a great science department. You will learn a ton if you complete your pre-reqs there! I always hear about CSN's A&P/Micro being tougher than other schools which (to me) means you learn that much more! And the tuition is reasonable compared to other schools for someone (like me!!) that doesn't qualify for financial aid.

The programs here are definitely competitive, but as long as you have decent grades and have all the other required items in order (TEAS/HESI..) you shouldn't have that much trouble getting into the program you want. I am no genius and I got in the first time I applied.

I really don't think you will have any trouble with your basic math, English, history and science type classes from your school in WA. Transfers become complicated when you are talking about some major class that another school may not offer.

I would contact the Health Science Limited Entry office at the West Charleston campus. They handle the applications and would be your best source of information. Don't even bother talking to the regular admissions people - they know nothing about nursing. Here is their contact info:

[phone]

[email protected]

I would also recommend attending a health programs orientation while you're here helping you parents move. Once you attend one, you are able to have an actual meeting with a nursing program advisor who can evaluate your credits and set up what you need to do prior to application. Here is the schedule for the rest of the summer:

http://sites.csn.edu/health/orientations.pdf

Here is a list of all of the pre/co reqs. I would recommend completing EVERYTHING prior to applying. You will be much more competitive if you complete everything before:

http://sites.csn.edu/health/nursing/adncurricspringfulltime.pdf

And here is a breakdown of the selection criteria which determines who gets in and who doesn't:

http://sites.csn.edu/health/nursing/adnspringselection.pdf

And just an FYI, the GPA is ONLY calculated with the following classes, so make sure you do well in these classes. I took some of them again to bring up my grade. All other classes are not computed into you GPA.

-English 101

-Psychology 101

-Fundamentals of Life Science

-Anatomy & Physiology I

-Math (whichever you choose)

As far as getting a job with an ADN, most RN's that I talk to have their ADN. And unfortunately my mom was hospitalized for over a month so I have talked to MANY nurses here. In NV, having an ADN is not a problem. In fact, I know someone who graduated from Roseman (an overpriced private school here...I would never consider that school) with a BSN and it took her almost a year to find a job, along with most of her class. You just don't hear that from CSN grads. You may not get "the" job that you want right after graduation like a coveted PICU position or whatever, but you can't be picky in this difficult economic environment.

It was the safest route for me to become a nurse. I would have needed several more pre-reqs to attend UNLV or NSC which would have probably taken about the same amount of time and much more money.

[aheadofthegame]

Thank you so so much for everything and all your effort in looking all this up - you just literally made my day! :)

For the selection criteria - I think if everything would transfer and Life Science is Life cycle (Psychology class?) then the only prerequisite I would need to complete is Anatomy I.

So that would mean that I would have to wait and apply for Fall semester '14, I assume?

I guess I would take Anatomy I and then the other classes that are listed for points that I don't have yet - Bio 224, Bio 251, US&NV Constitution.

For the TEAS - how did you prepare for that test?

I remember no one requiring it two years ago when I looked into nursing programs but I honestly don't know to which test I could compare it too ... and for Math - I'm absolutely terrible at math but brilliant with reading.

How did you feel about it when you took it?

Thank you so much also for the contact information and the health orientation information - I will make sure to attend one when I'm down there. It will probably be in September though since my family is moving in the last week of August.

That is awesome that CSN grads seem to have no problem! I was worried about the job market situation in NV as well because my friends who have an ADN or are LPN nurses have trouble finding a job in WA right now. Then again the job market situation may be better in Nevada in general - which would be very awesome to hear.

Again, thank you so much for all your help and advice and looking up all this information for me!

You really helped me out immensely!