Becoming a nurse

Look on the Board of Nursing website for your state and find the list of approved programs.

Pick five or so in your area and start exploring their websites. Make SURE they are both regionally accredited (WASC for you I think) AND nationally accredited (CCNE for BSN programs, ACEN for ADN programs) They will have a list of prerequisite coursework.

Align what you already have earned with what you still need.

Consider price, location and (most importantly) quality of the program. Quality means- do they have a high NCLEX pass rate? (>90%) Do local hospitals hire their graduates? (Call some hospital HR Departments and ask- tell them why you are calling- and do THEY have any recommendations?)

I hope this is helpful.

Hi -

I would research colleges/schools in the area you will be moving to. All of them will have pre-requisites such as English, Math, Anatomy, etc. I would pull out your transcript and research each college, compare which classes you already have and which ones you need to get, whether your classes transfer etc. Then you can whittle your list down based on other things such as distance to drive to school etc.

Once you have a short-list, I would suggest going in and discussing everything with a nursing advisor who should be able to draw up a "plan of action", so to speak - which will be a study pathway to get you working towards your goal. Enroll in the classes you need, and start working towards enrolling. There will often be additional requirements such as CPR certification and HESI exams etc....check what is required by your actual school.

My suggestion would be to look at community colleges to get your ADN.....way cheaper than the private route, or University. Then you can bridge to the BSN or even start work as an RN and study for your BSN while you work. Some C/Cs now offer a hybrid of the two degrees, so you can get your BSN via the C/C even. You'll have to research what's available.

So - in a nutshell - research which classes you need in order to apply. Enroll in those classes. Complete any additional requirements. Apply.

I will be moving to Fort Lewis in a few months and I want to become a nurse preferably with BSN but getting an associates and transferring is okay too. I don't have very many college credits as of now only what I've obtained through the military. Any suggestions of how to go about applying and school recommendations?

If you are active duty -- look into this program. An excellent way to get your RN degree for free while staying on active duty. School will be your place of duty.

United States Army Recruiting Command (USAREC)