Can I be a nurse without majoring in BSN?

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Hi, I'm feeling really stressed out and scared for my future. I am currently entering my sophomore year in a 4 year university. I thought I wanted to medical school but with my low GPA I don't think that's happening. My friend is studying to become a nurse and I looked into it and I am interested. I always knew I wanted to go somewhere in the medical field but I didn't know what. I didn't do well in a class recently and I'm predicting a cumulative gpa of 2.0 for my freshman year and I'm feeling very hopeless about my future right now. The nursing major (BSN) at my university is known to be very competitive and I feel like I have no chance of getting in. Right now, my intended major is Anthropology (Medical anthropology/global health anthropology) and now I'm not sure what to do. Any advice on what I should do? Should I drop out of the university and transfer to a community college and get an AA for nursing and then go back to a university or is there another solution? Please any advice would really be helpful. I feel so lost, directionless and hopeless.

On 8/24/2019 at 4:45 AM, 4pplepie99 said:

Hi, I'm feeling really stressed out and scared for my future. I am currently entering my sophomore year in a 4 year university. I thought I wanted to medical school but with my low GPA I don't think that's happening. My friend is studying to become a nurse and I looked into it and I am interested. I always knew I wanted to go somewhere in the medical field but I didn't know what. I didn't do well in a class recently and I'm predicting a cumulative gpa of 2.0 for my freshman year and I'm feeling very hopeless about my future right now. The nursing major (BSN) at my university is known to be very competitive and I feel like I have no chance of getting in. Right now, my intended major is Anthropology (Medical anthropology/global health anthropology) and now I'm not sure what to do. Any advice on what I should do? Should I drop out of the university and transfer to a community college and get an AA for nursing and then go back to a university or is there another solution? Please any advice would really be helpful. I feel so lost, directionless and hopeless.

Hi 4pplepie99,

In my opinion, I would rather "find myself" paying cc tuition rather than 4 year university tuition. Nursing related or not. You'll also start on a clean slate and transfer credits over that you completed. Just look into it and speak to someone at the community college.

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Why dont you become a nurse aide and see if you really wanna work in healthcare in general? It does not even require you to have a degree.

From my experience and observation, many young people tend to rush to college education without knowing what they wanna do or what they can do with it after graduation. I know enough college graduates could not find a job and ended up going back to school for a nursing degree.

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The OP is ahead of the game, only one lost year in University with a non-viable major.

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Specializes in Neuro.

Honestly it sounds like you are trying to figure out what you want to do with your academic career. Your GPA for first year at the university is low. I dont know how you are funding school, but if it is financial aid or worse loans, I'd stop university now till you figure things out. Go to the CC, save money, find yourself & your goals and bring up your GPA. When you graduate from a CC then transfer to university, any bachelor's earned after is just the same as if you went to the uni all the 4,5,6 years.

If really interested in nursing, I'd drop med anthro, you may get an elective or two that can go towards an ASN but, that is about it, so kinda a waste really. Save your $ & go direct to pre-reqs...if that is what you really want to do.

Also know that any non-loan (aka grants) financial aid is only applicable to your FIRST bachelor's degree...after that pretty much the only aid you are eligible for are federal loans for a second bachelor's degree (like if you went back for nursing later). That is if you havent maxed out your (loan) aid on your first degree to start with.

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Specializes in BSPS.

You should go to your local university hospital and ask to shadow different areas. I have a bachelors in pharmaceutical sciences thinking I’d be a pharmacist. Then I shadowed several departments in the hospital including the nuclear and surgical techs. I’m now going to nursing school with a BS worth of debt.

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Specializes in Neuro.

You may also want to also visit a *nursing* academic advisor who can explain to you what going to nursing school actually consists of. It's not just lecture, but required nursing lab, required simulations & required 10-13 hour clinical days each semester (up to 6,10 or 15 days, maybe more a semester....depending on semester & preceptorship) at a real medical or hospital facility.

What I'm saying is, nursing school isnt just simple lecture classes, there is a good deal to it & just suggesting you investigate all it entails & if it is something you still want to do.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

A 2.0 is not competitive at all and the nursing major is competitive and impacted (at least in parts of CA).

I wouldn’t recommend getting a degree in anthropology if nursing is what you want ultimately; that’s a waste of time and money. I recommend getting into a community college and speaking with an advisor (preferably a nursing advisor). Get a plan that includes classes that will make you eligible to apply for BSN programs as well as ADN programs so that when you’re ready to apply to the nursing program, you can apply to both 4 year colleges and 2 year colleges.

Someone also suggested becoming a CNA which I think is a good idea seeing that you’re a bit undecided. You get a chance to work beside nurses and decide if you really like nursing. If you decide to get your CNA, I recommend a school that takes no more than 4 weeks. If you get your ADN first, you can work sooner because it’s a two year program as opposed to a BSN program that takes 2.5-3 years.

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I think you need to really figure out why you're not doing so well in college. Start with that, then do as others have suggested and figure out if you really want to be a nurse. There are lots of jobs in the medical field that aren't nursing. Maybe take some time off from college and work as a CNA or a tech in a hospital. That will give you up close and personal experience into some of what nurses do every day.

Good luck. It's hard to struggle and feel lost. Consider talking to a counselor at school as well as your academic advisor.

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Specializes in Pediatric Specialty RN.

If you are willing to relocate, Pittsburgh has a BUNCH of diploma programs (six I can think of off the top of my head). They usually aren't that competitive to get in....but very very rigorous and hard to STAY in once you are there. But it can be done. I have a bachelors degree in another field and didn't want to spend the upwards of 80k for the accelerated BSN programs here, so I did a diploma program. Took me 16 months full time year round, no breaks. It was the hardest time of my life. But I did it. You can do the pre reqs concurrently or beforehand. It's also a great medical city and the diploma grads do just fine with their job search if you decided to stay here. After that, you could do an online RN-BSN program while you are getting paid and getting tuition reimbursement from your employer.

There are many routes to a nursing career -but they all require you taking the NCLEX which requires you to complete an accredited nursing curriculum. As others have said, shadow first before you make any drastic decisions and decide if it's what you want. Then, if it is, decide what you are willing to do to get it, and do that. Nursing is not an easy career move. It's a difficult job and a very difficult training. You have to really, really want it.

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Specializes in ICU.

Have you tried looking for a Chamberlain College? You can try there and they do their own pre-reqs. I didn't attend Chamberlain, but they say they dont have a wait list.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I would reflect on why you are doing poorly with your GPA. Are you not studying enough? Are the lecture halls too big, especially freshman year if you are at a university some classes can have a 100 students and maybe you need more individual attention.

I don't know what you could do with a medical anthropology degree. Not nursing.

I agree with others that suggest you pause college, get some real world work experience and then if you want to get a job in the health care field, start with your local public community college. It will probably be less expensive.

Don't proceed with a liberal arts degree and taking out student loans. There is not much you can do with just a liberal arts degree. Around 50% of people with one aren't working in a job that requires a degree and probably aren't being paid well, but still have a lot of student loans that must be paid back.

Be thankful you've come to this realization before you finished a BA/BS degree that won't get you nowhere except more debt. That said even a business degree doesn't automatically translate into a good paying job.

But you are young and can turn things around. There are many jobs in the health care field that you can do that start with technical training at local public tech school. Avoid the for profits that advertise on TV and radio! From phlebotomist (drawing blood) to physical therapy assistant, radiology or nuclear med tech, ultrasound tech for example. Do some research on the jobs in health care you might be interested, the training required and the average wages.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Specialty Infusion Services.

One option you could consider is doing the LPN program at the CC which is not credit but diploma takes about 1 full year. That would tell you if nursing is for you. It's not as expensive. If you do decide to stay in nursing you will have a better chance of getting into an LPN to RN program. The LPN's join the second year of the RN nursing program filling the slots of all who dropped during the first year. Not nearly as much competition and the diploma gives you credit for your first year of RN program. Then get a job as an LPN and have them pay for you to get your RN and BSN. Which is what I did. I'm currently in the RN to BSN program online and haven't had to pay anything since LPN school. Good luck to you.

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