Career change - best degree?

[andrews33]

Dear nursing community;

I'm looking for general advice and help with making a huge decision when it comes to school. I'm in school to be a second career nurse, who has both an A.S. and a B.S. in criminal justice. I have recently been accepted into two different programs and I'm not sure which would be best for me.

The first program is a straight A.S. in nursing. It is four semester program which will prepare me to be an RN. This program will cost me about $9,000.

The second program is a direct entry master's in nursing as a clinical nurse leader track. This is a five semester program and will also prepare me to be an RN. This program will cost me about $35,000.

Any advice out there from nurses/nursing students as to which might be a more productive path for me? Thank you!

[ORNurseCOS]

It's really about what you want to do. Realize that if you do the A.S. your going to have to complete a B.S. just to get a job.

It is now required where I live at almost all hospitals.

I personally am not a fan of a direct Masters where you skip over the experience part.

I find a lot of people that go into these programs don't seem to really want to be nurses but want to skip that part.

What good is a Masters in something for which you have no real experience?

Best of Luck