Career Change-Charlotte NC

calivianya, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2016

I would recommend UNC Charlotte. Skip the ADN programs and go straight for your BSN - it sounds like you have some formal education already if you have been a paralegal. If you already have most of your general education requirements done it will take you the exact same amount of time to get your BSN as it will to get your ADN. Both Novant Health and Carolinas Healthcare make a lot of noise about preferring BSNs over ADNs, and those are the two major employers in the Charlotte area. Good luck!

Aspiring_RN_ · Aug 3, 2016

Thank you for your response!

What's your opinion on quitting your job to take out loans!! :-)

CelticGoddess, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2016

Thank you for your response!
What's your opinion on quitting your job to take out loans!! :-)

If you can continue to work, continue to do so. You don't want to be stuck paying off loans the rest of your life. Trust me when I say that. I've been paying on my loans for 5 years now and I am still in debt up to my eyeballs. Lesson learned on my part. Even if you do end up taking out loans while you still work, you'll have to take out fewer loans than if you quit.

calivianya, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2016

I would work a different job to avoid taking out loans if at all possible. I worked as a hotel night auditor during the first parts of nursing school - made $9.50/hr, but it paid rent and my car payment, so at least I didn't have to take out loans for those. After your junior year, you can do a summer paid internship - Novant definitely offers them, and they pay nursing students around $15/hr to follow a nurse around and do CNA work. I don't know if you can stay on afterwards and work PRN - it probably depends on the unit you do your internship on and what their CNA needs look like at the time.

I don't know about Novant, but Cone Health in Greensboro allows student interns to keep their student intern pay rate once they switch over to being regular CNAs, which is a pretty sweet way to make a well above market wage as a CNA.

Oh, FYI - I know my unit only hired BSN students for the internship this year, so that is another consideration for the ADN/BSN argument. Not only do you get roughly time and a half what most CNAs make, but if you make a good impression on your unit, odds are you're going to land a job there next year. We hired *all* of last year's student interns on our unit this year.

Aspiring_RN_ · Aug 4, 2016

Yea! I know! Only thing is RN programs are day only, no evening classes. The only program I found for evening is LPN, which I would have to stay in school to get my RN,,,and the times they are offered aren't so convenient with my work schedule.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Aug 5, 2016

OP - per the AllNurses TOS, your screen name is a violation. You are not a nurse, and may not use 'RN' as part of it. Please change it. Thanks.

VioletKaliLPN, LPN · Aug 5, 2016

I live in Charlotte, Hi :)

Choosing Nursing does not guarantee you a job here in Charlotte. Our hospitals only hire New Grads for "New Grad" positions, so if you see an RN listing on CMC or novant, it is for experienced RN's. There is a special designation for New Grads. New Grads are having difficulty finding jobs in Charlotte, NC, unless a Nursing home is something you are okay with.

I actually love LTC and SNF, I never wanted to work in a hospital.

RunnerRN2015, ASN, RN · Aug 5, 2016

I graduated from Carolinas College of Health Sciences with my ADN in 2014. CHS always hires our grads! In fact, with the most recent class, ALL grads were hired by CHS! When HR ranks new grads, CCHS is at the top of the list. I've also worked at Novant and the majority of my co-workers were also ADN RNs. At CHS, while most classmates were hired into their New Grad program and nurse residencies, some were hired directly by their units. Choosing the right school makes a difference!

Aspiring_RN_ · Aug 5, 2016

I live in Charlotte, Hi :)
Choosing Nursing does not guarantee you a job here in Charlotte. Our hospitals only hire New Grads for "New Grad" positions, so if you see an RN listing on CMC or novant, it is for experienced RN's. There is a special designation for New Grads. New Grads are having difficulty finding jobs in Charlotte, NC, unless a Nursing home is something you are okay with.
I actually love LTC and SNF, I never wanted to work in a hospital.

OH WOW!! That's interesting!!! So graduating even from Carolinas College of Heath and Science will not guarantee you a job at that hospital??

I have heard of so much talk of a shortage for nurses. I would love working in a NH, they are in SUCH need of not only skilled nurses but nurses who CARE...I've seen a little of both. I would also like to experience travelling nurse positions.

Aspiring_RN_ · Aug 5, 2016

I graduated from Carolinas College of Health Sciences with my ADN in 2014. CHS always hires our grads! In fact, with the most recent class, ALL grads were hired by CHS! When HR ranks new grads, CCHS is at the top of the list. I've also worked at Novant and the majority of my co-workers were also ADN RNs. At CHS, while most classmates were hired into their New Grad program and nurse residencies, some were hired directly by their units. Choosing the right school makes a difference!

That is SO good to know!!! CCHS is my first choice, then Queens College (Presby)

Aspiring_RN_ · Aug 5, 2016

OP - per the AllNurses TOS, your screen name is a violation. You are not a nurse, and may not use 'RN' as part of it. Please change it. Thanks.

oops my apologies :-) didn't mean it in that way , more like an aspiring RN. I've tried going through the settings to change, it's not allowing me