Career change

[MojoPin]

Ok I am slightly confused and was hoping I could get some guidance here. I am interested in pursuing a career in nursing. I have my BA in Genetics and Microbiology from Rutgers in 2000. After that I went to law school, practiced law for a couple years and decided that was not my calling. For the last three years, I have been running a group home for adults with developmental disabilities which has ignited a love of patient care and made me realize that nursing is my calling. Given that I have a BA in a science discipline, what is my next step to pursue an RN degree/licensing? Does my BA count for anything? Does it give me any credit as far as becoming an RN? And then as a second question, is anyone aware of any programs which would pay for you to get your nursing degree if you commit to working in a certain field or location for a certain amount of time? I ask because I already have amassed a sizeable student loan debt from law school and would like to minimize any further debt load. Any help or advice you could provide would be greatly appreciated!

-Sean

[Marshall1]

Yes, your degree will count - at least part of it - as long as the schools you graduated from were accredited. The only degree in nursing I know that is service cancelable is Nursing Education at a Masters level. Some hospitals will off set the cost of your education or give you bonuses every year if you sign on to work for them for a certain amt of time. These are more difficult to find given the economic climate right now - one thing you could consider since you have a law degree is a legal nurse consultation. Good luck!

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Sean,

You certainly have experience in a lot of different areas - I am sure that this will add value to any future career. Are you in the US? If so, you need to start by making an appointment to speak with the schools that interest you. Bring your transcripts - they will help you figure out exactly what will carry over and what additional pre-requisites you will need. Keep in mind that science courses 'expire' after a period of time (usually 5 years) and have to be re-taken. They become outdated due to the constant advances in those areas.

The schools can also help you discover different avenues of financial aid. If you have received assistance/loans to complete your other undergrad programs there may not be much additional aid for you. However, there are programs in which your nursing school loans can be paid off through a work commitment such as working in a "medically underserved" area or Indian Health Service hospital. These programs are administered through the school, so you cannot usually find out about them on your own. There is also supposed to be funding to support nursing education as part of the Health Care Reform legislation - should happen in this calendar year.

I do agree with the previous poster, a natural career path for you would be in the areas where your legal background would give you an edge -- such as healthcare risk management.

Best of luck to you!