Cleveland State University Accelerated BSN Spring 2014

neurosciencelover8 · Nov 12, 2013

I heard from the PA I was shadowing and a RN where I work at that Nurse Practitioners have wider prescriptive authority. The PA said there was a movement to remove the prescriptive authority for controlled substances (narcotics) for PA's in Ohio. And yes PA's and NP's are both midlevel practitioners. I think NP's also have more freedom to practice independently. Since supposedly PA's are supposed to have some kind of "supervision" from doctors. But they are really independent too I noticed from the two PA's I shadowed. I'm also pretty sure nurse anesthetist graduate school is really competitive to get into as well. Cheers to us both on achieving our dreams!

OUxPhys, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2013

:) I have to really spend a lo of time under a NA before I decide that is what I want to do. I read that the avg age for an RN entering NA school is in their early to mid 30's. From what I gathered you just need a BSN correct, no other additional classes?

neurosciencelover8 · Nov 13, 2013

You need a BSN AND at least 1 or 2 years of fulltime work as a Registered Nurse in an ICU or other critical care unit in a hospital to become a CRNA. Also, there is a movement to change the requirement to become a Nurse Practitioner or CRNA (which is the correct abbreviation for Nurse Anesthetist) from a Master's of Science into a full doctorate, you might know that already. I was already planning to get my doctorate anyway when I was thinking about becoming a Neuroscientist so it doesn't bother me. It bothers a lot of people though. That's why PA school is so hard to get into/competitive. Because essentially it is a shortcut. You just need to have a Bachelor's degree and have already taken all the prereqs and get the Master's degree. Many PA programs are changing to Master's degree programs because there has been a movement to require all new PAs to have at least a Master's degree to practice. In Ohio that is the case. Keep in mind though different PA programs have different prereq requirements it's not like medical school where all the programs in the USA at least are pretty uniform in the prereq requirements. I honestly like the Nursing model more than the PA medical model (which is designed with medical schooling in mind). But I respect the medical model a lot, of course since I was a Science major, devoted/avid student and fan of it.

OUxPhys, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2013

Personally, I think it is ridiculous that they are making every get a "doctorate". In my mind only two people need doctorates: Medical doctors and professors (PhD's). Now, literally everyone has a doctorate: PT's, OT's, Pharmacists and soon to be nurses. They are basically watering down the term. Sadly, college is big business. As for PA I don't know of anywhere in the US that doesn't require at least a master's degree.

neurosciencelover8 · Nov 13, 2013

Actually I heard you might not need a BSN to go the NP or CRNA route, you can do an entry master's program but it's expensive and there are not that many programs available. I can see how requiring all or most healthcare careers to have a doctorate can be confusing. If you called everyone with a doctorate in nursing, pharmD, PT, etc a doctor that'd be really confusing. People wouldn't be able to differentiate between them and the physicians. Also, I heard of a few states that still allow people with only a bachelor's degree to practice as long as they are certified as a PA-C.

OUxPhys, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2013

Hmm, did not know that. Yes I was told to apply to OSU and Case's grad entry program but my gpa was too low 3.1. So, my plan is to do really well in the accelerated program so that later on down the road I can actually apply to those schools. It's dumb having to call everyone doctor. I can see why a lot of medical doctors are fighting it.

neurosciencelover8 · Nov 13, 2013

My cumulative gpa is a 3.27 but my prereq gpa was really high like a 3.9. What can I say? Science is tough. Most people flunk out of the Science classes. They're pretty much like weedout classes. Even if we were to do a entry Master's degree. We would still need to do all the RN classes and clinicals and take the NCLEX. So I believe both ways take roughly the same time. I mean accelerated BSN and entry level Master's degree.

OUxPhys, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2013

Science is indeed tough. I feel like in some classes I really screwed myself over, mainly by making silly mistakes that could have been easily avoidable. Yea I think they both are roughly the same time frame. I have no regrets going this route though. Did you register for your classes yet? I have to wait because they are in the process of changing my status from fall to spring.

neurosciencelover8 · Nov 13, 2013

Yup I did! We should be study buddies. LOL. I just checked Case Western's entry level Master's program the amount of time to get all the RN requirements done is 4 semesters just like CSU. Also, it's best to do the Accelerated BSN program if you're not sure what to specialize in cuz with the entry level Master's program you jump right in. Plus it costs more money to do that as well. So I definitely have no regrets to go the Accelerated BSN route.

OUxPhys, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2013

Yea definitely! lol. I think there is a girl in my micro class that is also going to CSU in Jan, haven't talked to her yet though. I think I've narrowed my specialties down so that isn't a problem but cost was a big factor for me. I also got accepted to Ursuline but their program for the same amount of time was $53,000.00!

neurosciencelover8 · Nov 13, 2013

That's why I chose to go to Cleveland State for my first BS and second BSN, It's cheap, I don't have to pay for room and board. Since I didn't have to pay for room and board, I pretty much got a full ride for my first Bachelor's of Science. But since this is my second Bachelor's degree, they aren't so generous this time around, lol. Which is fine as long as I get a job as a registered nurse (hopefully in a hospital) right after I graduate.

OUxPhys, BSN, RN · Nov 13, 2013

Yea I hear ya. I would love to stay in the Cleveland area. I'm kinda interested in living downtown after garduation, especially if I get in one of the major hospitals.