CNA to BSN

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I'm 15 and deciding my future, I will be taking a CNA course in 2016-2017. I was wondering, if I have my CNA license right after graduating high school, is it possible that I could take a BSN program that would consider the fact I have the education requirements for a CNA and the program would take less than four years?

Specializes in ICU.

I would in enroll in the CNA course and take dual credit classes with your local community college. Knock your prereqs out of the way. Even though an Associates is a 2 year degree with the prereqs your are looking at least 3 years. Do well in your prereqs as nursing school is very competitive. Becoming a CNA does not shave time off of your degree. I was able to apply to get my CNA after my nursing fundamentals class which was only 4 weeks long. There are many people in my cohort who are already CNAs and they just had to grin and bear it in fundamentals.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Aren't CNA courses a prerequisite?

Not always. I attended an LVN program 10 years ago and an RN (ASN) degree program 5 years ago, and neither school required CNA coursework as a prerequisite.

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Specializes in ICU.

Dual enroll in your community college and take as many AP or IB classes as you can and rock the exams. Find a direct-entry BSN program that doesn't require prereq classes and accepts freshmen into the nursing program. Don't write off a school until you have seen their official financial aid offer. I never thought I could have afforded the university I graduated from (private 4-year Jesuit institution, $32k+) until I saw the financial aid package I was offered.

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Well, everyone, the problem with dual enrollment is I can either have this two year health occupations class and a year of the CNA course, or the dual enrollment at a college. I'm already in the CNA course for these three years. Due to this schedule, I have three periods of my day taken away to go to the tech center, this includes one science class. I'm doing well in all of my core classes (the only classes I have at my actual school) but they won't look all that great on applications since they are all normal level classes. I was thinking 3 year CNA+HealthOcc and AP English and Science? (I will have a science class these next two years since I won't have to take a mandatory class such as health) I'm actually a Sophomore if this will help a little.

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Specializes in Public Health.

CNA courses don't and shouldn't take 3 years. Mine took 2 months. You could do that in one summer and still do the dual enrollment during the school semesters.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I'm already in the CNA course for these three years.
In most states, CNA training takes a few weeks, and the CNA state test can be passed in a day or so. I wonder why your program is taking so long.
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a year of the CNA course

It would probably best to look at alternative CNA options.

I completed mine in a single week.

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.

My CNA course took four weeks and that was with only three days a week of classes. Any CNA program that takes over a couple months (if that) is not worth it. It's basic stuff, if you can get your LPN license in one year and your RN license in two then what's up with a three year CNA program?

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The short answer is no. While there are a few, and very few at that, nursing programs that require one to have a CNA certificate in order to apply, there are no BSN programs that are going to be shortened because one is a CNA.

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Check with your high school to see if you could start enrolling in your community college to get started on your college education. My granddaughter did that. For each course she took at the community college, she got both high school and college credit at the same time and, guess what? She did not have to pay for the course! The high school paid for it. One thing you have to watch out for though is your grade in the course. Once you start taking college courses you need to strive for A's because those with the highest GPA are those who have the easiest time getting accepted into a nursing program.

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Specializes in ICU Stepdown.
Check with your high school to see if you could start enrolling in your community college to get started on your college education. My granddaughter did that. For each course she took at the community college, she got both high school and college credit at the same time and, guess what? She did not have to pay for the course! The high school paid for it. One thing you have to watch out for though is your grade in the course. Once you start taking college courses you need to strive for A's because those with the highest GPA are those who have the easiest time getting accepted into a nursing program.

This. My unweighted cumulative in high school was a 3.7 but because of AP and college credits I graduated with a weighted cumulative GPA of 4.2 and was one of my high school's valedictorians. Too bad I wasn't ready for the college I enrolled in and too bad I didn't know I wanted to go for nursing because my college GPA plummeted my first year! Make sure nursing is what you want to do too :p

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
In most states, CNA training takes a few weeks, and the CNA state test can be passed in a day or so. I wonder why your program is taking so long.

It's a HS technology/vocational program as a complement to main HS requirements. First year is pre-health/pre-CNA. It's not a traditional CNA class. It seems the OP is a 15yo HS sophomore.

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