Cna-lpn-adn-absn-bsn-msn-pa?

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I completed my masters in health related field and search on this topic lead to the following 6 options. Please guide me. Thanks.

1. Join for a CNA certification program, get certification and work in a hospital. while you earn some bucks join for a LPN course. take NCLEX-PN and then join for an ADN progrm, get the RN.

2. Join directly to LPN course and get Nclex-PN. Join ADN program, work as an LPN earn some bucks.take Nclex and get the RN.

3. Work as a CNA directly without certification ( donot know if this is possible)/ Get certification and then work. Earn while you study for an ADN program and finally get the RN.

4. Join directly to ADN program, 2 years no earning + 10k expenses. take Nclex and get the RN.

5.Join for a accelerated BSN. 1 year no earning +35k expenses, Take Nclex and get the RN.

6. Join for PA progrm. 2 year no earning + 65k expenses, take PANCE exam and get the PA.

I am looking for earn while you study option (coz of family) even if the duration of program is lengthy.

Would like to know if theres any age limit for NCLEX? I read someone took it for 10 times.:uhoh3: . Thanks again.

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If you know that you want to become a PA, why not just go directly to a PA program? Or, if you feel like you want (need) to work in healthcae during that time, do the CNA program and work as a CNA. I would not spend the time and $$$ to get any farther into nursing than that if I wasn't planning on staying in nursing.

PA is an entirely different discipline that has nothing to do with nursing -- you certainly don't need to become licensed as a nurse at any point in order to eventually become a PA, which would be leaving nursing.

At the present time, new graduate nurses in many areas are having a v. hard time finding employment, so you couldn't necessarily count on completing nursing school and promptly finding paying employment as a nurse (lots of folks on this site have been out of school for a year or more and are still looking for their first nursing job).

(There is no "age limit" for the NCLEX that I've ever heard of -- are you talking about the age of the applicant, or how long ago the applicant completed her/his nursing program? Different states have different rules/standards about how many times you can retake the NCLEX (if necessary), whether you need to complete some kind of additional education after X number of attempts, how many years you can have been out of school (without writing the NCLEX) before you need some kind of further education or simply aren't eligible, etc. Each US regulates the licensure and practice of nursing within its own borders. However, again, if your ultimate goal is PA, I wouldn't recommend putting the time and effort into preparing and qualifying for nursing licensure.)

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Hi elkpark,

I am looking for work and study option (coz of family) even if the duration of program is lengthy. If we ignore pa which is the best route.Sorry, i meant the age limit of applicant Thanks.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

But why would you spend all that time working your way up to BSN and leave nursing to be a PA? If that's where you are headed then why bother with nursing school?

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But why would you spend all that time working your way up to BSN and leave nursing to be a PA? If that's where you are headed then why bother with nursing school?

Tuition alone is 65k. If i join straight away i b bankrupt by the end of second year PA. so its better do one step at a time with one job in hand. :idea:

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But why would you spend all that time working your way up to BSN and leave nursing to be a PA? If that's where you are headed then why bother with nursing school?

Tuition alone is 65k. If i join straight away i b bankrupt by the end of second year PA. so its better do one step at a time with one job in hand. :idea:

However, there are lots of other jobs you could hold to pay for PA school that wouldn't require years of expensive education just to get the job in the first place. I think that's what's puzzling loriangel and me. Becoming an RN is not a "step" toward becoming a PA, won't help you become a PA, and it will cost you a lot of time and money. Why put a lot of time, effort and $$$ into getting into nursing if your long-term goal is to get out of nursing (and become a PA)? Why not just get some other kind of job to pay for PA school?

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Thanks, will try.:)

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Most PA schools require you to have at least 1yr of clinical experience before you can apply, so working as a nurse would satisfy that pre-req.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Progressive Tele.

If you are looking $, then working as a CNA isn't the way to go. Depending on where you live, CNA's make anywhere between $8-12/HR so to work and save money for LPN school doesn't make sense, as you would be working a few years to save money.

Now, if PA school is $65K, then get student loans, and once done with school, there are many progras out there to help pay off those loans off while you are working. Indian Health Services will pay off your student loans after 2-3 years of service with them, and while you make $65-80K/yr.

IF you want to do the nurse route, why would you go all the way to BSN, and then do PA, why not just become a NP.

Hi elkpark,

I am looking for work and study option (coz of family) even if the duration of program is lengthy. If we ignore pa which is the best route.Sorry, i meant the age limit of applicant Thanks.

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