I'm 40 and we have a child to support and a car payment to make. I have a job making $50K and need to keep it as long as possible. I will get my CNA in March and should have my CNA II by the end of July. I already have a BS degree in an unrelated field. Here is my plan...
Current through May 2012 - continue to work full-time at primary job
January '11 - May '11 - A&P I
March '11 through May 2012 - get CNA, get 1 shift per week job (hopefully at hospital)
May '11 - August '11 - A&P II
August '11 - December '11 - Microbiology
January '12 - May '12 - Intro to Soc, Dev Psych
May '12 - quit current FT job, keep 1x weekly CNA job, enter accelerated Diploma program and finish in 4 semesters
By the time May '12 rolls around we will have paid off the car and will only have regular monthly living expenses to pay. All of this is, of course, predicated on my acceptance into said program. There are other programs around me and I will apply to them as well for back-up purposes but the accelerated program is the one I'd really like to get into.
Sounds like a good plan. Just curious does the accelerated program require you to have a CNA? Or do you just want the experience? It seems like an odd requirement for a program made for those are presumably already working at something else. My ADN program doesn't require it and gives very few entry points for it. Just curious. Also don't listen when people discourage you because you are starting late. Many schools have programs esentially made for people seeking their second careers because they make great students. Many hospitals think older nursing graduates are very desirable new hires. Good luck!
The diploma program I'd like to get into requires that you be listed on the NA I registry with the state BON, but not that you have worked. I just want the clinical experience. I tend to think that any clinical experience will be helpful and since I will have a year and a half before stating NS (assuming I'm accepted in my desired time frame) it seems like there would be benefit to having a few shifts per month. I think it would also make my school application look better as well although I do not know how much that aspect is considered when they are making their decisions.
IYO is there a significant disadvantage to NOT taking A&P I and II back to back? If I do as you have suggested I would have a semester gap between A&P I and II and I don't want to "lose" ground I've gained if you know what I mean!
I took Biology this past spring, and am now in A & P this fall. I was worried about the summer gap, but honestly it all came right back to me. The first three chapters we did in A & P were pretty much a repeat of what we learned about cells in Biology. I would not be too worried about forgetting everything over the summer. A & P II will just build on A & P I and you will add to the body systems you have started to learn. Our class uses the same book for 1 & 2.
RevolutioN2013
185 Posts
The diploma program I'd like to get into requires that you be listed on the NA I registry with the state BON, but not that you have worked. I just want the clinical experience. I tend to think that any clinical experience will be helpful and since I will have a year and a half before stating NS (assuming I'm accepted in my desired time frame) it seems like there would be benefit to having a few shifts per month. I think it would also make my school application look better as well although I do not know how much that aspect is considered when they are making their decisions.