Direct Entry Nursing Program

[Prospective_Nurse]

I am currently completing my Bachelor's Degree in Public Health and, as a California resident, have become interested in pursuing a career in nursing. My research indicates there are direct entry Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs and potentially some Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs that cater to individuals with a bachelor's degree in another field.

I'm hoping you could recommend some economical and expedient programs that might be a good fit for me. While I'm open to relocating for the right program, I'd appreciate any recommendations you have for in-state options. However, if there are exceptional out-of-state programs with reasonable total costs (including out-of-state fees), I'd be happy to consider them as well.

Any guidance you can offer on these direct entry programs would be greatly appreciated.

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

Don't worry about the "list price."  Apply to the programs you are interested in and see what kind of financial aid you can get.

There is a boatload of financial aid available for RN and NP students.  Just do some internet research on "nursing scholarships."  There are private corporations and foundations that provide these, like Johnson & Johnson.  In addition, the federal and many state and some local governments also provide full-ride scholarships.  The federal program is through the Nurse Corps.  These are full-ride scholarships that also provide a living stipend.  In addition, after completing your BSN or MSN, there are loan repayment programs at the federal, state, and even local level.  Many employers offer these as well, such as the Veterans Administration.  For the government loan repayment, you agree to work in an underserved area for a certain amount of time and your loans are then repaid.

I did an Accelerated BSN at Johns Hopkins.  They no longer offer this, but have a similar MSN program for people who already have a Bachelor's degree.  Hopkins was actually cheaper than UCLA (I am a CA resident) because they have great financial aid.

If you join the military, they will pay for you to get your BSN or MSN.

Good luck