Does nursing class require you to be in the program first?

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Hi guys:

I am thinking about getting into the nursing field, but I am very undecisive at this time. I am planning to take the prerequisites first, then take 1 to 4 of nursing courses to see if I am really interested in this career.

My question is: Do I have to get into the nursing program to be eligible to register nursing courses? or it is just like other general courses, I can take it as a not-in-program student?

As I know different schools has different policies, but is there any chance that some school will not require you to get into the program first? If yest, what kind of schools will it likely be?

Any idea or input is appreciated.

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I don't personally know of any school that will let you take the nursing classes if you are not in the program, not even to audit them.

Why don't you shadow a nurse to see what it's all about?

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Specializes in CIC, CVICU, MSICU, NeuroICU.

Same here at my school, you must officially be accepted and enrolled in the program in order to take any classes. Also the classes must also be taken in sequence.

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I have never known of any nursing program that would allow you to take nursing courses without being accepted into the nursing program. The ratio of faculty to students in nursing programs is regulated by the state BON, so the maximum number of students in a program is mandated and all the seats in nursing classes are typically filled by those students.

Additionally, there are many ways to find out more about nursing, that would give you a better picture of what being a practicing nurse is about, than taking a nursing course or two ... Do you know any nurses personally? What do they say about their work? If you have any personal contacts, shadowing a nurse (as suggested by LisaRN2B) would be helpful. Getting a job as a CNA or ward clerk in a hospital would give you a lot of exposure to nursing, or even volunteering at a hospital or LTC. This site has a wealth of information about the pros and cons of nursing as a career, and the experiences of working nurses. The (print) nursing journals, which will be in the library of any college that has a nursing program, will also give you a lot of info and insight.

Best wishes for your career search --

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Thanks for all the replies. They give me a pretty clear idea now.

Elkpark and LisaRN2B, thanks for your good suggestions. I will consider them, I might volunteer at a hospital for a while.

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