Doing associates in nursing the same time I am doing bachelors in accounting

lifelearningrn, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2010

I finished my AA degree in May and still needed two full time semesters of additional classes before I can even qualify for actual nursing courses.

During your AA/AS degree, did you take Lifespan Psych, A&P 1 & 2 , Microbiology? Sometime Chem, Stats, Patho, and Pharm are also required. If you haven't taken these classes, you can't even think about applying to nursing school.. and even then there is no guarantee you'll get in.

Have you researched nursing schools? The common wisdom is it's really hard, all by itself. Trying to earn two full time degrees in two different fields, at the same time will be very, very difficult. (I'm not saying impossible as I'm sure many do it)

Take some time and look around this site.. you'll learn more than you ever thought was possible here.

Edited to add: I looked at some of your past posts here and it seems you're trying to find the best possible way to make lots of money. (5 bedroom house, luxury car, overseas vacations, etc.)

I suppose working two full time jobs, one as a nurse and another as an accountant would probably afford this life to you. I think you'd burn out quickly and be miserable, but hey, it's your life. It doesn't appear that nursing alone will fulfill your financial goals.

Good luck to you.

trustabdy · Dec 30, 2010

I completed Anat & physio and chem which are required and I have completed the rest of the liberal education needed for entry in the community colleges near me for nursing. Only one community college requires microbiology which I could do over the summer.

lifelearningrn, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2010

So you would be doing full time nursing at one school and full time accounting at another? I'm not saying it can't be done but it'll be hard. This isn't something I'd do, but we probably have very different goals. Good luck.

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Dec 30, 2010

I did something similar in college. I got a B.S. in general science (useless) at a university while I got a associate's in paramedic at a community college. The two institutions were about a 35 miles apart from each other, and I was enrolled at each school without the other knowing about it. The only difficulty for me was staying seated so many hours of the day. I actually think we did more clinicals than any ADN program will so that probably won't get in your way. I have 2/3 of a BBA in accounting as well (wanted to be a federal agent but can't b/c I'm colorblind so I quit it, lol), and being in a BSN program now, seven years later, all I can say is that if you've got the math skills to understand accounting then you should be golden. The ADN part won't give you any difficulty. Nursing courses are neither difficult nor time consuming.

oaktown2 · Dec 30, 2010

I am currently an accountant and changing careers to go into nursing. So I come from the perspective of deciding that accounting wasn't what I wanted. Many accounting jobs that require a bachelors degree also require a lot of time and the hours are pretty much M-F 8-6ish, depending on where you work. It doesn't really leave you with a whole lot of time for nursing. I don't know what type of work you are looking to do once you finish school, but if you are looking to do bookkeeping work, you may not need a bachelors in accounting, you could try a minor. I would probably decide which career you were more interested in and get the bachelors in that field and then fill in with additional courses as needed.

lsk40 · Dec 30, 2010

I don't know about that our nursing program has class when they say we are having class im just doing nursing classes but it is full time work

AnneS · Dec 30, 2010

I'm a CPA with a bachelors degree and an ADN RN. My advice is get your bachelors degree. If you want that to be in business administration, go for it. Not sure you can get one in accounting, I know mine was a minor in accounting, major in business administration. Accounting and nursing are very different fields....perhaps it would be best to settle on one for now. I found nursing school to be very challenging and time consuming, what with classroom, prep time and clinicals. Accounting is no walk in the park either, but I didn't find it too demanding, until I started studying for the CPA exam, which is about 100 times harder than the NCLEX.

Whatever field you decide, I would strongly encourage you to get a bachelors degree.

jjjoy, LPN · Dec 30, 2010

Kudos for thinking outside the box... but whether or not that particular idea is do-able or advisable for you is another question.

In terms of 'do-ability', you may run up against conflicting class schedules. Nursing programs are usually very structured with little to no room for choosing when to take which class. Most classes are taught as just one section once a year and need to be taken in sequence. Clinical rotations are generally at set times and locations that are non-negotiable. And missing even one class/clinical in nursing school is a very risky option.

In terms of advisability - if you try taking on two majors simultaneously, will you be able to give either one as much attention as they each deserve as your future career/s? Would you be too busy to take advantage of valuable student pre-professional opportunities such as internships?

Also, if you graduate with both degrees within a year of each other, what kind of entry-level work would you aim for? One's first year or two of full-time work in one's field can almost be considered as necessary to really 'complete' one's professional education. Two quality part-time 'new grad' positions with flexible scheduling? Good luck finding that!

How about taking it all a bit slower and not try to graduate with so much so fast? If you take it a bit slower, you may be better able to figure out what exactly in nursing and/or accounting you'd like to do and then tailor your education to fit your goals. Being available for student internships and working part-time in the field are some things you might want to take advantage of while still a student.

DNS on the go · Dec 30, 2010

Accounting is not a 9-5 job. If you can get a job in an accounting firm, you are looking at serious time, week after week (think 60 plus hours). This will not leave you time to be a nurse. Both nursing and accounting are wonderful careers but are not be done together. Before you set yourself up for failure, think what do you want to do now. Then go for that education. If after awhile, that career is not to your likely then go back and get additionally training to switch to a new area. Also be warned, while nursing is an open profession that will take new comers at any age, accounting is not so open minded. Accounting firms want work, serious work product for which they see the young as more likely to complete the amount of work given. I would suggest that before you go to either program, speak with someone who works as a nurses and an accountant and get the inside scope. Your question and desire to go after both careers at the same time shows a lack of knowledge about life in general and about these demanding careers in particilar.

Good luck in what ever you decide to do.

kakamegamama · Dec 31, 2010

"Nursing courses are neither difficult nor time consuming." ImThatGuy----nursing courses that are neither time consuming or difficult? What level? To be honest---this is a first. You are either brilliant with great time management skills, psychomotor skills, great understanding of the nursing process, etc., etc., or deluding yourself?

us2uk4u · Dec 31, 2010

Hi. I will be graduating from a Community College in May and getting my AAS in nursing. In December 2011 I will also be getting my BS in Psych from a state university. Trust me, it's hard but I think well worth it at the end. But Psych and nursing compliment each other.