Future Nursing Student needs advice

allnurses Guide · Mar 2, 2004

Why not go for a RN at your community college? Why LPN/LVN?

If I was in your position, single and had no kids I would do the BSN program.

If your goal is RN related, why go the LPN route? It isn't that much longer to get your RN if that is your goal.

Lots to consider, huh?

Best wishes - steph

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Mar 2, 2004

Sounds like it will take you one year to get your LPN/LVN, at minimal cost.

Many do this first, then bridge or upgrade to RN using one of the distance schools, so that they can work, earn, and learn while getting that degree that allows them to become an RN.

I'm advising my daughter to do just that.

Wish I had.

I went into nursing (finally!) with not just a bachelor's but a master's degree. No one suggested anything other than the CC I applied to. Frankly, I think the smart thing to do would be to 1) find out what they reimburse for tuition, 2) see if LVN sign on bonuses approximate your out of pocket on that, and 3) do the math.

You may already have the discipline to do distance learning--in that case, you would probably do well to do the LVN thing and get your ADN or BSN via distance learning.

Good luck!

PWnurse · Mar 3, 2004

Steph,

Thanks for the feedback. It all comes down to money. I have two kids, a mortgage+ I'm divorced. Need I say more! believe me, If I were fifteen years younger and not in this situation I know what route I would be taking.

I'm not opposed to going to a CC, but if I'm going to be doing it on someone elses buck I would probably choose a University, mainly for the sake of the accelerated option, where I can knock it all out. It's the living expenses that is the killer. It's just not the right time where I can be out of work for twenty months chasing my RN when it's coming out of my own pocket.

Paul

Why not go for a RN at your community college? Why LPN/LVN?
If I was in your position, single and had no kids I would do the BSN program.
If your goal is RN related, why go the LPN route? It isn't that much longer to get your RN if that is your goal.
Lots to consider, huh?
Best wishes - steph

lencialoo · Mar 3, 2004

I start ADN (RN) clinicals at PPCC this fall. I have been on their waiting list with all my pre-reqs finished for a year !! I also considered going for the LPN then bridging over to the ADN(RN) too if I wouldnt have gotten in this year.

I have a full BS in Biology from 1985 and have been working in the IT industry since I earned that degree. I have grown children but no way to support myself except to work and go to school at the same time so this is why I decided on the ADN program instead of the accelerated BSN (the programs I looked at were alot more $$$).

I plan on going back for a BSN online once I start working and hope that they will pay some of my tuition. My current employer only pays for career related tuition and nursing isnt something they need at the company.

Good Luck to you whatever you decide. Remember the end result is the most important ! Enjoy the journey !

:balloons:

BTW...I'm 51 and figure it's never to late to do something you enjoy and be paid for it....can't wait to start the "hard" work !!

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Mar 3, 2004

Darned right, it's never too late! I figure I have 20-25 years of RN'ing left in me....

Welcome to the party!

:balloons::balloons:

PennyLane, RN · Mar 3, 2004

I'd reconsider the BSN route. Try and go down there and speak with one of their financial advisors to find out how much the average person ends up in debt. They might even take a look at your finances and crunch some numbers. The private schools often have an endowment and have more $$ to give to their students than state schools...oh wait, are you referring to a state school? In that case, nevermind. I go to a state university and will be more in debt than if I had attended a private university that's 4X the cost, simply b/c the states have no money!!!!!!

shumarka · Apr 19, 2004

I'm also trying to decide between an Accel. program and a CC. I decided on the one year BSN because when I looked into the cost on online programs, they were still expensive (about $17k for RN to BSN bridge). Of course, I have seen some ads for hospitals that have BSN programs on site.

But then I also don't want to be in school forever, so I like the idea of doing the BSN all at once. Then I'll be out and working, instead of spending two years getting just an RN and losing that potential income. The same is true for the LVN of course-- but then you don't get paid as much. I don't know how much they pay in Colorado, but in here in Cali the nurses I know are making bank. Esp. travel nurses.

jgs284 · Apr 26, 2004

You all speak as though you can just decide what you want and then sign on. The accelerated program at Metro will only accept 32 students with the next cohort and there are THOUSANDS on the information/application list. Plus, they don't even have the funding yet for the next cohort!!!!The "accelerated" program at CSU CO Springs actually takes 2 years to complete and they have the exact same pre-reqs as traditional students, so this is a 3-year program even if you already have a degree, not to mention there is a wait-list as well. CC-Denver has over 500 on the wait list and they don't even sent out/accept applications any more. I applied to ACC a year ago and was 218 on the wait list. They take 100 students a year, so I'm just wasting time here waiting for a spot. ACC's current wait list is over 500 as well. I am so frustrated with this situation. (I'm 43, displaced homemaker and a systems anaylst in a previous life.) Does anyone know, will they be doing anything in Colorado to relieve this bottle neck?

shumarka · Apr 26, 2004

I didn't mean to make it sound like it's that easy. I was just talking about the options. It does get easier when you're able to go to schools anywhere in the country-- I don't have kids so I was able to apply to a bunch of accel. schools. Check out University of Wisconsin OshKosh. Their program is on line with clinicals anywhere in the country.

Did you decide to stop being a Systems analyst or are there just no jobs?

You all speak as though you can just decide what you want and then sign on. The accelerated program at Metro will only accept 32 students with the next cohort and there are THOUSANDS on the information/application list.

jgs284 · Apr 27, 2004

Interesting about University of Wisconsin - I'll check into it, thank you very much. I was a systems analyst in the pharmaceutical industry before 2 kids. Then I moved around the world and country with husband being mommy. Then I was ready to go back to work and not only is it real hard to find a programming job, they are all 50+ hour weeks -- tough with a family. People were calling me in to interview only because of the health care application -- programmers are "a dime a dozen". Well, health care is frankly a lot more interesting than writing computer code and I'd been Dr. Mom for 10+ years, so then I decided to work hard to become a nurse. Problem is, it's so hard to get into any programs here in COlorado. At 43, I feel I have many productive years left, but I just hate the idea of wasting those years waiting around to get into a school. I'm baffled because there are many women like me that I've met in pre-reg classes, who can't get into a school in this state despite straight A's. Women that I would trust to nurse my family, good people that could alleviate this "nursing crisis".

shumarka · Apr 27, 2004

I've heard those same stories about schools here in California, and in Oregon. The community college in the town my aunt lives in (Eugene, OR) only lets in people with straight A's. Apparently with a lack of nurses comes a lack of nursing instructors as well.