Do you have a previous bachelors degree before going into nursing? (RPN/RN/LPN)

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm asking because I am 24, with no good career prospects, and a bachelors degree in human resources. Looking to do practical nursing (since it's shorter and cheaper) this coming Fall. I hate the feeling of being the old one!! LOL!!

Specializes in Neuroscience.

I have a BS in literature. I didn't start nursing school until my son was in full time school (1st grade), so it is a second career for me. It's never to late to get started though!

Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

If your nursing program requires some hours of electives, make sure they know about your previous degree. The courses you already did can be counted for elective credits, and you may even have a choice of which one(s) to pick. It will save you some $$$ and time, and boost your GPA as well if only your "A"s are accounted for. Plus, some of your credits might be actually trasferable, especially if you go for ADN/BSN/RN. As HR student, you probably took psychology and college statistics, and that's what many nursing programs include in coursework.

Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

The "old one", ha,ha. I started nursing school at 36 years old, had a bachelor's and master's degree in molecular and cell biology. Fortunately for me that helped me cover the prerequisites for nursing school, and I loved the hard science parts of nursing school. If you want to do it, do it. But if you know eventually you'll want the RN to get a position you want, try to focus on long term outcome rather than short term expense and go for the RN. If you know you can go what you want with the LPN, go for it. I can't think of anyone that didn't spend much more doing the LPN plus RN bridge route than just going for the RN. Good luck!

Nursing is definitely a second career for me, as I came into the profession with a BS in Mass Communication.

Believe me, at 24, you will NOT be the old one in the room. None of the students in my evening program were younger than you.

Good luck!

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

To answer your original question, no, you do not need a previous bachelor's.

Specializes in CMSRN, hospice.

I had my bachelor's in psychology, planning to be a counselor. I got distracted by the apparent glamour and simplicity of a two-year nursing degree, lol, and did this instead. I started nursing school at 24 after finishing my science pre-reqs. I was still one of the younger folks in my class, and honestly, in nursing school, age really is just a number. We all looked out for each other and helped each other regardless of age and prior experience.

thank you!! so the two year degree was to become an RN?

Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

Had a BS in Biology and MA in teaching before I went to nursing school. Did a 2 year nursing program to get my RN faster.

Specializes in Oncology, OCN.

I'm currently in an aBSN program so we all have previous bachelors degrees. At 24 you wouldn't be the youngest in my cohort but the vast majority are older than 24. I'm about to be 36 in a few weeks myself and there are a handful of others older than me in my cohort too.

Agree with one of the previous posters, if you plan on getting an RN eventually you should just do it now. Do an ASN at a community college if you want cheaper. It'll probably be faster and cheaper going straight to RN now than PN and back later for more schooling.

There are a lot of nursing students that have previous undergrad degrees and even graduate degrees. Nursing is a career that is very attractive as a second career, I guess. In my program the oldest student was in her 60s and this was a traditional BSN program. We had people in their 30s, 40s, 50s also. So you will definitely not be the old one. I would recommend to jump into a RN program.

I had a Bachelors Degree and it helped a great deal. In my associates degree and later bachelors degree studies I got out of taking a bunch of classes that probably would have just been a time consuming pain in the butt. I also started my studies to be a nurse in my 40's and I wasn't the youngest in my class. You have made a good choice. Welcome and Good Luck!!!

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