Getting back on track... but which track?

[MATZ]

Hello all,

My wife and just moved to Phoenix from Telluride so that she can start her MBA at the Thunderbird School of Management this fall while I'd like to get back into health care... particularly Nursing.

This is a great site and I've learned a lot already but I'm still a little unclear as to which route would be best.

By the way, I really liked the slogan in the Humor Section for Nurses that are male:

"Do You Have The Balls!?" Thats great!:)

Anyway, I'm a little older than most students but have almost 5 years of college courses in the Health Sciences when I was at Penn State. From what I gather in AZ the normal progression that one can follow is:

CNA --> LPN --> BSN --> RN

Or am I mistaken?

To make things a little more difficult we're probably not going to relocate here and are planing to move closer to our families on the west coast once Amy has finished her MBA.

Sorry this is so long winded but I guess my question is: I have 2 years to burn and would like to start working towards the goal of a RN. Where should I start?

[Cursed Irishman]

1. You don't need to be a cna or an lpn prior to becoming an rn.

2. You can be an RN with either an associates OR a bachelor's degree; really no difference unless you want to move away from the bedside.

3. It'll take a year to get through most of the pre-req's with little chance to move directly into a nursing program.

4. Start by working on your pre-req's. Depending on what you mean by "5 years of college courses in the Health Sciences", you'll need anatomy & physiology I&II, chemistry, microbiology, and other courses depending on where you plan on going.

[MATZ]

Thanks for the reply Cursed Irishman!

I was under the impression that the more qualifications you had the more "grease" would be applied to the slow application process from date stamp to acceptance. And some of the schools I'm coming across are even requiring it.

I've also read that cna's have a step up as the first block is similar to the training you already received.

I've taken the Human A&P's, Micro's and Chem's but I'm sure they could be improved upon!

[Cursed Irishman]

Thanks for the reply Cursed Irishman!

I was under the impression that the more qualifications you had the more "grease" would be applied to the slow application process from date stamp to acceptance. And some of the schools I'm coming across are even requiring it.

I've also read that cna's have a step up as the first block is similar to the training you already received.

I've taken the Human A&P's, Micro's and Chem's but I'm sure they could be improved upon!

Depending on the program you go to, your cna is required for admission; but it is not a required stepping stone overall. If your looking at MCCD, it makes no difference. Paying a couple hundred bucks to learn how to be a cna, when they teach you in the first block is redundant; nursing school isn't rocket science.

[MATZ]

Ahhhh, now I understand the confusion. I'm not looking to work as a cna but to become qualified.

Maybe I should collect credentials over the next two years! CNA / EMT/ PCT :)

[rzyzzy]

Others can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong here, but I believe MCCD wants a&p & bio credits to be less than two years old - just to apply to the RN program.

As far as collecting certs - it might be fun but not really necessary - some of the better paying pct jobs can be had after block one of NS - without a cna cert.

My parents both got EMT's back in my home state and wages for EMT, at least there - were just above minimum. I haven't checked lately.

LPN fast-track would require your cna, and the list is currently shorter ( i heard about a year~ish) - but who knows where the list will be in a month...?

You are in a bit of a pickle - going directly after the RN means you'ld likely get accepted about the same time you are ready to move.

Going after the lpn means probably at least a year on the bench, and a year and a half before any meaningful income.

EMT is a fun hobby, but based on what I know, not much money - and alot of it won't really carry over to nursing - the focus is more on duct-taping people to lumber and getting vitals in a moving rig...

You could do a CNA and take the (separate-new) PCT class @ Phoenix college, which would allow you to draw blood and EKG's, and get you a little more hand's on experience & a job..., possibly also jumping on the FT-LPN list and hoping for the best...

Personally, my least favorite option would be one of the for-profit programs - they'll get you in and out quick, but you'll pay dearly for the privilege.. Although, if you're planning a move to CA, it's possible it might pencil out financially, since the wages are better & you can get them faster.

[fromtheseaRN, BSN, RN]

get a list from the maricopa nursing site or asu's nursing site, and start knocking classes out of the way that you may not have completed yet. also, you can call an advisor at any of the community colleges or asu, and they can make an appointment with you, look at what you already have, and let you know what you need and what you may need to retake.

i'm of the school of thought that if you want to be a RN, just go for that head-on, rather than cna to lpn to rn.

[MATZ]

Appreciate the opinions of "fromthesea" and all others!

Seems to be a popular school of thought to skip the cna route and just start taking the appropriate classes while I'm here.

Thanks again for the input.

MATZ

[sassiebaz]

Here is my thought on your question. Knowing from experience, California schools may have a slightly different pre-req list. Mostly the same, but check that out first. You may be able to take the classes here but be in line with their requirements. You could get your LPN here at one of the skill centers. Virtually no pre'reqs for that. You could get out and start working your last year here. You can bridge to the RN program in CA (or whatever West Coast state you are in) and the LPN would help you complete that quicker. Most states in the west are experiencing waitlists for the RN programs, so this may be a quicker option for you. Good luck, and if you have any questions don't hesitate to keep posting....