Graduating in Sociology thinking of pursuing nursing

[howlingblue]

Hello everyone!

This is my first post, but I've randomly dropped by this forum a few times to read other people's experiences with the nursing world. I'm about to graduate with my bachelor's in sociology this May, and this past year I've been panicking about what career I want to go into. I've always been interested in the nursing/social work type worlds and I'm kicking myself in the butt for not pursuing one or the other from the beginning.

I was looking into an accelerated nursing program at a school nearby, but I would still need to take about a full year of prereqs to get in. I was also thinking of going the LPN route at my local school instead because I have those prereqs finished, and it's only 11 months long. I was wondering which way might be easier with someone who already has a bachelors degree? I was thinking if I went the LPN route I might be able to find a hospital to sponsor me to RN. I'm really anxious to start working as soon as I can because I don't want to be in school forever. I live in a small town and our hospitals still hire LPN's frequently as do the nursing homes.

Anyway I was hoping to get advice one here on what others thought the best route might be to take. I do have some experience working in a hospital as an ER clerk and housekeeper, so I made friends with a lot of the nurses there and saw what they did, at least in a smaller hospital setting. I know it is something I would be interested in doing.

Thanks everyone!

[FutureNurseInfo]

Hi there,

based on your college experience, my first instinct was to say 'go for the accelerated BSN', since you will have graduated with one this May. One reason to do so is because you have a bachelors, so the ABSN will take the most 18 months, the least 12 months. Upon graduation you will have a BSN, which will allow you to apply to a wide variety of RN positions, which, of course, will not be possible with your LPN. However, you say you live in a small town where hospitals still hire LPNs, so I guess you can go this route as well. However, even if your hospital WILL sponsor your further education, you will have to do LPN to RN, and then RN to BSN, which can take you a lot more time to complete than the ABSN. The bottom line is, think what is the best option for you at the moment. If you have a spouse, or parents/relatives who would not mind to support you for a year or so while you are completing your ABSN, then it is the best option in my mind.

[TofuSandwich, ASN, RN]

I agree, I would go right to ABSN. You'll need your BSN eventually and it will take less time and money overall to go through pre-reqs and ABSN than to go LPN to RN to BSN, plus you will make more money sooner and have more job choices. See if you can take summer/winter/accelerated courses to move you through your pre-reqs faster if speed is your goal (but don't go so fast that you don't absorb the information).