Guide me, wise ones

[LaurenF]

Alright people. I need some guidance. I'm at the very start of the start of my nursing journey as I'm only just taking some of the pre-reqs before applying to a program. Now previously I was looking very seriously at the ADN program at DCCC, but now I'm hesitating. I know for a fact Main Line Health won't even look at anyone without a BSN so I'm concerned I will get that degree and not be able to find work. Alternatively I could get certified to be a Nursing Assistant in addition to my ADN. Or, or, or I could just scrap that whole plan and suck it up and try for the Advance 2 BSN program at West Chester. Originally I shied away from that because it seemed like a lot of work up front and I was more interested in seeing if I could get a job first and then go back for the BSN when I was ready (and my kids were older.)

The pie in the sky dream job for me would be to graduate and land a part time (evenings or nights) job in L&D or even a birth center. Eventually I would have the ability to go full time but probably not at first (of course if I can't find work I'd go full time if I had to.) I know L&D are very competitive jobs, so am I kidding myself that I could get anywhere near that with just an ADN? I mean, I would be willing to work anywhere first as long as eventually I could work maternity.

So the choices are:

ADN with a Nursing Assistant certification, eventually going back for the BSN.

(The reason I love this option is because the coursework seems way more flexible to me and I could fit it in to my current lifestyle with the ages of my kids, etc.)

OR

Going back to school full time for 18 months to get the BSN.

Does anyone know if Chester County Hospital will hire without a BSN? They must right, because of their affiliation with DCCC?

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I would go to the careers page and find out.

Honestly, it looks as though-to be SAFE-it's pretty much BSN in the Greater Philadelphia Area.

Have you looked into part time BSN programs?

I graduated from a Part-Time BSN program in 2012, I was able to secure employment in a hospital, and as a Nursing Supervisor in a nursing home.

Look into part time BSN programs, if you can.

[LaurenF]

Any chance that part time BSN program was close to Chester County? I can't seem to find any locally.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

No...Philadelphia and Bucks County. People in my cohort who were from Chester County came to the Philadelphia Campus.

I am unaware of any programs in Chester County that are part-time.

[Indigo-Larkspur]

I don't know if it helps at all, but The Lincoln University has a brand new nursing program. There's a regular BSN, and an Accelerated track for those who already have a bachelors in something else. The price point is very similar to WCU, which is great, I'm not sure how flexible the curriculum is, but it might be work checking out. You should email someone in the department if you're interested, though, because their website is awful and pretty outdated.