Have non-nursing AA degree, now what?

raefactor · Jul 16, 2008

okay, also... what if I were to do my ADN then jump straight to an MSN? Can anyone tell me what the basic requirements for NP program admission usually is? I mean, could I get my ADN, become an RN, then go straight to into my MSN degree with an RN-MSN program? Or would I be just as well off going the RN-BSN route? Or just straight BSN?

Haha, I have no idea what to do with my life. -_- all I know is that school is killing me with my health problem/disability and I need to be done asap. :)

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 16, 2008

It's nice you're graduating from a prestigious university, but having a non-nursing A.A. degree doesn't get you an ADN much faster than without: you will avoid re-taking certain humanities requirements you likely already have, but if you don't have the anatomy/physiology, microbiology, chemistry and psych pre-requs, you're still looking at getting all that done first. And then applying to the nursing program, which is (in an associate's program) two years (four semesters) long.

You won't get a BSN in two years or less. If you already have a BACHELOR'S in an unrelated field, you can do an accelerated BSN program, which is 18 months (very fast) or more likely, two years. Remember, you have NO nursing education, and the clinical component for both ADN and BSN is the same: two years' worth of clinical work and classroom work.

Once you have the degree done, you can sit for NCLEX, get the RN license, and then look forward from there. You can become an NP with an RN once you've passed the prereq clinical experience to get into the NP program. You'll need some experience first before acceptance into any program I know of.

You can go RN-MSN with some schools that have online and in-school options together; I think Excelsior is one of them. Then again, that program is not accepted in every State as valid. I also think that University of Phoenix has a similar RN-MSN option; keep in mind the fastest I've ever seen that program work is something like 30 months.

Beyond that, you should consider something else, more important than the time you'll need to invest: school clinicals are physically demanding, as well as mentally demanding, and if you have a healthcare issue or disability that might prevent you from doing ALOT of physical work, you might have to reconsider this choice.

MisterSimba, BSN · Jul 16, 2008

Have you taken the nursing prerequisites yet? If not, you'll probably have to take Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology. Each school is different, but you may also have to take Statistics, Chemistry, Psychology, Sociology, etc..... so you may need to spend at least a year on prerequisites, and then two years in the actual nursing program. If you truly want to be a nurse, just know that it'll take a while to get there.... you probably won't be done ASAP. Have you considered becoming a CNA or volunteering first? This way you'll know if nursing is really what you want. I'm volunteering right now an it's been an amazing experience!

There are accelerated (12 to 15 month) nursing programs, but they are all for students who have a BA in another field.

Good luck!

raefactor · Jul 16, 2008

I have taken statistics, psychology (actually SEVERAL psych classes), sociology, anatomy and physiology I and II, and several other classes.

I'm trained as a CNA but transferred schools right before the test was offered. I was also trained as a phlebotomist (at the same time, so same issue with testing). I've done clinicals and everything. I don't know if that helps.

ETA: by the time I get the AA I will have spent 4 years in college, so I would hope I wouldn't have to spend too much more time in school! If I were to go the RN-MSN-NP route I think I'd be content with 5-7 years more in school, but honestly I'm so burnt out already and I'm not even 20 yet.

raefactor · Jul 16, 2008

also, I do not expect to ultimately work in a hospital or anything. I'd like to do a combination of research and overseas/urban charity work. i.e. serving the underserved. I can get through the school part if I know it's not going to last too much longer. I'm just really drained and exhausted from school right now.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 16, 2008

I have taken statistics, psychology (actually SEVERAL psych classes), sociology, anatomy and physiology I and II, and several other classes.

Ok, you probably have some of what you need done. That's a good start. But of course the nursing program will let you know WHAT classes you still lack.

I'm trained as a CNA but transferred schools right before the test was offered. I was also trained as a phlebotomist (at the same time, so same issue with testing). I've done clinicals and everything. I don't know if that helps.

Not really. "Trained" as a CNA but without a certification means you're not a CNA; some schools do require that first. So if you can get that test done, might be a good idea. Other than that, the "clinicals and everything" you did for phlebotomy has nothing to do with the nursing clinicals you will be required to complete for any nursing program you enter. The shortest of them is 2 years' long. The exception is if you are already an ADN-RN and want to continue to get a BSN. No matter what, there is no shortcut to nursing school clinicals for an RN.

ETA: by the time I get the AA I will have spent 4 years in college, so I would hope I wouldn't have to spend too much more time in school! If I were to go the RN-MSN-NP route I think I'd be content with 5-7 years more in school, but honestly I'm so burnt out already and I'm not even 20 yet.

I'm guessing by now you've gotten the jist of it: you won't be getting a degree in nursing fast. That's just how it is: you need to complete the time in getting the education! And the bottom line is, you need to assess WHY you want to become an NP: without even attending nursing school clinicals, there's really no way for you to know just what all this entails, is there?

Seems to me you need to start off by checking with an ADN program or BSN program (expect 2-3 years for the first, 4 years for the second) and finding out what you do and don't have in order to enroll. Then go from there.

raefactor · Jul 16, 2008

I didn't mean that being trained as a CNA/phlebotomist would count towards credentials, but rather that maybe some of the classes would count towards transfer credit or something. At any rate, I assume the experience would look better than nothing on the application.

Still playing with theories... would it be about the same just to get a BA in something and do the accelerated BSN? Time and moneywise, anyways?

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 16, 2008

also, I do not expect to ultimately work in a hospital or anything. I'd like to do a combination of research and overseas/urban charity work. i.e. serving the underserved. I can get through the school part if I know it's not going to last too much longer. I'm just really drained and exhausted from school right now.

Alright, I risk being a bubble-burster, but I don't think you have a firm grasp of what it is you will be getting yourself into here.

You will be doing lots of hospital clinical work, LOTS, before you can get to enter an NP program. And then LOTS MORE. I can understand not wanting to work in a hospital upon eventual graduation, but I wonder if you realize just how much time you're going to be spending in them first?

The overseas/urban charity work you seek to do will require all hands-on stuff: essentially everything you would have learned in hospital care. And you'd need ALOT MORE than just student clinicals to be of much use to any of those programs: they need you to be adept at recognizing conditions and complications, and frankly you won't be there until you've had enough experience. It just isn't realistic otherwise.

I appreciate your wanting to end your school days quickly, but if that's the case, I think maybe there's another career waiting for you.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 16, 2008

I didn't mean that being trained as a CNA/phlebotomist would count towards credentials, but rather that maybe some of the classes would count towards transfer credit or something. At any rate, I assume the experience would look better than nothing on the application.

I know what you meant. Nope, the classes for CNA by themselves don't count for a blessed thing. They don't transfer at all to anything in the nursing program. Zip. Experience only looks good when you have it; having taken just the classes (no cert, no employment as a CNA) doesn't therefore matter. Sorry, but that's the fact. You're going to be competing for seats in a nursing program with people who have all the pre-requs done, and frequently ARE cna's.

Still playing with theories... would it be about the same just to get a BA in something and do the BSN? Time and moneywise, anyways?

Not really. If you get a BA in "something" that's four years and then you can apply to a BSN program, which will cost you another two years (six total). You can enter as a freshman in a BSN program (assuming they accept you; remember the competition is FIERCE) and be done in four.

raefactor · Jul 16, 2008

um, but wouldn't I transfer things? I seriously doubt any college in their right mind would put someone coming out of 4 years of college with properly transfering GER's into their freshman year.

Anyways, it's only another two years to continue on with my BA from here if I decide to keep on at this same university, so it would be 4, not 6.

And I am aware of the clinical work I'd have to do to get where I want to be... like I said, I can handle it for a few years if I know that ultimately there will be more flexibility.

RNsRWe, ASN, RN · Jul 16, 2008

Oh, yes, you'd transfer the college classes; it's the CNA classes I was talking about. College coursework of course would transfer; I believe I said you didn't need to take certain courses again as you already have them from the first degree. And like I said, you'd need to see what the nursing program itself would require in the way of pre-requs.

As for the BA at the same school, then yes you'd be done with a BA in two years (four total). You are at a school that has an AA degree option within the four year school--and then you can just continue on two more years in the same program for a BA? Then I guess I'd get the BA, and then enter a BSN program (accelerated program that you could do in two years).

So, the shortest route for you to be an RN is an ADN (two years). The shortest route for BSN would be four years (finish the next two years where you are, get a bachelor's, then enter BSN program for two years). And after that, whatever bridge programs you can find; the length of time will depend on how much experience each program requires (in the field--hospital work) before you can apply there.

Does this clarify things?