Hi all....I am looking to a different field.

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I am a Doctor of Chiropractic and am 36 years old seriously thinking of pursuing an RN degree. I have to go meet with a few people at a few different schools......I look at all the pre-req's...they are done....what I would like to know.....how long does it take to get an RN degree doing part time? Is this possible? And the 2 colleges that offer nursing it is for the BSN....Which one is better? what is the difference? Having maxed out on school loans ( 3 years of Undergrad and 4 for Chiropractic.....) I am paying out of pocket....any suggestions would help. I am even considering joining the Army National Guard.

Liz:uhoh3:

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I'm uncertain of where you are in KS. If you are in the KC area there is UMKC, KU, St. Lukes, William jewell, mid America nazarene etc for bachelors degrees. Part time would probably take you 4 years. There are also advanced programs that allow you to be done in 10 months, and with you education already that may be the way to go, but you can't work, it is just too intense. Mid America nazarene and I think William jewell have those programs.

A cheaper way is to go to a community college. I went to JCCC. I'm finishing my bachelors at KU right now and work with students from KU and I honestly think JCCC is a better nursing program. It is way cheaper, and I worked 36 hours a week while in the program.

I know people harp on needing a BSN, but honestly you are paid the same for an ADN. The best thing is that most hospitals will pay for your BSN like I am doing through KU, I'm paying for books and maybe $20 a semester.

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Specializes in Transplant.

Hey Knarf...totally off subject, are you doing KU's online RN-BSN? I just applied for spring semester. Would love any info you might have, like, how many do they admit each semester and what do clinicals involve? Thanks!

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Yes, I'm in the RN-BSN program, they basically accept whoever applies.

There are clinicals, but they allow you to do them basically anywhere.

It is all online, which I really hate. But there isn't much of a choice all of the programs are online. The program is not flexible like they say it is, only certain classes are open certain semesters, and they don't even offer enough electives to be able to graduate, which is ridiculous.

They also "counsel" you to not take pharmacology before patho..."It would be too difficult that way"...I passed the class with a 96% so don't listen to them on that one.

If you don't take the full 6 hours in the summer you are stuck in the program for at least 3 years because of prereq's.

I would go to another program if I didn't already have most of it completed. So my honest suggestion is to look into other programs such as UMKC or others. I like working at KU Med, but I don't like their SON or the main campus in Lawrence which I attended for a year.

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Specializes in Transplant.

Thanks for the info, Knarf. So on the electives, you have to take them elsewhere and transfer them or what? Doesn't make any sense.

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You can't transfer them in. You just have to do a bunch of independent study hours. Like you may get the sentiment, I'm not a fan of KU SON for finishing my BSN. It may be great for others, but I personally can only stand it because I'm more than half way done.

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I'm weighing the pros and cons between Fort Hays' online RN-BSN and KU's online RN-BSN program.

Did you look into FHSU when you were wanting to complete your program? How much of your tuition does KUMC pay, and what are the stipulations--do you have to work a year for each semester, etc?

I have heard a couple of nurses comments on FHSU, and all have been positive. You seem to think KU is meh. Where would you have gone if you could do it over?

The main reasons for me to consider KU is 1) I already have a degree from there, so transferring undergrad credits won't be as difficult I assume. 2) I'm thinking of the RN-MSN program--if I bought books etc for the undergrad program, I'm assuming the masters program would utilize the same basic books, with variation dependent upon the actual classes. If I went to FHSU, I'd have to buy a completely new set of books. Since I shelled out an even grand for my nursing books for my LPN to RN, I feel this is something to consider.

KnarfKS, could you tell me a little more about your KU RN-BSN experiences, and why you might choose to go somewhere else?

I'd appreciate it;

Thanks, J

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I personally hate online courses. I also hate repeating the same exact curriculum that I completed in my ADN. The only 2 classes that aren't repeats are public health nursing, because my ADN program did very little of that and nursing research. Did I mention copious amounts of busy work, not really learning, just justifying that you spend time doing something for the classes.

The program is also stated to be flexible at KU. HAHA. The classes are only offered during certain semesters so I'm doing nothing this spring because I couldn't take both my clinicals this fall. This next fall I will take 2 clinicals, and then a final practical in the next spring, but until then I can't do anything except wait.

The classes didn't announce test dates until the day the classes started, of course I had a test I had to be at KUMC for the very next week after classes started...of course this program is "flexible" for those who work.

I also have a history with KU. I went to the main campus and hated every second of it. To be honest I couldn't stand huge classes(all but 1 class had 1000+). And KU might as well be known as Johnson county...(privileged spoiled white kids who whine when they have to work). The funny part is that quite a bit of people at Johnson county community college were from Lawrence. To be honest JCCC is a much better school than KU, I learned way more and I didn't feel like dropping out because of frustration due pointless hoops needing to be jumped through.

I have very good grades at both schools, I just don't think that KU making you put up with more bull crap should justify a higher degree. A higher level of education yes.

I think KUMC is like KU main campus as far as the undergrads get screwed, but the grad level courses are very good. I have had many friends go to KU as far as grad school and all are fairly happy there. I had plans to do the RN-msn program, but I don't know if I can take KU for that long. And I plan on being out of Kansas within 2 years, 27 years is enough.

Here is a word of advice also. Never buy the books for an entire program at once. First of all several of the books won't be used. Secondly new editions of the books come out every year so either buy a new one, or get the old edition really cheap saving you a lot of money.

I haven't heard anything about FHSU, I live 5 min from KUMC and 10 min from UMKC so those were the 2 programs that I looked into.

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Thanks for the advice. It really is helpful.

One further questions, if you would be so kind. What sort of tuition reimbursement does the KU hospital have for it's students? Where I work, they reimburse about a 1/3 of the tuition costs. While that's helpful, I'm looking for something a little more. I'm not interested in taking out loans unless my hospital will pay them back.

Does the KU hospital offer tuition reimbursement to its current employees, and with what sort of stipulation? Do they offer a loan forgiveness program, for new grads?

Are you aware of any other hospitals in KC that offer good tuition or loan forgiveness packages?

Thanks again for all your info;

J

ETA: In rereading your post--KU requires you to be onsite for testing? Do they require that for every class? Are there several on site requirements besides clinicals? This makes me lean towards FHSU. You never have to even be on campus, and your clinicals are at the end of your program, in your last semester, according the the nurse I just spoke with. I work nights, have kids and like the online class format; so I'm less intersted in a program that requires you to have classroom time, even if it is testing time, on-site.

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KU gives a "$3000" bonus for student loans upon hire, it is taxed so you actually get 2100.

As far a tuition reimbursement you get 6 credit hours a semester paid by KU up to $3000 per year. The stipulation is you have to work for 6 months past the semester you took in school. So by the time you finish you only have a 6 month contract after that. And if you do leave they prorate it so if you are 3 months short you only owe them 1/2 of the last semester's tuition.

It is a nice deal and they don't care what the classes are. I don't know why more people don't take advantage of it.

If you live within 75 miles of KUMC they require on site testing, if you live farther you have to have an approved proctor.

As far as clinicals they allow you to find clinicals or select them off of a list. This was one good thing because you were also allowed to make your own schedule for the clinicals.

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