How to get started?? Please help.

1pinkrose · May 30, 2006

Hello and Welcome!

Try your local colleges and see if they have a nursing program available.

If so, you can register to take the necessary pre-reqs. Once you complete these you can apply for the nursing program. Good Luck in your future!!

desireef · May 30, 2006

Thank you! What are pre-reqs if you don't mind me asking?

1pinkrose · May 30, 2006

Prerequisites are courses you need to take prior to applying for the nursing program itself. I am not sure what colleges across the country require, but to give you an idea, this is what I was required to take:

Biology - Fundamentals of Life Sciene (like an intro. to biology)

English/Compostion

General Psychology

Communications

Sociology

HIST 101 & 102 or Political Science

Math for Allied Health Professions /mostly calculations for med administration

ANatomy & Phsyiology I

Anatomy & Phsiology II

Microbiology

Depending on where you attend, the requirements to get into the nursing program may differ. Once you have completed the required courses you can apply with your school for entrance into the nursing program itself.

Hope this helps. If you have further questions I will be more than happy to try to answer them for you!

Tweety, BSN, RN · May 30, 2006

Good luck to you. I agree it is best to go to your local college in person and talk to an advisor there, or visit their website.

There's probably going to be a placement test to test your English and Math skills. But don't worry about this, if you can't pass then you are placed in appropriate remedial courses.

Good luck!

desireef · May 30, 2006

Thank you soo much! :) I am very excited. About how long do the pre-reqs last?

NaomieRN · May 30, 2006

Hello and congratulation for completing the GED. That is a great accomplishment.

The first step is to check a community college and take a placement test. The test will determine the levels of English and Math you would need to take. You may call a local community college, set an appointment with an advisor. They will then, guide your through the rest of the steps.

I wish you the best to luck in your quest to become an RN.

May God bless you.

1pinkrose · May 30, 2006

Each semester is normally 3 months. Depending on the college you attend, you may have to take your intro to biology prior to taking Anatomy & Physiology I and II. Normally you can't take these all at the same time, and would require several semesters to complete. The other required courses would depend on how much time you have to spend in school / study time.

The best thing for you would be to contact the college you wish to attend and set up an appointment to talk to an advisor or counselor. They will be able to get you started, and offer you more precise information. Not all colleges have the same exact requirements. Good Luck, keep us posted!

desireef · May 31, 2006

Do I take the Pre-reqs at the same school that I wanna take nursing at? Or can I take the Pre-reqs at a different college. Because, I live in Georgia but I'm planning to go to a nursing school in California. (to be in the same state as my long-term boyfriend) BUT i can't do that for another year. So I thought maybe I could take my Pre-reqs here and then go to school for nursing in California. There aren't any colleges near where I live (very small town) that have Nursing as a major. Or could I take the pre-reqs at a school that doesn't even offer Nursing?

Also, Do i have to get my associates in nursing before I can get my Bachelors? Sorry if i sound stupid but i am just clueless when it comes to a lot of this. I don't understand how it works and even makes me feel a little ignorant sometimes. Thanks for any help you can give me!

EricJRN, MSN, RN · May 31, 2006

Do I take the Pre-reqs at the same school that I wanna take nursing at? Or can I take the Pre-reqs at a different college. Because, I live in Georgia but I'm planning to go to a nursing school in California. (to be in the same state as my long-term boyfriend) BUT i can't do that for another year. So I thought maybe I could take my Pre-reqs here and then go to school for nursing in California. There aren't any colleges near where I live (very small town) that have Nursing as a major. Or could I take the pre-reqs at a school that doesn't even offer Nursing?
Also, Do i have to get my associates in nursing before I can get my Bachelors? Sorry if i sound stupid but i am just clueless when it comes to a lot of this. I don't understand how it works and even makes me feel a little ignorant sometimes. Thanks for any help you can give me!

You can take the prereqs at a different place (even a school with no nursing program), but you probably want to figure out which CA nursing schools you're interested in, then talk to the schools to make sure those courses from your local college will transfer. It can get a little complicated when you're talking about schools in two different states, but it just takes planning.

And you can go straight for a BSN. A popular thing to do though, is to get your associates degree, start working as an RN, then finish the BSN part-time.

1pinkrose · May 31, 2006

I would recommend that you contact the college in CA where you plan to attend nursing school. Each school has degree sheets (a list of classes that they require before you can actually apply to the nursing program).

Find out what classes you will need to take, then ask them if you take the classes in GA....can you transfer them to CA. Some classes will transfer, and others won't. I am sure you won't want to spend time taking classes that you won't be able to transfer.

Once you find out which classes you need to take (pre-requisites) and which ones will transfer....then you can go to any college to take these.

It doesn't need to be a college with a nursing program. I hope this makes sense. It can be confusing at first, but you will get the hang of it!:)

desireef · May 31, 2006

So, I take the courses that i CAN transfer while at the school in GA and then I have to go to the college that I wish to attend in CA and take the rest of the prereqs before I can apply for the nursing program? Or do i apply for the nursing program when I start? Are the prereqs INCLUDED in the nursing program? I'm sorry, I'm a bit confused. Thanks for all the help guys!