How long is nursing school?

LGte3548 · Nov 29, 2009

Its totally depends on u what u want.

CNA is 3 to 6 months

LPN is 10 to 14 months

RN is 2 years

BSN is 4 years

MSN is 6 years

JoMark06 · Nov 29, 2009

Some schools offer an accelerated BSN program. I had my BSN in about 16 months. If you have been attending college elsewhere and have the necessary pre-reqs you may qualify for such a program. I attended the Medical University of South Carolina.

Jay2daq · Nov 29, 2009

Im in a private school for nursing. it has taken me 5 years to complete!!! sounds weird! a 4 year degree in 5 years?

reason being is....when you go to nursing school you chose to either do the 4 year plan or the 5 year plan. MOST people choose the 5 year plan because it goes alot slower, you take less classes at once and people in the 5 year plan end up coming out with better grades, better NCLEX scores and excel more in clincals as well as out of school.

When your on the 4 year plan, you have no time for anything! your taking about 18 credits a semester of difficult classes....and the 5 year plan, your taking about 12 credits a semester (thats about what im doing!).....i would highly recommend if you can choose between 4 and 5 year, i would choose the 5 year. you end up paying the same amount of money and staying in school an extra year is totally worth it!!!!

Here is one schools curriculum for the 4 year plan and the 5 year plan....so you can see the difference between them! its layed out very nicley. They are all fairly similar to this one. You can see with the 5 year you will be taking ALOT less credits and dont have to cram everything in.

http://www.viterbo.edu/bsn.aspx?id=494

Jay2daq · Nov 29, 2009

You also have to take in account your CNA which can take anywhere from 2-6 months to complete....mine took i think 4 months, but i went only 2 days a week....if you go like 5 days a week it should only take you a couple months. It depends on what one you sign up for....Most schools require you have your CNA before you apply. So my suggestion while your waiting....sign up for a CNA class!!!! you wont regret it. (and of course take the CNA test to be a CNA)

edogs334 · Nov 29, 2009

If you're looking at BSN programs, some could take 5 years to complete- either because of the number of pre-requisites or because of the number of nursing courses required. Five years isn't the standard nationally, however, and there are many traditional (pre-licensure) BSN programs that can be completed in 4 years. If you want to complete a BSN program in 4 years, however, you have to start taking your pre-requisites early in your college career (ie- your freshman year). If you start pre-requisites later and still want to complete the program in 4 years, there will be a lot of summer school involved. The BSN programs that are only 12-18 months long are "accelerated" programs meant for people who already have baccalaureate (BA, BS) degrees in another field. I don't know what your personal and financial situation is like, but if you're a traditional college student who wants to go into nursing, start taking your pre-reqs ASAP. The associate's degree route is quicker (2 years), but you will be more marketable if you are a new graduate with a BSN. Of course, it depends on whether or not hospitals in your area care that much about the kind of degree new graduates have. However, an ever-increasing number of hospitals prefer BSN graduates over those with only a two-year degree. I'm not saying it's fair- I've worked with some stellar nurses who went to community college for nursing school. I'm just saying that's simply the way things are going in terms of the kind of nursing education hospitals prefer. Plus, if you decide to go to graduate school (MSN, CRNA, etc) down the line, you won't have to worry about taking extra courses prior to applying for admission. I've known a few nurses who had their ASN and were stuck taking extra pre-requisites because they wanted to get into anesthesia school (and didn't have a BSN).

Hope this helps. Good luck in your career.

MedSurgeMess · Nov 29, 2009

you mention that the school is not accepting apps for spring 2010. Many schools right now are cutting down on classes, as there are a glut of nurses, mostly new grads and some experienced, that cannot find jobs. They are cutting back until things pick back up, which unfortunately is looking like it may be a while.....

CuriousMe · Nov 29, 2009

You also have to take in account your CNA which can take anywhere from 2-6 months to complete....mine took i think 4 months, but i went only 2 days a week....if you go like 5 days a week it should only take you a couple months. It depends on what one you sign up for....Most schools require you have your CNA before you apply. So my suggestion while your waiting....sign up for a CNA class!!!! you wont regret it. (and of course take the CNA test to be a CNA)

I think that depends on the area. I think there's only one or two programs in the state even ask if we have our CNA.

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Nov 29, 2009

Yeah, none of the schools I was looking at wanted CNA. They didn't even expect you to get CPR until after you were accepted.

HopefulNurse90 · Nov 29, 2009

Oh ok thanks. But does sjsu and sfsu have the option of choosing between a 4 yr program vs a 5 yr program?

RN <>< · Nov 29, 2009

ASN degree usually takes 2 years but I made it 4 years. I did not want to take too many pre req classes at once. I am glad I did go slow because I kept up a great GPA which was needed to get in to the program and out of the program.

elkpark · Nov 29, 2009

[quote=RN

Most ASN programs are two years (full-time) of nursing classes, but, with the prerequisite courses, most people end up taking 3-4 years to finish the entire program. To call them "two year degrees," as many people do, is really misspeaking.