I graduated with a BS in Bio... but now I want to be a nurse

[msb1383]

Hi! I recently graduated with honors in Biology from a uni in NC. I have since realized that I want nothing else than to be a nurse. However, I am not really sure about the process from here on out and I am clueless about the next step due to varying requirements for each school I have looked at. Should I go back to a community college to gain training and eventual certification or would it be beneficial to pursue (the much more expensive) BSN. Does anyone have any experience with the accelerated tracks to a BSN in NC? Any advice would be much appreciated! Thank you!

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

In order to become licensed as an RN, you first have to complete an accredited pre-licensure educational program (ADN, BSN, etc). This makes you a graduate nurse. THEN you have to pass NCLEX to become "registered". It is not a certification.

I would advise you to meet with advisors at your local nursing schools. They can help you wade through the process, which can be pretty confusing. With your BS in Biology, you probably already have a lot of the pre-requisites already. But some pre-requisite courses "expire" after 5 years or so - which means you may want to do this sooner than later. ABSN programs are a lot more expensive & you won't be able to work at the same time because they are very intensive. Do some investigation in your area to find out whether employers are requiring BSNs for their RNs or not. You may be able to go with the (much less expensive) ADN route & upgrade to BSN after you are employed.

Best of luck to you!