Is my 'plan' advisable by others?

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Hey guys,

I'm Michael (aka. DountainMew or just "Mew"). I've made my first post on the Introduction Forum and I also asked a question there. If I may, I'd like to just quote a portion of my post right quick as far as my question/concern and see what advisable feedback I can recieve. I hope I don't abuse the regulations with 'spam' since technically I posted this in my other thread but here was the part which asked the question:

""Here is where I'm at right now. I'm attending a Community College (a rather large one, actually) here in Iowa. I am having to play the catch up game and taking certain courses that I have to take to refresh my memory of things I learned in High School. The LPN/RN Nursing program at my institution has a waiting list almost a year and a half long (eww). So, I'm working on my Liberal Arts right now. I'm taking classes to earn my Associate of Science degree and then whenever that window comes open for the Nursing Program I want to jump into that. I've chosen this community college because it's right here where I live and it's very, very cost efficient compared to the Universities and Private schools/organizations around my location as well. I don't think it's the most TIME efficient means but for myself (being that I have a family), I believe setting my priorities is the most important. I'm not completely wasting time because I'm educating myself while waiting for the openings to come up at my college.

Here's my long term goal: Keep studying with my college for my AS degree and when the opening does arrive I'll take it and work towards my ASN (well, they call it an Associate of Science Degree in Nursing - ASDN - same thing though). Since it IS a Community COllege and they only provide two year programs I want to transfer to Univerity of Iowa (U of I) once I'm finished with my ASN to go and study/complete my BSN. That's the long term.

NOW for the VERY FIRST QUESTION!!! YAY! :) Here is something I've asked many people for as far as advice (and where this site was also referred to me from): Is what I'm doing 'advised?' I am taking the 150 hour CNA class as an elective right now. Once I have the certification I would like to apply to hospital/clinic/what have you and begin working as a CNA while I work towards my ASN. Once I have my ASN I'd like to try to get a promotion or look for another position elsewhere as an RN (because my ASN will give me the RN cert, right?). And then work as an RN while working towards my BSN degree. Does all that make sense? Is that a good idea or is it discouraged? My PERSONAL (though ignorant of the matters and also uneducated) opinion is that I feel the EXPERIENCE would be invaluable for later use down the road. I feel I would be able to learn what a good CNA does and how the position operates and then a couple/three years down the road move up to a position of RN. This would allow me to gain experience as an RN for when I get my actual BSN.""

Thanks so much for taking time to read this. I know I'm long-winded and this probably seemed way too long. I apoligize.

*Michael. (aka. "Mew")

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Specializes in Psych.

Hey there Michael! Sounds like a good plan to me. I worked as a student nurse for the last year of my degree (I entered nursing with a BSN) and it helped immensely. While I am forever grateful for my BSN, it cost a fortune and has not made me a cent more than a ADN or associates degree. I wish that I had the opportunity to get an associates first, but I got into a BSN program immediately and would have had to wait for entrance into the associates program. I just advise that you liase well with advisors from both programs, so that you know what courses will transfer; you might want to try to get a written plan.

Best of luck to you.

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Thank you chigap! I appreciate the feedback. Hopefully more will follow. Ya never can have too much advise (err, or maybe you can - don't know), heh. At any rate, I have definitely been in contact with both the University of Iowa as well as a private college in Des Moines, "Mercy College." Both very reputable school though U of I (from what I've read myself as well have been told) have one of the best Nursing programs in the nation (and I believe that it was medical education field all together, but don't quote me on that part). I talked to both schools' reps and they gave me a list of classes that they would request that I take but both said that if I attend the Community College here and follow my plan as stated previously that I should have no problem. In fact, they told me that I would probably just jump right in to the actual Nursing classes themselves being that I would have taken all the core classes for the degree already save the specific emphasis in my BSN.

You said in your post that you make no more with a BSN than you do an ASN/ADN? It's very tempting to just shoot for that then but I have an IDEA (strictly an IDEA right now) that I am thinking of going all out for my MSN and become a Nurse Anestist (CRNA?). Hehe. But that's neither here, NOR there right now. Small steps right now because the Lord knows that I have many of those steps to come, ha!

Thanks again, chig!!

*Michael. (aka. "Mew")

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:groupwelcome:

Sounds like you have a great plan, better than me when I started on my journey! Welcome to Allnurses, It is a wonderful place! Good Luck to You!

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Sounds like you've got it. I started as a CNA in a LTC facility then moved to a hospital. After two years as a CNA, I started attending a community college. I spent the first year on pre-reqs so that I could devote my time to nursing when I entered the program. I will graduate with my Associate degree in less than two weeks. I will then be eligible to take the NCLEX and become an RN. I have a position lined up at a hospital that also does tuition reimbursement. There is a program that comes to the hospital for classes once a week and has the remainder of classes online to go from RN-BSN. The pay is the same but the job offerings are a bit more varied with the BSN. I will just see where it goes from there. Like you were saying, I believe that the experience does help. Just be careful not to let what you learn in the "real world" influence what they teach you in class. In class you base everything on a perfect world where no one is short-staffed and the nurse has 14 arms and can be in 3 places as once. ( Ha, you laugh now, but you will see when you start taking those nursing tests!) :uhoh3:

I wish you luck and just take it one step at a time. You'll get there!

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Specializes in MICU.

Mew, you are correct in that after getting a ADN/ASN you can sit for the NCLEX and get your RN. I have a ADN, although I'm pursuing my BSN. It opens up other areas outside of hospital/bedside nursing.

Yes, it will all take time, however, what I think will work for you is that you have several options open. I am glad I did it this way because I need to work to earn the $ for the BSN. If your circumstances make it so that you can pursue your BSN right away, I say go for it.

Good luck!

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Nice to meet you Mew! I just wanted to add that I went the same route as far as getting my CNA first, and I found the experience extremely valuable. Good luck!!!

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

Hi, Michael! :welcome:

I'm not a big advocate of people going to be CNAs before becoming RNs unless they need the money. Even then, if you have another job that pays better, stick with that. I understand your eagerness to get in there and start getting your feet wet, so to speak. If you can afford to do that, it won't hurt. Do it. However, you don't have to. Most RN nursing programs teach you everything you need to learn to become a CNA in the first semester. Now, I know that some RN schools are making it a requirement that students attain a CNA before starting the nursing program. However, the majority of nursing programs still do things the old fashioned way and teach you basic nursing in the first semester of nursing school.

You must understand that there is a big difference between the responsibilities of what a CNA does and what an RN does. An RN can do everything a CNA does; a CNA cannot do nearly the things an RN does. One of the pitfalls of being around seasoned CNAs is being exposed to the very mistaken idea some of them have that RNs don't do nearly the amount of work that the CNAs do. RNs are supervisors and managers of patient care. That is their primary responsibility. All CNA work is going to do is help you to understand what is involved in actual hands on care so you can make better decisions regarding things like patient assignments which is something that as an RN you will have to do. For these kinds of decision making abilities and skills RNs are paid a lot more in salary.

I worked as a CNA in my second year of nursing school because I needed the money. I also had a nursing loan. Yes, I learned a lot about patient care. However, I can't say that it helped me very much when it came to my RN job of prioritizing and organizing my RN work because the work was just too different. It did help me keep an eye on what CNAs working under me were doing though--I could spot someone who was goofing off or doing a half-orificed job very quickly.

You have a great nursing school in the University of Iowa in your neck of the woods. If I were you I would aim for a BSN from them. It is a great school that ranks in very high esteem in the nursing community. If you get your AA degree first, you can work for a hospital as an RN. Most hospitals offer tuition reimbursement as a benefit to their RN staffs. Many encourage their AA degree'd RNs to continue on to get their BSNs. I, myself, went the ADN to BSN route. I just read an article recently about the nursing shortage. The problem is there are not enough nursing instructors so the waiting lists are long. So, hang in there. The wait is worth it. Because of the wait, don't rush through the really important pre-requisites. Take your time with them so you can really put in the study time and pull high grades in them.

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Specializes in Level III cardiac/telemetry.

Would it be faster for you to just go straight for the BSN? You're right that most of the prereqs are about the same, but BSN programs usually require statistics and math classes that ASN programs don't.

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Specializes in ICU, oncology/organ transplant.

I think you are right on target with your plan. Be advised though that you are going the slower route by attending a Community College first.

I took one year of pre-reqs, got into the nursing program at a Community College, did one year, sat for LPN boards, then worked as an LPN while finishing the second year, then sat for RN boards. Now, I am in school again and will graduate with my BSN in the Fall. If I would have gone straight through a BSN program it would have been the most time efficient BUT it wasn't an option for me. I too have a family as a matter of fact my third child was not even two days old when I graduated! The university was expensive and 45 minutes away..not many options.

Well I think it's great that you even have a plan! Good luck!

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I think you have a good plan. Ours is alike - I want to be a CRNA, too. I have two small kids and I am a SAHM so I don't plan on actually applying to the ADN program until my youngest starts kindergarten (he's 9 months old now). I am taking my pre and co reqs for both ADN and BSN programs now so I hope once I get my ADN that I will start working in Adult ICU (the MSN for CRNA requires that you work in ICU for at least 2 years). Get my BSN(that my job will pay for). Quit working and attend the CRNA program full time- I fugure I should be about 45 when all is said and done.

I am glad that you have a pretty good plan going. Good Luck to you =]

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Specializes in Level III cardiac/telemetry.
I think you have a good plan. Ours is alike - I want to be a CRNA, too. I have two small kids and I am a SAHM so I don't plan on actually applying to the ADN program until my youngest starts kindergarten (he's 9 months old now). I am taking my pre and co reqs for both ADN and BSN programs now so I hope once I get my ADN that I will start working in Adult ICU (the MSN for CRNA requires that you work in ICU for at least 2 years). Get my BSN(that my job will pay for). Quit working and attend the CRNA program full time- I fugure I should be about 45 when all is said and done.

I am glad that you have a pretty good plan going. Good Luck to you =]

I would like to encourage you to check with the school you plan to transfer to. Most of the ones I've looked at have a 5 year cap on the science courses, meaning that they must have been completed within 5 years of starting the program. If that's the case, you don't want to take those classes now and then not be able to do your ADN or BSN for 5 or 6 years. I may be wrong there, just my 2 cents.

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