Is there a point in getting the Med Admin Certificate if I am going to bridge my RPN to RN?

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Hi there,

I am currently and RPN student at GBC in Toronto. I have been trying to make a game plan for my future and am just wondering what the best option would be in furthering my education.

I am 22 years old and have a Bachelor of Human Kinetics with a minor in biology from the University of Windsor. I chose to start the Practical Nursing program at GBC in May of this year and because I already wasted four years of OSAP and my life in a program I am not using, I want to make sure I have all the information before I go any further lol

Basically, my original goal was to become an OR Nurse so that eventually I can go back to school and become a Perfusionist. However, I know I will need to upgrade my RPN diploma to a BScN so I am planning on doing that right after I finish the RPN program. I will finish in December of 2020 and hopefully will be on track to start a bridging program for September 2021. I was thinking of getting the Medication Administration certificate between that time so I can work as an RPN part time while studying to get my BScN. So I guess my question is... does it make sense for me to do the Medication Administration certificate if I am going to be an RN three years later? I noticed pretty much all of the Nursing jobs I've been looking at in Toronto, GTA, Hamilton, etc. require their RPNs to have the Med. Admin. certificate.

I hope this wasn't too much information or too confusing lol this is my first post on here and I just wanted to say how excited I am to finally be getting into a profession that I love!! I learned so much in my Kin degree and all of the experience I gained in that program will definitely help me in Nursing, but I am just so excited to finally be a part of something that I have been waiting for the last three years!!

Thank you all in advance for any advice you may have ?

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You don't need to get a separate certificate. As an RPN med admin is part of your program. Medication certification is for RPNs who completed the program before med admin became a basic RPN skill. So you're good.

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Oh okay that is great!! Thank you so much. There is so much information out there on college and university websites with admission requirements and whatnot that it gets confusing to figure out what you actually need/don't need.

Thanks again ?

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No problem. And if you can, try to work while you're bringing. It definitely let's you put all of that theory into practice.

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For sure!! That's exactly what I was thinking, I figured it would help me excel in the bridge program with the extra practice and being in that environment all the time. I'm used to a heavy course load in University and working part time so I think I can manage, but I know Nursing is also on a whole other level with workload so just going to take it one step at a time ?

Do you have any suggestions for studying and staying on top of the actual nursing courses? I have taken multiple anatomy and physiology courses so those I am not too worried about... It's more so the nursing theory, and clinical lab/theory I am worried about. I am quite happy because I have an english credit and an elective that transfers over so I only have seven courses to worry about instead of nine!

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if you already have degree why not take the BscN as a second career in College. It means you only need to take 2 years of the RN program. It's worth checking out. I have a friend that has a degree in marketing and she now only had to do 2 years and she is done the RN program. She's going to Humber but I am sure the other schools have it too, just a thought

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9 hours ago, NurseMarleigh said:

For sure!! That's exactly what I was thinking, I figured it would help me excel in the bridge program with the extra practice and being in that environment all the time. I'm used to a heavy course load in University and working part time so I think I can manage, but I know Nursing is also on a whole other level with workload so just going to take it one step at a time ?

Do you have any suggestions for studying and staying on top of the actual nursing courses? I have taken multiple anatomy and physiology courses so those I am not too worried about... It's more so the nursing theory, and clinical lab/theory I am worried about. I am quite happy because I have an english credit and an elective that transfers over so I only have seven courses to worry about instead of nine!

It sounds like a silly idea but I suggest a big calendar. I write every single thing, including chapters that are supposed ot ve read that week on a big calendar. I hang it in a place that I have to walk by multiple times per day. When I finish an assignment or a reading i tick it off. As for nursing theory I don't think you'll ha e much trouble pathology is the real challenge. But if you have a solid foundation in physiology you should do fine.

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On 3/20/2019 at 10:12 PM, GBC_Student said:

It sounds like a silly idea but I suggest a big calendar. I write every single thing, including chapters that are supposed ot ve read that week on a big calendar. I hang it in a place that I have to walk by multiple times per day. When I finish an assignment or a reading i tick it off. As for nursing theory I don't think you'll ha e much trouble pathology is the real challenge. But if you have a solid foundation in physiology you should do fine.

Thank you so much for all the tips!! I really appreciate it ?

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On 3/20/2019 at 8:50 PM, CURLYKATE said:

if you already have degree why not take the BscN as a second career in College. It means you only need to take 2 years of the RN program. It's worth checking out. I have a friend that has a degree in marketing and she now only had to do 2 years and she is done the RN program. She's going to Humber but I am sure the other schools have it too, just a thought

Hi there!! It’s kind of a long story but last year before I graduated from my BHK I applied to the accelerated programs. I applied to 4-5 of them across ON and BC and spent almost $1000 on application fees. I met and exceeded all of the requirements and thought I had a sure shot of getting in, considering my BHK is a Movement Science major and I had a minor in biology I thought I was a shoe in. I ended up getting rejected from ALL of the programs because my grade eleven math mark was two percent lower then the requirement for high school graduates. I was heart broken. I didn’t (and still don’t) understand why I didn’t get admitted because of a high school grade when I met the requirements for my applicant pool (applicants with Uni education vs. applicants from high school). So I decided to do pre-health because My high school chemistry mark met the bare minimum and my bio could have been way higher. I did pre-health science at GBC and got admitted to their RPN program... I found out a month ago they used my high school grades for admission so I just wasted another 8 months in a useless (to me anyways) college program.

I had my heart set on the accelerated program but unfortunately it didn’t work out.. so now that I actually have an acceptance to a nursing program I’m just going to stick with it and bridge my RPN to RN after I graduate! but thank you for the suggestion though ?

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On 3/22/2019 at 10:05 AM, StudentGBC13 said:

Hi there!! It’s kind of a long story but last year before I graduated from my BHK I applied to the accelerated programs. I applied to 4-5 of them across ON and BC and spent almost $1000 on application fees. I met and exceeded all of the requirements and thought I had a sure shot of getting in, considering my BHK is a Movement Science major and I had a minor in biology I thought I was a shoe in. I ended up getting rejected from ALL of the programs because my grade eleven math mark was two percent lower then the requirement for high school graduates. I was heart broken. I didn’t (and still don’t) understand why I didn’t get admitted because of a high school grade when I met the requirements for my applicant pool (applicants with Uni education vs. applicants from high school). So I decided to do pre-health because My high school chemistry mark met the bare minimum and my bio could have been way higher. I did pre-health science at GBC and got admitted to their RPN program... I found out a month ago they used my high school grades for admission so I just wasted another 8 months in a useless (to me anyways) college program.

I had my heart set on the accelerated program but unfortunately it didn’t work out.. so now that I actually have an acceptance to a nursing program I’m just going to stick with it and bridge my RPN to RN after I graduate! but thank you for the suggestion though ?

I am waiting to find out if I get into the RPN program and then I am bridging to RN, perhaps we will do it together ;)

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On 3/23/2019 at 10:19 PM, CURLYKATE said:

I am waiting to find out if I get into the RPN program and then I am bridging to RN, perhaps we will do it together ;)

That would be really cool!! Good luck on your admission process

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Specializes in Surgical/Trauma/Neuroscience/Cardiac ICU.
On 3/22/2019 at 10:05 AM, StudentGBC13 said:

I ended up getting rejected from ALL of the programs because my grade eleven math mark was two percent lower then the requirement for high school graduates.

I am ashamed of my high school math grades as well: Grade 11U and Grade12U were on 60s+. I though before that doing the RPN-RN was better but after finishing my BScN last year, I would suggest to do the 4 year straight BScN instead.

Practical Nurse - 2.5 years fulltime @ Seneca

RPN Bridge - 1.5 years parttime @ Centennial

BScN - 3 years parttime @ Ryerson. It should be 2.5 years parttime without the delay.

Now, most of my friends resigned from being RPN. I might resign as well but will keep for the time being once I get a secured RN job.

Anyhow, I always say to myself to always think positive. Everything happens for a reason. I have met people and different experience along the way.

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