I am currently in my second year of college at a community college with a very impacted nursing program. I have recently changed my major back to nursing (should not have changed it in the first place!!!!) and I am debating a few options. My GPA at the moment is 3.3 and I've estimated that my GPA will be 3.6 by the time I apply to the RN program at my school. I am planning on volunteering at the hospital by my house to gain some hospital experience and which will hopefully increase my chances of getting into the program. Is this the right way of becoming an RN? Or should I become an LVN first and then go into the LVN-RN program and then a BSN program? Or should I try and transfer to a university for my BSN and forget about getting my Associates? I really want to become a nurse and believe I can be great at it, but the fact that the program is soooo impacted really stresses me out. Plus, I want to start my career sooner then later.
Switching majors again is the last thing I want to do so any advice and help you can give me will be greatly appreciated :)
As per the AACN website: "The BSN nurse is prepared for a broader role. The BSN nurse is the only basic nursing graduate preferred to practice in all health care settings -- critical care, ambulatory care, public health, and mental health -- and thus has the greatest employment flexibility of any entry-level RN. The BSN curriculum includes a broad spectrum of scientific, critical-thinking, humanistic, communication, and leadership skills, including specific courses on community health nursing not typically included in diploma or associate-degree tracks. These abilities are essential for today's professional nurse who must be a skilled provider, designer, manager, and coordinator of care. Nurses must make quick, sometimes life-and-death decisions; understand a patient's treatment, symptoms, and danger signs; supervise other nursing personnel; coordinate care with other health providers; master advanced technology; guide patients through the maze of health resources in a community; and teach patients how to comply with treatment and adopt a healthy lifestyle.
In particular, a report by the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice, an advisory panel to the federal Division of Nursing, noted that baccalaureate nursing programs are far more likely than other entry-level tracks to provide students with on-site clinical training in non-institutional settings outside the hospital. As a result, the BSN graduate is well-prepared for practice in such sites as home health agencies, outpatient centers, and neighborhood clinics where opportunities are fast expanding as hospitals focus more on acute care and health services move beyond the hospital to more primary and preventive care throughout the community".
Best wishes in your decision and I hope this resource helps.
Since your ultimate goal is BSN, I voted transfer to a 4 year university BSN program. It will be the most efficient path, time wise, to reach your goal. Focus your efforts on meeting the requirements, and applying to the 3 university programs you have chosen.
Then, in case you need a back up plan, be aware of the requirements for associates degree programs at community colleges in your area, and the ROP LVN programs in your area.
UMDNJ-SN
11 Posts
Hi Jessii427,
As per the AACN website: "The BSN nurse is prepared for a broader role. The BSN nurse is the only basic nursing graduate preferred to practice in all health care settings -- critical care, ambulatory care, public health, and mental health -- and thus has the greatest employment flexibility of any entry-level RN. The BSN curriculum includes a broad spectrum of scientific, critical-thinking, humanistic, communication, and leadership skills, including specific courses on community health nursing not typically included in diploma or associate-degree tracks. These abilities are essential for today's professional nurse who must be a skilled provider, designer, manager, and coordinator of care. Nurses must make quick, sometimes life-and-death decisions; understand a patient's treatment, symptoms, and danger signs; supervise other nursing personnel; coordinate care with other health providers; master advanced technology; guide patients through the maze of health resources in a community; and teach patients how to comply with treatment and adopt a healthy lifestyle.
In particular, a report by the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice, an advisory panel to the federal Division of Nursing, noted that baccalaureate nursing programs are far more likely than other entry-level tracks to provide students with on-site clinical training in non-institutional settings outside the hospital. As a result, the BSN graduate is well-prepared for practice in such sites as home health agencies, outpatient centers, and neighborhood clinics where opportunities are fast expanding as hospitals focus more on acute care and health services move beyond the hospital to more primary and preventive care throughout the community".
Best wishes in your decision and I hope this resource helps.
Reference: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/students/your-nursing-career/facts