Male nursing students with questions!

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Hi All,

Im making a career change and want to enter a nursing program. I already have a BA with high GPA from a State University in New York (Binghamton). Luckily I have some prereqs like Bio and Psychology that should transfer. The prereqs I dont I'm looking to take asap while I work.

As I'm in my 30s I need to work while attending a nursing program. I've done a lot of research on accelerted 15 month programs but they are all full time and recommend not having a job.

Ive been told to just find an online program but they all appear to be RN to BSNs. There are Associate programs that I belive can be completed at night but Ive heard now very hard to get a job with Associates with no experience. Then would have to get BSN anyway.

Does anyone have a suggestion of programs to enter for those that are switching careers but still need to work to pay bills?? I'm located in NYC area.

Thank you!

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I accidentally clicked Western Governors button. I am not a student there.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I accidentally clicked Western Governors button. I am not a student there.
No problem! We moved your thread to our Pre-Nursing Student forum.
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Hi there, if your financial situation does not allow for you to go full time ABSN you will most likely need to do an ADN program. Even ADN programs will be a stretch working full time. I will be working full time in my ADN program but i'm doing 3 twelves a week so I will have 4 days off for school. Best of luck

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The problem isn't that you won't be able to find a job with an ASN, it's that you probably won't be able to find your *first choice* job with an ASN. You could totally work in long term care while you work on your BSN. It's less "desireable" work, but it's work, and it'll get you to where you want to be without breaking the bank.

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Hi,

I am male, and also switching carriers. At this time I am taking some pre-reqs before I consider applying to nursing programs. I will, of course, apply to an accelerated program since not only do I have a bachelor's, but also a master's degrees. And you pointed out right, accelerated programs are all full-time, meaning you and I will be taking 3-5 classes per semester, plus clinicals that can take place any day of the week, including weekends. Working during this time is discouraged, and quite possible impossible. However, if you think you can somehow manage working during this time, you need to make sure you are doing well in school. Otherwise, you may fail and be dismissed from the program. There are some schools in NYC that offer accelerated programs. They are highly competitive! From what I have seen and heard, hundreds apply, and only tens are accepted. Even high GPA is now not a guarantee of someone being accepted. It seems like everyone applying to nursing programs are geniuses nowadays. Good luck!

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I am a 29 y.o. male hoping to enter into a nursing progra by 2017. GPA is 2.94 my classes from my Bachelors degree mostly count as T (Transfer credit). So every course since 05 counts at the Community College. If i can do great on Anatomy 1 achieve a 4.0, a 3.0 for Chem/AP2, & Micro feel that will boost my GPA.

The area I live and the hospital I work ay hire mainly BSN nurses. The BSN program was flexible it required more prerequisites. I would start school a year later then the ASN program, and some of the BSN nursing programs took 6 semesters to complete instead of 4.

In addition to, the accelerated programs most weren't that flexible and encouraged you not to work. I need to work I can't put life on hold and stop paying bills. Only one was flexible. However, it was very costly and stringent on requirements: Biogenetics; Statistics...So forth.

Again cost played a factor I think I only have to pay $30,000 for most of the BSN programs on average. With the associates a semester is only $1500 to $2000. If I can maintain part time status at work $3,000 is covered by work. In addition to, nooks are pricey for the program. However, $500 and your covered for 4 semesters.

Feel there is only 2 downsides with the associate program. One is flexibility. They have 2 evening programs where I live, which is great. However, some classes are not all evening some areason at 1p & 2p. Other classes cannot guarantee what day or time your classes are due to the size of students your schedule is picked by a lottery system. Some schools clinicals are not flexible and some are. For me since I work mainly 2 variable shifts, but sometimes do work the 3rd a set schedule be beneficial. Really only 2 of the Associate programs offered in my State do that. Example being one has a 8a to 230p M-T class schedule. That makes balancing work out easy able to work Thurs, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The second downside is the cost is inexpensive causes for a lot of demand. A lot of people apply and are wait listed. Wait listing has improved in our State use to be 3 years with hopes of being accepted, but usually can reapply guaranteed to get in. My backup plan if wait listed was to do the LPN program then bridge over, but our State did away with the LPN program.

If I am wait listed from nursing school will forgo it after this coming Spring look into PTA school and then look into a BSN program later in life maybe.

Back to cost will probably cost about $15,000 less doing the ASN & the RN to BSN in total.

Best of luck to you.

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I've heard NYC nursing jobs are very competitive so maybe some nurses in NYC can chime in as far you pursuing an ADN

with that said as a male it wasn't a bad experience at all. I went through a PN program and plan to pursue my Adn next year. My instructors were all cool to me and even the one most students seemed to not like never came at me crazy.

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Specializes in Prior military RN/current ICU RN..

You can't really get your first nursing degree online. If you can figure out a way to get through an accelerated BSN it would be good because the quicker you get it done the quicker you are working. You have a bachelors already so may as well use that to your advantage. Bottom line is even if you have all the pre reqs done and go with ABSN you are still looking at a couple years before done. ABSN was about 21 hours a semester for me. If you need to go slower you can and go like 12-15 hours a semester, but obviously it takes longer. No matter what it is going to be a grind, but if you want it then it can be done.

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Metsmike I was curious about the title of your thread so I read it, might want to bear in mind the questions you have, the route you're considering taking, all of that is equally applied to females as males. Not unique to males, everyone who wants to get into nursing with your background will need to go through the same steps.

there are threads here that say how hard it is to get a job as a new grad in nyc and that you really need to have a BSN to be a competitive applicant. I don't know that it's true 100% of the time but since you're considering all options you might want to look at that. Like windsurfer said, you will never find a completely online nursing program as there are clinical requirements and those are all in person, going to different clinical sites, the number of sites and their locations will depend on your program. You will have to go to a physical school no matter what. Good luck!

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