My options

[julesradio]

Ok - about to start pre-recs in the Fall after a career in Radio. My question? Should become an LPN first then bridge to RN? I am anxious to get going and into the nursing field and wondering if I shouldn't take it in steps - LPN to RN to (evenually) NP? Any opinions?

I have a fulltime job and a four year old, my line of thinking was maybe by taking it in chunks, it might be a little easier...

Plus truth be told, I'm afraid I'll get through my pre-recs and not get into nursing school, Then what?

I guess I'm just anxious and excited to get started. It's a big difference between broadcasting and nursing, but I think I can do it!!!!

Any words, advice, anything is appreciated;)

[pogi]

If you eventually want to become a NP, I suggest you earn your BSN instead of starting as an LVN. There are schools out there now that offer a BSN in just 18 months. That would be great for you since you do have a 4 year old to think about. :) Getting your pre-reqs done should not be a problem since a majority of them can be completed online (as long as you register early!). Good luck with whatever your decision is!

[LMRN10]

I work full time as well and I took baby steps. I am excited to get it done, but knew I had to take it easy on myself as well...I took 2 classes a semester, then cut it to one when I could. I am going for my associates and I have been going to school part-time at night since the Summer semester of 2004.

I am in that situation that you described...done with my pre-req's and waiting to get in. But you just go with it and know eventually you will get in. You just need to go with it if it's what you really want to do. I am not in for fall, but I am hoping for spring...but I am taking a class anyway in the fall even though I don't need to.

Best of luck to you!!!

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

Most posts I've seen recommend working straight toward your RN. LPN jobs are apparently few and far between except in LTC from what I've read on these boards.

I completed my prereqs part-time and was fortunate enough to have a local CC that was 'first-come, first-served'. You submit your name once you have the minimum prereqs completed, then get accepted when your name comes up. In between, I completed other coreqs so that I could concentrate on my core nursing classes while I was in school.

Good luck with your career change and with school! My brother is a GM of a station in So. CA....he mentions that the biz is changing quite a bit!!

[casi, ASN, RN]

Do whatever program works best for you. If there is an LPN program that offers flexible hours that’s a perfect fit for your family and life, go for it! If an RN-ANS program is a better fit do that.

You’ll see that a lot of the pre-reqs overlap for all of the programs. Those that don’t that don’t overlap you’ll have to take anyways. What I did when taking pre-reqs was I took a few extra classes so when I was ready to apply to nursing school I could apply to more than one school in the area.