My plan Need Advice please:)

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I am 17 years old, I reside in Orange County, CA. I want to become a RN but I do not have a lot of money at the moment.

Therefore I plan on attending Santa Ana Community College for their ADN (Associates Degree in Nursing) program. It's a two year degree but I need to obtain some pre reqs to get into the nursing program.

I currently work at a fast food restaurant called El Pollo Loco and I do not want to work there any longer. I want or most likely need to get my foot in the door at a hospital or other health care facility. So my physiology honors teacher told me to get certified in Phlebotomy or CNA. Which I would love to do.

I want to be a nurse for all the right reasons but I wouldn't mind doing anything in the medical field if I gain interest in other departments. I love people and being there for others in need.

I graduate this June and I just want to be prepared to get my education in a fast and efficient way and be able to get a job at a hospital soon.

I would also love to volunteer if that's what it takes which I'm pretty sure it does. I've been looking into volunteering at local hospitals.

Please ask me any questions and feel free to give me tons of advice. I take every response whole heartedly.

Thank you

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Hi! It seems as though you are very ambitious about working in the medical field, which is great!! My advice to you is to do exactly what you said and start volunteering in local hospitals. Which area interests you the most? There are a ton of local hospitals in OC that take volunteers right out of high school (St. Judes, CHOC, St.Joes, Mission, Hoag...just some ideas) I highly recommend that. I would also go to Santa Ana College and sit down with a counselor and map out the pre req classes you need so you can stay on track and get those done as soon as possible. Santa Ana will get you your ADN license, which is good, but with the competition in the Nursing job market, Id highly recommend you consider a BSN program. Some local schools that offer a BSN are Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, or private Universities like WCU or Concordia. These schools can be expensive, but at 17 you have not only Grant money you can use but are eligible for SO many scholarships, so use your resources!! Every school has counselors and financial aid help, so find which school interests you and GO FOR IT! Sit down with them and see which route is best for you. Also, taking the pre reqs at a community college will be a cheaper route. Just some ideas!

I know going for a dream can be overwhelming, but just do as best as you can and stay focused. You are still so young and have so much opportunity, so go for it! Good luck!!!!

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Hi! It seems as though you are very ambitious about working in the medical field, which is great!! My advice to you is to do exactly what you said and start volunteering in local hospitals. Which area interests you the most? There are a ton of local hospitals in OC that take volunteers right out of high school (St. Judes, CHOC, St.Joes, Mission, Hoag...just some ideas) I highly recommend that. I would also go to Santa Ana College and sit down with a counselor and map out the pre req classes you need so you can stay on track and get those done as soon as possible. Santa Ana will get you your ADN license, which is good, but with the competition in the Nursing job market, Id highly recommend you consider a BSN program. Some local schools that offer a BSN are Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, or private Universities like WCU or Concordia. These schools can be expensive, but at 17 you have not only Grant money you can use but are eligible for SO many scholarships, so use your resources!! Every school has counselors and financial aid help, so find which school interests you and GO FOR IT! Sit down with them and see which route is best for you. Also, taking the pre reqs at a community college will be a cheaper route. Just some ideas!

I know going for a dream can be overwhelming, but just do as best as you can and stay focused. You are still so young and have so much opportunity, so go for it! Good luck!!!!

Thank you so much

I do want to get my BSN and continue to get my Masters as well!

I attended an orientation at WCU and am thinking about going there from my RN-BSN.

Thanks for replying it's so nice to get feedback!

I will definitely try and volunteer at local hospitals

I have no idea what I'm interested in

I'm sure I'll figure that out while getting my associates degree

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You'll figure out which units you prefer as you start volunteering. Keep in mind that there are so many facets to Nursing and bedside is only one of them, but they are all equally as rewarding. So many options!! I went to WCU and had a great experience. The cost is scary, but the education really prepared me. Take your pre req classes at a comm college and transfer into WCU, itll save ya some money :)

Good luck to you!

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Either of those jobs will help you as a nurse, probably CNA more than CPT (I was a phleb/CPT), and if you can, you can make connections that will help you get a job once you're a nurse. Be aware that in the major metropolitan areas, hospitals aren't really hiring ADN nurses, so you'll likely be looking at home health or long term care. Bridging to BSN once you can afford to do so will help your prospects a lot. Volunteering can help with making connections as well, but you won't get the hands-on experience you can get through work. Look at the nursing programs in your area to see if they count volunteering or CNA experience toward your application, because many programs do, and every advantage helps.

Don't stress about figuring out what area of nursing interests you yet. The more open you are when applying for jobs, the better. I am about to start a job in a urology clinic, which isn't my ideal specialty, but I think it'll be good. You'll be exposed to a lot in nursing school, which will help you narrow things down some, and maybe expand things some, too (I never knew psych would interest me as much as it does!).

I think you need to be 18 for both CPT and CNA, but you're probably there or close to it, so start looking at your options. AVOID going through a tech school. Is there a community college in your area that offers one of those? I know Red Cross does a CNA class.

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There is a CNA Training Program offered by QBICS in Santa Ana that is approximately $1300 in tuition. I also looked into Red Cross and they have a program in Long Beach that is about $1500, I also have to be at least 16 years old so I can take it as soon as I'm out of high school. I'm definitely taking all my pre reqs at a community college and right now I plan on attending Santa Ana College to get my ADN in Nursing and transfer to a University as I have already contacted them. I'm in between going to Cal State Fullerton or Cal State Long Beach. West Coast University offers online programs for the RN-BSN as well as RN-MSN. I don't think I can handle 100% online classes.

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Getting a job as a CNA and doing volunteer is great, all perfect moves. But since you live in Socal you really need to understand you will have an EXTREMELY difficult time getting a new grad job as an ADN. And most new grad programs wants BSNs. Its still very hard to get a new grad job as a BSN. You will be severely limiting your ability to get a job, especially one in a hospital. I have nothing against ADNs, but the profession, thanks to academia, is moving towards higher degrees. My hospital just made the move to hiring only BSNs. In my new grad cohort there were people driving 2 hours away and had been waiting for more than a year for their first RN job (and they have BSNs).

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best of luck!

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Thank you all for the replies

I understand it's going to be a long and tough road but that's why I'm young and willing to do anything to get where I want to be!

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