Need advice on becoming an RN in California

afrobuddhess · May 20, 2010

Excellent that you are choosing nursing. I too was a high school teacher, and making the leap to nursing sounded and feels right. Nurses are teachers, its a great transition...

With regards to your question, it honestly depends on where you get in. Considering you already have degrees, the ADN (community college) would be the most economical, but could be the longest wait. Especially in California. You could be waiting a few years, even AFTER you finish your pre-reqs.

An accelerated BSN, or entry-level RN/MSN would be a good quick bet, but will cost you unless you go to a public university, and even those are pricey these days. UCSF used to be a sure bet for RN/MSN cost-wise, but now it is MORE than my private university! (UC's had a 33% tuition increase this year!) The acceptance rates for CSU's are ridiculuous, BUT a good place to apply to save $$$.

I hate to say it, but it is going to be a long road unless you pay for it...

SDSU is starting an "online" accellerated nursing program this summer, but you would need to be in the SD area for the skills and clinical portion. Other than that, it could be an affordable and convienient option!

Good luck!

alybabamama · May 20, 2010

Thank you for responding, and for your encouraging words. It is reassuring to hear that I am not the "first" teacher who has chosen this particular path. I have seen a few blurbs here and there about SDSU's program, but am concerned because everything I have read says the program has not received its accredidation yet... This is probably a really silly question, but how in the world do nursing students survive?? Are classes offered at night, allowing students to work during the day - or what???

afrobuddhess · May 20, 2010

I think it is impossible to work. Which is why you will have to be ready for the large amounts of debt you are going to accumulate.

You may be able to work part, part time, but since it is a skills based education, you have to be in clinical settings, and those rotations are during the day. So even if you could take your classes at night, your clinicals would most likely be during the day (I think there are laws about students working at night).

Plus you have to be "checked-off" on skills (something I never knew), which is where you demonstrate a skill to a teacher/TA/RN, who passes/fails you, and you have to have passed that skill to perform it in a clinical. Long story short, you need to make time to practice your skills in the skills lab(or whatever it is called at your prospective school), and make time to test, and possible re-test. It's a whole lot more time than I expected. :uhoh3:

In my opinion, be prepared to NOT work. It is a struggle for me and I work on campus 12 hours a week as a Women's Advocate in the Student Center (low-key/stress free job).

Getgoing · May 27, 2010

Kind of a stretch - but you could possibly move out of state. In Vegas, we have CSN for an associate degree (FT and PT programs), NSC for BSN (ABSN, BSN Full Time & BSN Part-time), or UNLV for BSN. You'd pay out of state tuition until you get residency.

Or - Vegas has lots of private schools, like USN or Touro, that might be quicker and cost more $.

Another option is WGU (Western Governors University).

BSN with RN License | Online RN Degree | Online Nursing School

They're all roads to the NCLEX and RN. Good luck!