Published Apr 27, 2010
Napiertj
7 Posts
Hi all,
I'd like to get some advise from anyone who might have come across this situation or any experience themselves with this. At this time I am going to school for my prereqs to enter a nursing program. I know I have a while to go, but I have a timeline for myself.
My husband retires in 5 years. My goal is by the time he retires I will have my BSN for nursing or shortly there after. I have looked into community college for the RN program which takes about a year to a year and a half to get in. Then transferring to the University of Phoenix or Grand Canyon to complete my BSN. The University of Arizona takes a bit longer to be accepted for nursing from what I researched.
I have also thought about going into the LPN program and bridge courses through Grand Canyon or U of P to get my BSN that way. I guess I'm thinking of so many plans. I just want to get back in the military as a nurse. I was previously in the AF as a Public Health technician, but got out after our two kids,. Since my husband is retiring at 37 I think I'm still young enough to finish school and get back in. I'm determined and ready to do what needs to be done. It's just this time crunch I feel. As a military wife there's a chance of us moving again in a few years. Which is another reason I want to complete this and have different avenues to get to my goal.
Any advise from other nurses or someone who has been through this themselves would be much appreciated. I really want to become a nurse and return to service!
Best of luck to you all and hope to hear any ideas.
midinphx, BSN
854 Posts
I would start with a path towards U of A. Get your prereq's at a community college then transfer to the BSN program. There are counselors for nursing at the colleges. Make sure you see a nursing advisor as general advisors have been known to recommend wrong coorifices.
Right now, you have until you are 42 to join as a BSN RN. Being a new grad is absolutely acceptable.
Good luck.
Thanks midinphx! I really appreciate your advise :)
are you in Tucson or Phoenix?
I am in Tucson.
In Phoenix the community colleges work very closely with ASU. I hope that the same holds true in Tucson. You should investigate both the traditional UofA route and how they work with the community colleges. prereq's are much less expensive at comm level and should all transfer without difficulties.
Unversity of Phoenix is expensive, but not a bad means to an end with a timeline. Of coorifice with them, you need your RN first which will take you a good 4 years even at community college level. I think best run for the time frame is get yourself into UofA.
There is a LPN bridge course available through University of Phoenix. My co worker just graduated last week and got his RN. He was previously a LPN and talked to me about the program. That's the only reason I thought of getting into the community college LPN program to then bridge to University of Phoenix to complete my BSN. The reasoning behind it was how quickly I can get into the LPN vs waiting for RN programs at other schools. After finishing the LPN program that takes 18 months then I could move forward with the bridge course from U of Phoenix which takes 2 years to complete.
I have thought of different ways to accomplish this, but all in all I still have to work through my prereqs first. I will definitely follow up with the University of Arizona though. I am transferring to the community college out here to start classes in June. I'll get together with the U of A advisor and see what they say about wait time.