Need some advice please.

Always_Learning, BSN, RN · Oct 17, 2009

Hello there,

There are "accelerated" or "bridge" programs for folks such as yourself that already have a bachelor's in another area that want to pursue nursing (BSN). Shop around and see what works for you, but that might be a good route to go in order to prevent double work on some of the pre-req stuff.

Best wishes!

mard688 · Oct 17, 2009

There's a school in anaheim called west coast university that has an accelerated program for BSN. 3 years with no experience, no pre-requisites, or straight from high school. You just have to take their entrance exam. However, it's pretty expensive. Just go to their site or visit the school to get more information. It's near disneyland.

ozoneranger · Oct 17, 2009

You can have a BA in most anything, go for 1 year to the bridge program at Vanderbilt & come out with your NP.

Frightening as it sounds, it's true. One of my best friends completed the program a couple of years ago, (her BS is in nursing). She had some interesting stories to tell about her fellow students.

tewdles, RN · Oct 17, 2009

You can have a BA in most anything, go for 1 year to the bridge program at Vanderbilt & come out with your NP.
Frightening as it sounds, it's true. One of my best friends completed the program a couple of years ago, (her BS is in nursing). She had some interesting stories to tell about her fellow students.

Oh my! So the BA in communications can learn to be a nurse in one year?

CCITSN · Oct 17, 2009

I have a degree in Journalism, and am now in nursing school. Credits accepted for transfer were Psych, Soc, Speech, English Comp.--maybe a few others. Do you have many Science credits already? I didn't. Unfortunately, most of the BA credits cannot be applied to the BS degree. However, I have heard that having a previously earned BA does become relevant at some point, as it demonstrates that you have taken higher level courses requiring critical thinking, and that the critical thinking competent is what the BS provides. Good Luck!

ozoneranger · Oct 19, 2009

oh my! so the ba in communications can learn to be a nurse in one year?

not just a nurse, a np.

"the school became exclusively a graduate school in 1989 with a mission of educating advanced level nurses. it has established masters of science in nursing (msn) programs in numerous advanced practice nursing specialty areas. one of the innovative programs of the school is the bridge program, which admits students from educational backgrounds other than nursing and allows them to complete a course of work leading to an advanced practice nursing degree. the school also offers doctorate programs in both research and clinical nursing."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/vanderbilt_university_school_of_nursing

i don't know the current status of the individual right now, but 2 years ago, one of their graduates was working for free in memphis. even though she was able to read & regurgitate enough of the academic program to pass her boards, her inability to translate that 'book knowledge' into the art of diagnosis & treatment didn't come to fruition.

my own personal physician has fired 4 of the graduates from the Vandy program for gross incompetence.

leslie :-D · Oct 19, 2009

You can have a BA in most anything, go for 1 year to the bridge program at Vanderbilt & come out with your NP.
Frightening as it sounds, it's true. One of my best friends completed the program a couple of years ago, (her BS is in nursing). She had some interesting stories to tell about her fellow students.

wow...that IS scary...

and so, so dangerous.

how the heck did they get accredited?

or are they?

either way, that program needs to be shut down.

just, wow.

leslie

ozoneranger · Oct 19, 2009

wow...that IS scary...
and so, so dangerous.
how the heck did they get accredited?
or are they?
either way, that program needs to be shut down.
just, wow.
leslie

Yep, you can go in with a BA in most anything, attend class one day a week for a year and...sha-zam! You're an NP with full prescribing privileges..... :eek:

vlurye1 · Oct 19, 2009

Thank you all for your responses. I called West Coast University but at 15,000 a semester for a total of 8 semesters, I just can't afford. So looks like I will take my 3 pre reqs starting in January and apply next fall for admissions to get my AA from a city college and then get my RN, if anyone knows a better way and quicker and affordable,please let me know:) thank you

wannabecnl · Oct 19, 2009

Here's the link for the MSN at Vanderbilt for applicants with a Bachelors in a non-nursing field.

http://www.nursing.vanderbilt.edu/msn/prespec.html

On this website, it states that the student (who already holds a bachelor's degree and thus has taken everything a BSN student would take other than nursing classes, such as English, math, history, basket-weaving, whatever) takes 3 semesters of pre-specialty nursing courses, then is eligible for the NCLEX, then takes "often just three additional semesters" to specialize. Others take 4-5 semesters after the pre-specialty year. These "Advanced Practice Nursing Specialties" include FNP, forensic nursing, palliative care, etc.

That's 6-8 semesters, more if you're in some specialties, and it's all nursing, plus it excludes all the pre-reqs like A&P and micro and non-nursing courses that a regular BSN program would include. All told, the candidate ends up with the equivalent of a BSN and MSN.

Vanderbilt and other schools have relatively short NP courses for people who already hold a BSN, but not for non-nursing bachelors degree-holders. I believe you have to have 67 credits to even take the NCLEX and become an RN before you can become any type of advanced practice nurse (how Vanderbilt crams 67 credits into 3 semesters is beyond me, though). Vanderbilt just admits you to their pre-specialty courses for a calendar year before letting you move into the specialist training after you're an RN.

I hope this helps. There are probably schools on the west coast that provide these options. ADN programs do a good job of preparing nurses, but if you have any interest in an advanced specialist role or a DNP/PhD later, I'd go for the masters or a second-bachelors program (generally shorter than the masters programs without the specialization) to save time and money. Many advanced degree programs are increasing their clinical hours because of concerns that the students were not well-enough prepared to actually care for patients, so I'm hopeful that these programs will get more respect as their students come out at least as clincially prepared as those graduating from ADN/BSN programs. Try a public university; that's what I'm doing, and it's cheaper than the ADN program closest to me!