Need some advice

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Hello everyone, I am new to this website and am excited to see so many helpful people!

I need some advice on my situation...sorry, this is long!

I have my bachelors and masters of social work (graduated last year 2007) and I am not happy with what I am doing. I have changed jobs a few times and still I am not happy. I have always thought about being a nurse but I did not think I could do it while I was still in college, but now I am really wanted to pursue nursing and I know I can do it.

There are two options for me and I cannot decided! I can get my ADN for less money and maybe less time or get my BSN through an accelerated program (probably will not be able to work at all during program) which takes 5 semesters. I have taken most of the classes needed to go to either program, I would need Anatomy and Physiology and Microbiology to go to the BSN program.

The problem is that I already have $30,000 in student loans from when I was in graduate school. It would be very difficult for me to stop working and go to the BSN accelerated program.

I know that nobody can make the decision for me but I would like to advice from others. I live in Virginia and it seems that most employers prefer you to have a BSN. I just don't want to make the wrong decision and prolong my nursing career any longer. I don't know if eventually I will want to go into management or teaching.

Thanks!

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Perkinssl:

In Virginia you also have options for diploma programs, as well as direct-entry MSN programs (at VCU and UVA).

For pure speed, I'd encourage you to look at the ABSN program at George Mason. GMU offers a 12 month ABSN, and as a public university tuition is very reasonable to instate students. Full-time tuition at GMU is approximately $7500 this year for instate students. Tuition for this ABSN would be less than 2 years of fulltime study for the ADN at any of the community colleges especially if you add in the 1-1.5 year of study for a RN-BSN.

Here at the University of Virginia we offer a 24-month Direct Entry MSN (instate tuition is $12,000 this year). Approximately 1/3 of the students in our program have graduate degrees already (even a MSW in the second year class). Our program builds upon prior academic and professional experiences that applicants have, and develops ways to bring these client relationships and leadership experiences into nursing. Our CNL program also has the highest NCLEX passrate in Virginia, and all of the clinical experiences are precepted (1000 hours of 1:1 experiences).

Many Virginia hospitals are offering loan payback for exployees. A major employer in Richmond and another in Roanoke provide $5k of loan cancellation for each 12 months you work as a nurse (on the 12, 24, 36, 48, etc month aniversary of employment). The Veterans Administration also offers substantial loan relief (15K/year for graduates of Clinical Nurse Leader programs and up to 10K/year for BSN graduates).

Congrats for deciding to become a nurse. I encourage you to look at the many programs available to you here in Virginia. There are a number of excellent programs here in the Commonwealth.

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Thanks for the info. I live in Richmond so VCU will probably be my best bet since they have a ABSN. I've looked into the ASN at J. Sargeant and the diploma program to Bon Secours but if I'm going to go back to school I think getting my second Bachelors would be best instead of going to get my diploma or associates and then having to go back to school once I am working.

Do you know the major employer in Richmond who offers the loan cancellation, this would be perfect for me!

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Perlinssl:

The employer is VCU Health System. But they give preferences in hiring BSN grads over ASN. As a Magnet Hospital, there are high benchmarks for the percentage of their RN staff that is BSN-prepared.

Good luck. VCU's SON offers weekly information sessions (every Friday). I'd recommend checking them out. Good luck

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Specializes in Cardiac/Stepdown, Rehab.

Hi there,

I would honestly suggest going the ADN/AAS route. It's much much cheaper and you could still work part-time while in the program. You will not get any financial assistance since you have previous degrees. You're in Richmond? The VCCS commonwealth nursing program has courses online and you do your clinicals in various facilities in Richmond.

I have my Bachelor's in Psych and did Social Work for a couple years - not for me. I am now in a community college in Hampton, VA. A lot of the nursing students have previous degrees, jobs, and families. So far, scholarships have paid for my tuition.

It's not true that places will not hire you if you don't have a BSN, unless it's a magnet facility (like MCV). A BSN is needed if you plan to climb the career ladder... but then again, you need experience as an RN to climb that ladder as well. If I'm going to continue my education in nursing, I will work as an RN while going back to school and hopefully get assistance through my employer.

Good luck with your decision. I know how hard it is to make a life change such as this.

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StarryNyte713,

I've seriously thought about going the ADN/AAS route so that I can work part time because quitting my job completely would be very difficult. I would be able to get student loans to go back to school but not grants or scholarships. If you don't mind telling me, what kind of scholarships have you found,I have had difficulty finding scholarships for people who already have one bachelor degree. I can only find then for high school students.

I feel with social work that something is missing and I can't figure it out but I feel that nursing is something I would really enjoy. I would actually love to work at MCV but I don't have to work there.

Thanks for your advice, it is very difficult to make a major life change especially since I have already spent so much of my life and money on getting my masters. It scares me that I may end up not liking nursing either. I am going to try and shadow a nurse who I know before I completely make up my mind.

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Perkinsl:

Regarding scholarships: most state/federal undergraduate aid is retricted to those who are earning their first undergraduate degree. This is a change in Department of Education regulations in the past 4 years. You may be able to qualify for work-study from a BSN or direct-entry MSN program though. And of course Stafford and unsecured loans can be obtained if you are enrolled in 6 semester credits or more each term.

BSN or MSN schools that have their own nursing scholarships can award these following different criteria. Most ADN programs do not have their own endowed schoalrship accounts, and rely on State/Federal sources only.

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Specializes in Cardiac/Stepdown, Rehab.

Perhaps I got lucky... I have a previous degree but was awarded a scholarship at a community college. It was given by my county's community health foundation, but through my school. Whichever school you get into will have a list of scholarships.... I applied to all of the nursing ones that weren't "needs" based.

Shadowing a nurse is a wonderful idea!I did that through Riverside.

I've heard that Henrico Doctor's Hospital facilities are nice, not sure if they have shadowing though. There's always volunteering as well.

Good luck again!

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Hopefully I can get lucky and find something to pay for my school! Thanks!

Over Christmas, I actually found out that a friend of the family is the Director of Pediatric Nursing at MCV! So I talked with her and she said I could definitely shadow a nurse at MCV!

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