Need advice as a young woman entering nursing field

[Rebeccaacceber]

Im 23 and I'll be starting a CNA class soon then an acute care class after i really want to go back to school to be an RN but reading online i can skip RN and receive a BSN ? I don't know how it works in California My main goal is PhD in nursing. I've talked to school counselors and they really haven't given me the information i need. Should i just do RN to BSN then Phd? Any advice on schooling & as a young woman going into the nursing field is gladly accepted :)

[PixieRN1]

You can't skip an RN to become a BSN. You either get your RN with no BSN or you jump straight for your BSN, and the RN comes with the package. In either scenario you must pass the Boards, or the NCLEX. The RN portion is contingent on passing the NCLEX-RN. You have no bachelor's degree with a plain RN, but you do with the RN BSN.

There are programs where you can go from your RN (no BSN) to a MSN with no prior BSN. But they have their own list of prerequisites, since you wouldn't have the BSN, which would have given you those prerequisites, and I honestly don't know how much longer they are than traditional BSN to MSN. You would have to Google that.

Good luck

[verene, MSN]

RN is the liscense awarded by the state that allows you to practice.

There are multiple educational pathways to gain this liscensure, which is where the confusion comes in.

1. Apply to a community college or trade school for an associates degree in nursing (ADN). This typically takes about 3 years between pre-reqs and core nursing courses. The main advantage is that it is usually less expensive and schooling is slightly less time. One can then bridge to a BSN program in typically 9-12 months time while working as an RN.

2. Apply directly to a BSN program. In a traditional BSN program one attends a college or university, the first 2 years of study are mostly focused on generalist education, and the latter 2 years focused on the nursing major. It can vary some between schools. Some schools start nursing theory course work alongside pre-reqs and general education in the first year. In either case after 4 years one graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and eligibility for RN liscense.

3. There are also direct-entry Masters in Nursing programs - typically for individuals who already have a Bachelor's degree in another field. The coursework in most cases runs 1-3 years depending on program and leads to eligibility to qualify for RN liscense.

In your case, you will most likely want to go the BSN route, as you will need a BSN in order to apply to PhD programs. However if cost is an issue the ADN route may be more economical. If you live in an area where nursing programs are highly competitive for admission, it may make sense to apply to both ADN and BSN programs in order to give yourself the most options of acceptance.