Nursing programs in the Tampa Area?

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Specializes in N/A.

I'm a Coast Guard wife who will be relocating to Clearwater, FL at the end of October. I'm not quite sure whether I want to pursue as an LPN or ADN student. I have a baby girl at home and this is my rare opportunity to go to school without having to worry about my husband going underway or working overnight duty shifts. Knowing this, I kind of just want to go for the ADN. However, not working isn't an option for me! Anyway, I was curious about any and all programs in my surrounding area. Particularly if there's any evening and weekend or part time options anywhere for either LPN or ADN. Which schools have high pass rates? Easy access to financial aid? Externship opportunities?

I was also curious about any hospitals, medical centers, ambulatory care centers, etc. in the area where I could get my foot in the door while going to school. Especially those that would offer me tuition assistance or reimbursement. My only current job background is in childcare and business management and I'd like to get a feel for my future career.

I'd like to eventually work in labor and delivery, pediatrics, mother and baby, or a NICU in the future, though I'm sure I'll have to pay my dues. My daughter spent 80 days in a NICU and that experience really inspired me to go into nursing and hopefully work in that area with an insight that not many nurses have. Thanks for your help!

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Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

Hello and welcome to Allnurses. Hopefully someone will come along with answers to your questions.

I would like to invite you to share your story about your experience with your daughter in the Staff Blog entitled From the Other Side of the Bed Rails - When the Nurse Becomes the Patient. I know you weren't a nurse then, but, like you said, it gave you a special insight, and it inspired you to pursue nursing as a career. I think others could benefit from your story.

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Hello! I am currently waiting for acceptance/rejection letter from my 1st choice school. There are a lot of school in this area...some better than others..some public and some private. For your RN...I would probably recommend SPC (St.Petersburg College) located in Pinellas Park, FL. It is highly respected in this area. They do not offer a LPN program. The pre-reqs are pretty straight forward. If you go onto their website spcollege.edu ( follow links to Nursing degree) they break down everything you need to know. The only thing that stinks about this, is like many nursing schools now, the admission process is TOUGH! You need a 2.75 GPA to apply, but the average accepted GPA is 3.6..so you are better off just getting A's in everything :) lol. This is the school I am trying to get into now. I really don't want to screw around and get LPN THEN MORE school to get RN. They do have a program thru Morton Plant Hospitals here for an Earn as you learn program. They pay for your tuition, books, educational stipened weekly, work at the hospital 2-3 days a week AND a 3 year contract after graduation. Very competitive to get into, but that is what I REALLY want :) School starts in Jan and Aug each year. They do offer a LPN to RN transitional program where if you already have your LPN, you are automatically accepted to their RN program if you already have their required pre-reqs done. I do not believe they offer a night program..it is full time program.

University of South Florida also has a RN program. Not sure if they have PT night program?

PTEC is a LPN program. Respectable program here. They also have the Earn as you learn program. ptec.edu. Not sure of PT/night program

Both of these colleges offer financial assistance, but like most financial aid, it varies from person to person on what you will get.

Hope this helps a little bit :) Good luck! Let me know if you have any other questions !

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