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Discussion

Nursing RN program that values previous medical experience?

I'm looking for an ADN or BSN program that values previous medical experience, my commitment to community service work, and my Bachelors degree. I have a background and training as an EMT and clinical medical assistant. I have been working in medicine for over 10 years and currently am in a supervisory medical position at a primary care clinic.

I am seeking a program that is *flexible* on prerequisites. My Bachelors was essentially pre-medical and I have all the classic pre-med course work (A&P, Gen Chem, Organic Chem, Statistics, Biology, Immunology/Neurology, Microbiology, Nutrition, Statistics). When I look at most community college style nursing programs many require me to have specific classes that I would rather not return to school to re-take. I feel like I have paid my dues and made it through the "hard sciences" to get my Bachelors and I'm reluctant to pay a community college extra money to take their specific nursing prerequisites just so I can get an Associates degree. The competition is so high they seem to just add extra hoops to jump through to thin out the people that don't belong in nursing and to make money. Also, many require applicants to go through a CNA program. Give me a break.... I've been working along side and with nurses, nursing students, and NPs for over 8 years. At my current institution I'm tasked with supervising and teaching nursing students that rotate through. I believe I understand the nursing profession well.

In some other medical professions I notice that some schools don't list specific science prerequisites, rather they define the requirement as, "12 semester credits in upper division biology". This approach allows a different type of applicant to apply. It targets one who has proven they can accomplish a certain level of course work instead of demanding specifics. Does this exist in nursing? Maybe a program that targets older applicants?

Thanks,

-Dev

Featured Replies

  • Expert

You're an EMT? I'm aware of the differences between EMT and EMT-P. There are paramedic-to-ADN bridge programs in existence, that will allow paramedics to bypass the first year of the RN program. There are also accelerated BSN and MSN programs for students who have already earned a bachelor's degree.

I am a graduate of Excelsior College's ADN program. Excelsior was very liberal in transferring science and liberal arts credits I had obtained 10 yrs back. Also, there are no clinicals required for the program.. in leiu of clinicals, there is an intense 3 day practical exam which fulfills this requirement. If you are confident in your practical skills, then a skills challenge exam like Excelsior's CPNE may work very well for you. I know they accept paramedics into their program, but not sure if they still accept EMT basics. You can check them out at http://www.excelsior.edu

I am seeking a program that is *flexible* on prerequisites. My Bachelors was essentially pre-medical and I have all the classic pre-med course work (A&P, Gen Chem, Organic Chem, Statistics, Biology, Immunology/Neurology, Microbiology, Nutrition, Statistics).

THere is not a whole lot of flexibility in curriculum on the part of nursing schools. Accreditated nursing programs are regulated by the National League of Nursing (NLN), who wants us to be well educated so that we can call ourselves professionals. Some of the classes you listed are discretionary courses added by individual schools, but thanks to the NLN, A&P, chemistry, micro, and stats are a fact of life. Sorry, can't take the science out of nursing..

I worked as a medical technologist in a hospital laboratory for over 4 years before I became a nurse. I also thought that I knew what nursing was all about because I spent so much time in a health care setting and was able to observe them first-hand. However, as is often the case, perception was much different than reality...be aware lest you go into this situation with an overabundance of confidence and lacking an open mind...

Each nursing programs curriculum is accredited to the CCNE or the NLN, as stated above, and all programs must also be approved by each respective state's Board of Nursing. To that end, there is a very specific list of course requirements. You might be best off applying to an accelerated BSN or a direct-entry MSN program, as these are targeted towards people with previous bachelor's degrees.

If you have taken science courses 10 years or even just 5 years ago, it may be beneficial to repeat them. You might be surprised by how fast things change in science and how much you forgot!

according to what the op wrote she would not qualify for ec. she would if she was a paramedic but they stopped accepting emt's and medical assistants several years ago.

to the op most nursing program will require you that your sciences be younger than 5 years old (not all schools but most) . i agree with what one of the other posters said look into a accelerated bsn or direct entry msn.

i am a graduate of excelsior college's adn program. excelsior was very liberal in transferring science and liberal arts credits i had obtained 10 yrs back. also, there are no clinicals required for the program.. in leiu of clinicals, there is an intense 3 day practical exam which fulfills this requirement. if you are confident in your practical skills, then a skills challenge exam like excelsior's cpne may work very well for you. i know they accept paramedics into their program, but not sure if they still accept emt basics. you can check them out at www.excelsior.edu
  • Author

Just to clarify, the courses I listed are ones I have already recently taken. I agree that the curriculum during nursing programs is very standardized, my question was meant to be directed toward prerequisites needed to gain entry into RN programs.

Thanks for the suggestions so far!

-Dev

I am seeking a program that is *flexible* on prerequisites. My Bachelors was essentially pre-medical and I have all the classic pre-med course work (A&P, Gen Chem, Organic Chem, Statistics, Biology, Immunology/Neurology, Microbiology, Nutrition, Statistics).

THere is not a whole lot of flexibility in curriculum on the part of nursing schools. Accreditated nursing programs are regulated by the National League of Nursing (NLN), who wants us to be well educated so that we can call ourselves professionals. Some of the classes you listed are discretionary courses added by individual schools, but thanks to the NLN, A&P, chemistry, micro, and stats are a fact of life. Sorry, can't take the science out of nursing..

  • Expert

Most nursing programs do not even credit to physicians that wish to enter the nursing programs. Before entering any program that has made adjustments for any of your hours, make sure that you can get licensed in your state with it.

Example, even though you do not qualify for the Excelsior program, they are not accepted in all 50 states for licensure.

You may find an accelerated program since you already have a Bachelor's in another field, but most of those programs are going to require that you complete their pre-reqs specifically for their program. They do not always accept hours from other programs.

Also is going to depend on when you got your degree, the credits in the sciences are only valid for a certain number of years and each program has their own specific requirements. If you got your degree ten years ago, or even close to that, more than likely you are going to need to repeat some of the science classes.

Each school can set their own requirements. And be aware that science courses that were in the realm of pre-med curriculum do not usually meet the requirements for many nursing programs, they are different tracks that are required.

University of New Hampshire has a direct entry Masters program which takes 2 years. You have to have a bachelors degree in another field other than nursing.

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