opinions please?

[rae-roo76]

I want to become a nurse, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea with the amount of debt I have.

I have a bachelors degree in business with $35k in student loans. I want to be a nurse, but it seems a BSN is the way to go and I would need to take student loans to go back to school, $40k. Am I crazy to take on that much for a nursing degree? I considered ADN first and get BSN later because most hospitals in my area say they accept associates. However, I'm afraid by the time I finish school, that will change. Honestly, what would you do?

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Nursing is not worth that kind of debt when you consider what the salary is.

[sgalvin07]

While I didn't read the other posts yet as I'm sitting here on a break and don't have time, but here's my $0.02....

I have a degree in Computer Information Systems,as well as a degree in Criminal Justice.... Got both degrees due to being young and not really thinking about what i REALLY wanted to do in the future.... Love computers so I started in IS, full ride scholarship for soccer to a school. Played for 2 years and decided after 16 years of soccer I was tired of it. Transferred back to a more hometown school and basically said to my counselor "what will get me out of here the fastest". Criminal Justice it was.... While doing that I took a few more computer classes and eventually after a total of 6 grueling years in school graduated with both degrees.

Got out of school, tried the criminal justice route and it didn't pan out. Tried the typical police route, decreased budget shot down the next recruit class. Started the Secret Service process, got 75% of the way through it and the wife opened a successful business which meant we couldn't freely move like I would have to so I had to withdraw from it...

I had loans out for both of those degrees, a total in which makes me shiver when I think about it. However, after my first taste of the hospital atmosphere, the people, the work, the satisfaction at the end of the day....I was sold. Unfortunately that meant more loans, but I feel it is totally worth it.

If it's something you truly want to do, make a plan and go for it! Only have one life and don't want to live with regret... A few student loans to repay trumps working in a job where you are completely unhappy. To help, look for grants, essay scholarships, etc.... It takes a lot of time, but it will help with costs.

As far as the ADN vs BSN, look at the hospitals around you and the trends that you see. If they are mostly all going after the infamous magnet status, more then likely they will be hiring only BSN's and an accelerated program might suite you better...... If there are hospitals around you that are not, I would suggest taking on a part time gig as a CNA, Unit Coordinator, Transporter, etc... Anything to get your foot in the door and then go after the ADN.. Make a name for yourself, chummy chum with the nurse managers, etc... These days its more of who you know than what you know (with any business/job). After that most hospitals that I know offer tuition reimbursement in which you could continue on to finish off the BSN (usually comes with a 1-2 year work agreement).

To put my numbers into play so that you don't feel alone..... I have $54k in my previous two degrees.....and I added another approx. $28k for my ADN..... But like I said, have a plan and you can succeed. In my circumstance all of my loans are deferred while I'm in school, and with the wife still running a successful business, all of my money made during my first 1.5-2 years is going directly on student loans to pay them off. And then comes the BSN hopefully followed by CRNA....( I must really enjoy student loans )

Don't sell yourself short and just settle in life. If it's what you want to do, go after it!

[HIPAA]

I would think long and hard about whether you really want to become a nurse or not. It's not the easy, recession proof job you've heard about. It's physically demanding, high stress / high stakes, and really is life & death in some cases. Also, the job market right now is beyond terrible.

If your mind is made up, I invite you to become a patient care tech (sometimes called "nursing assistant") for a year or so and see if you still want to be a nurse. If you *still* want to be a nurse, get your BSN from a state school (re: cheaply) -or- a well known school (read: Ivy League). You will get a lot of respect and likely get hired easier (and have an easier time in nursing school) if you've been a patient care tech.

Also, in this post: https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/opinions-please-653789.html#post6000115 you mention that you "don't want to start at the bottom" (in business), and that you have kids. New nurses, if they can find a job, almost always work the night shift and on the more difficult floors (med / surg).

Lastly, I know several people with Business degrees who spent a lot of money to get their BSN. They worked as a nurse for a minute, and now they're back to working in business -and- making more money -and- have weekends and holidays off -and- are in demand job-wise.

Not trying to burst your bubble, just trying to help you be realistic.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

Beef tastes better than chicken. That is my opinion.

Very good :) When I saw the title, all I could think of was that my present opinion on a totally unrelated issue isn't fit to print

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

OK....opinion on this topic.

Why not do the ADN-BSN thing.... NOBODY CARES what school you go to ...if you pass boards you get a job (eventually).... it's not even on job applications. Never in 19 years of filling out and processing apps, did I EVER see something about where someone went to school.

An expensive school isn't necessarily going to give you what you HOPE you'll get for your money. Get debt gone :) You don't know what will happen with the economic situation...