Out of school help

[Goblue2224]

So I'm six semesters away from having my BS in exercise and sports science and considering switching to BSN. I pretty much have all of my prerequisites but wouldn't be able to start until Fall'16 due to bad timing on my part. I don't want to just work for a year and a half since I wouldn't be in school (don't want to take random classes just to stay full time). So are there any certifications or anything else I could do while not enrolled in school that could help me in the future? I just want to be as productive as possible and set my self up for success. I really don't want to wait a year and a half but if I do I want to do something that will help me. My goal is to be a travel nurse, not too sure what specialty, but thinking emergency or maybe surgical. Any suggestions? Thanks for the help.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Consider taking a 6-week course and becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA). Then get a full time job as a CNA to save up some money for school (less debt in the future is a good thing). If you continue working part time as you start back to school, you might even get some tuition reimbursement from your employeer.

Either way ... you will give yourself some relevant experience that will help you get a nursing job after graduation. It will also help you to see if you really like nursing or not -- and make your nursing school clinicals a little easier because you will be more comfortable with some of the basic skills and in the clinical environment. And it will help you financially.

[hjh5673]

I agree with CNA. It will give you some great experience. The people in my cohort that have worked as a cna seem to have an advantage in school, they understand the medical language better.