Pre-Nursing and trying to come up with Plan B

[onetallgirl]

I'm almost finished with my Nursing pre-reqs, and as I get closer to apply for the BSN program, I have my doubts, naturally.

I'm debating if I should apply to either a LVN program or complete CNA training, in addition to applying for the BSN. Thankfully, if I choose to go the LVN route, there is an LVN to BSN option at Stanislaus.

I guess what I'm asking is the cost/benefit analysis of doing LVN vs. CNA, or just put all my eggs into the BSN route (I'm also apply to ASN programs as well).

For LVN, I would still have to take medical terminology, nutrition, and math for pharmacology.

Thoughts?

[zoe92]

I say just go for the BSN, especially if you would have to take more classes for the LVN program.

[smatrang001]

I'd do the ASN. It's just a little longer than your LVN but I think it's a better choice. You can later do an RN to BSN online with many schools. Good luck.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

Where so you want to work? Different settings are more suited to different degrees/licenses.

[sjtrk]

I don't know where you're at, but my nursing advisor at Ivy Tech in Ft Wayne, IN told me they are going to be phasing out their LPN degree because the hospitals around here aren't hiring anymore new grads with that degree. Admittedly, I haven't asked any hospitals if that's true, but just something else to weight I guess.

[stephanne]

I've heard it's being phased out also. And in Chicago, for BSN and ADN you need nutrition, pharmacology, etc. So most of the same classes.

[calinursestudent818]

It depends on where you live and what setting you want to work in. Go to different clinic, dr office and hospital job board websites in your area to get a solid understanding of what will make the most sense to do based on the current job market. In my observations though, the BSN is the better route in almost all situations.

For instance, in Los Angeles where I live, LVNs are in LTC facilities, Drs offices & clinics, you'll find a few here and there in hospitals but they have pretty much been phased out in the hospital setting. And each Drs office has a few MD's, 2-3 LVNS, sometimes 1 RN and then medical assistants. RN's are primarily based in hospitals in LA area. About 90% of the RN jobs in LA, are now looking for BSN degreed nurses and the ADN nurse is being phased out. A wide majority of hospitals out here are requiring that their current nurses that have ADN degrees get their BSN within a certain timeframe, some help by offering tuition reimbursement for this, some have facilities on campus for their nurses to complete that step. So I have completely scratched out applying to ADN programs based on what I have recently found out above and based on my local job market search findings because I figure by the time I graduate from my program, the ADN nurse definitely will not be around anymore, so I might as well do the BSN now to save myself the trouble in advance.

If you want a plan B, I'd say apply for the BSN programs at the few schools you are considering AND a couple of LVN programs. I think you would get more benefit from an LVN program as a stepping stone to BSN if you decided to go the stepping stone route, over a CNA program.

But, if you get accepted into both the BSN and LVN programs you applied to...I'd say just go with the BSN.

Keep us posted on what you decide! Good luck!