sgroga01

That's a great idea. I've started looking at open courses from various universities to keep my brain moving in the right direction. I'm currently wandering around Latin America with very little room or stability for a serious volunteer position but I'll keep that in mind. I was thinking about doing grunt work like flyering for community health programs or applying for a job as a receptionist in a local family practice once I get home, whenever that may be. We'll see :-) Too many options is better than too few.

Thanks for the tips all! Fortunately, I speak English, Spanish and French fluently so all that is left is... well, pretty much everything else, like knowing how to be a nurse. Knowing myself, I'm not ready or willing to do a four-year undergraduate program right now, which is why I was interested in completing an ASN. However, I spent a couple of hours looking at job offerings and you're right, it appears that very few facilities (if any) in MA hire ASNs. I'm sure that even fewer employers will be accepting that level of degree in two years time. I've concluded that I will wait until I'm 24 and then enroll in an accelerated BSN program for adults at Simmons, which provides scholarships and is better suited for someone who doesn't want to take a traditional path. Their clinical placements seem amazing (they're certainly better than anything BHCC could offer me) so I think it will pay off to wait. For now, I'll continue traveling :) Anyways, I appreciate the words of encouragement and NGO recommendations! Thanks all.

I am seriously interested in pursuing a career as a nurse. I specifically would like to do NGO work with organizations like Doctors Without Borders (or similarly-oriented organizations, abroad or in the US) or work as a traveling nurse. I completed two years of a liberal arts education at Tufts University before dropping out due to the realization that I was not interested in pursuing a degree in the humanities anymore. After completing a journalism assignment on healthcare in India, I fell in love with the medical profession. I never considered it before, but seeing that I love working with people, problem solving and high stress/high reward environments, it presented itself quite clearly. My question is whether I should enter a BSN major as a transfer student or pursue an ASN and then complete a RN to BSN program while working. What are the pros and cons to each? If I am willing to settle for any job that will give me experience, is it possible to find work as an RN with ASN? The reason why I'm hesitant to go straight into a BSN is due to money & time. If I am to complete a BSN, I would apply to UMass Boston or a similar public university. If I were to choose ASN, I would probably enroll in a low-cost community college (like Bunker Hill) or attend Lawrence Memorial/Regis College. Any feedback is greatly appreciated! Best.