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I am a medical transcriptionist, currently trying to be admitted into a nursing school, which has really been a stressful ordeal. Also, as a medical transcriptionist I know the effects of outsourcing offshores (especially India) and how it has drastically changed this profession by driving down pay, and of course work lost. As is common knowledge, nursing school applicants are turned away by the thousands each year across the country. We have a nursing shortage predicted to becoming much worse in the future. The government has proportedly been looking at ways to solve the nursing shortage by outsourcing nurses from other countries on a larger scale. I say NOOOOOOO!! Nurses do not need to be putting their heads in the sand about this, I do foresee this as becoming a serious problem to US nurses in the future. Please read this article, which was very disturbing to me: http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/8067.asp I assure you, this will NOT be a positive thing for US nurses. And at the rate our government seems to be throwing away US jobs with some career fields more effected, it seems it may well be nursing well on the way of becoming one of those careers more effected. I see this as a snowball if not stopped only tumbling down and along the way becoming bigger and bigger. And it WILL affect pay I have no doubt, much less the jobs being taken by offshore nurses coming in. PLEASE: Nurses are so well known for joining together and pushing for legislation. There is an obvious DESPERATE need for legislation and government assistance for more nursing education, instructors, etc. This IS NOT RIGHT that thousands of potential qualified nursing school applicants are being turned away each year in the US, and the government looking towards offshoring in even more increasing numbers to fix the nursing shortage problem. As I previously stated, I have no doubt this becoming a bad situation for US nurses in the not so distant future, I can definitely see the handwriting on the wall with this one.

Hello, ok, I've been looking into different nursing schools. It has really brought me to tears how hard it is to get in and the lack of space for all those applying. I can't believe how difficult it is to get into nursing school now! To begin with I was a nursing major quite a while ago and with a lot of nursing prereq's completed. I don't have an outstanding GPA, it's not horrible but not the best and that cuts me out of some nursing schools. I am a single mother and really unfortunately do not have the ability to take many classes to raise my GPA up to some school admission requirements. I applied to one nursing school and fell under their GPA requirements, but did not get accepted because they took applicants with highest GPA's it seems. Anyway, I finally DID (sigh of relief) get into an Accelerated BSN program (yay!) but won't start until 2009-- which is ok with me, as long as I finally am IN! One reason the program really appeals to me is that it's a 12 month program which for me is just wonderful as a single mother. That means a shorter time period of nursing school and the stress of juggling other things outside of nursing school as a single mother. The downside is the tuition is SO expensive for this school. Should I just go for it and go ahead with it in the hopes of forgiveness loans, etc once I got out? It seems like with the projected nursing shortage there might be more programs and loans to help with nursing education debt. Any advice or comments?

Thanks for your help, that doesn't apply to every state though does it?

Thanks for your replies. In answer to your question, I am interested in the Reserves. Active duty is appealing, but I really don't know if I could do that, as I have two boys who are almost 8 and 6. I thought the Nurse Candidate program had a cut off age and I wouldn't be eligible for that, as I am 37 and will turn 38 in January, or is the Nurse Candidate program referring to those wanting to join as a nurse? It sounds like I might be better off going for my nursing degree, then joining the Navy Reserves/Navy?

I just posted as part of another thread this same question, but thought I'd be more specific in this post. I'm 37, hoping to be getting into nursing school which would be 16 months as an accelerated BSN program. Does the Navy Reserves waive age limits especially for nurse recruits? I think joining the Navy Reserves now would slow down my goal of going to school for a BSN, correct? Should I wait until I'm done with school? Would it even be possible?

Hi, I'm 37, so I'm only eligible to join the Navy Reserves which I have been contemplating. I am also currently applying to acceptance into nursing school. From what I'm reading on these threads there is a chance if I joined and became a hospital corpsman I could transition with no schooling to LPN/LVN (i.e. California)? I am really interested in being a Navy nurse for different reasons, is there a need in the Navy for nurses that they would accept an older recruit once I got out of nursing school if I wanted to go that route? I'm at an age where I don't have the flexibility of options open anymore as far as the Navy goes.

I agree TrudyRN, and it doesn't need to be just one person, it will take a LOT of people bugging the representatives (I think the same needs to be done about medical reports being done overseas as well).

Oh yes, I already know about the accelerated programs and how tough it is, this nursing school seems to be very flexible, though. Like if I am admitted I will be in a more fast track type of program, instead of a traditional accelerated program per se, although those who have all the prereq's are in the accelerated. Apparently they are really helpful and flexible with each student's personal situation in terms of what classes they have completed. For my situation because of all the prereq's I have had under my belt I am more qualified for their "fast track" program instead of the accelerated program, but apparently later I can switch to the accelerated program. I am a very focused person, always had no problem with studying and doing coursework, when I have my mind made up about something I am very determined to do it :). I am ready to be a nurse!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

My whole grievance with the situation, is there is an OBVIOUS lack of nursing educators, schools, etc, whatever, to meet the demand for those seeking a nursing education who are qualified and will make good nurses. The problem doesn't need to be solved by even MORE Americans jobs being taken away by more overseas workers, and this time being shipped over here. There shouldn't be such a bottleneck situation at the nursing education level, there needs to be more doors opened for those seeking to go to nursing school obviously, I mean goodness just reading on here, look at the numbers being turned away!

Well, I am going to have to end up driving if I get selected into the schools I am applying to, but that is okay, because I am eager and willing to do it. I have applied to a private college accelerated BSN which seems to be promising, and then now there is a new ADN program opening up a little closer, but will only select 20 students out of it's applicant pool (only 20!).

I am not turning my anger at immigrant nurses, hey, I know the possibilities of what could happen if that situation does occur, with my being a medical transcriptionist. I am saying I know there are hundreds of able QUALIFIED (I didn't say warm bodies) applicants trying to get in that are turned away for lack of space. When it's upon us and it's on your doorstep and your losing your job to someone who's willing to be paid half if not a quarter of your current pay, etc ,etc, it'll be more relevant.

There has been a concern over the projected nursing shortage and the baby boomers becoming elderly-- the government is proposing as an answer to that shortage to bring in overseas nurses, which would be a lot more than ever before. Yes, I am sure there have always been nurses coming in from overseas, but not in the large numbers that the report insinuated.

I am not falling down in anything, and please don't make assumptions and statements about my efforts to get back into nursing school. It's just more difficult now to get in then it used to be. I had no problems in my two years of nursing school doing the coursework, I was very focused and very studious and I enjoyed the subject matter. That's what makes it a little frustrating too, I KNOW I can do it and I am really ready to get started.

I am a single mother with two young boys. I do not have the time nor the MONEY to take classes over. I need to get in a nursing program with what I have now-- I have most prereq's completed although some schools because of time past want me to take them over (one male nurse I talked to in an ER visit recently thinks it's all about money, that the schools make money off that so that's a large reason why they require it). Also, while I was a nursing major I made pretty good grades in all the prereq classes. I'm trying to get all my transcripts to a BSN program, then see what happens from there. It's just amazing all the hoops they make you jump through now. The first time around because of my high school GPA and classes I was accepted right in. This one program I am looking into now seems pretty flexible though and willing to work with you and letting you do additional required coursework along with nursing courses, which is pretty different from most nursing schools I've been looking into.

In response to those who posted about 500 applicants and close to 1000 applicants, with only 125 to be accepted-- well, that is exactly what I mean, what the government needs to do is provide grants for more nursing education and instructors, more schools, whatever, instead of trying to fix the problem by bringing them from overseas. I mean hey if they can't ship out our jobs out fast enough, why not just bring them here to take our jobs too?