katulka

Hello, I am on a similar journey so I can share a bit about how I've planned things so far. When I decided an accelerated 2nd Bachelor's was what I wanted, I did a ton of research online and literally made up a list of a dozen or so programs that most appealed to me. I charted out what prereqs were required for each of them and tried to start with the common denominators (A&P I&II for me). The first semester I tried, I couldn't get into A&P, so instead I took a few other classes many nursing programs require that didn't have wait lists (nutrition, lifespan development, and statistics). I think taking prereqs is a good place to start since they can take a while (especially if you can't get in on the first try!), and also you learn so many interesting things it helps to keep you motivated in pursuing your goal! The next semester, I started A&P 1 and now am one month from finishing A&P 2. During the past year, I've narrowed down my list to about 4 schools I plan to apply to, based mostly on length of the program, location, and number of prereqs. I made a new chart for those programs for keeping track of remaining prereqs, deadlines, etc. I'll fill out applications this summer and fall, and will ask for references a couple of months before I plan to submit everything. I haven't visited my top choices because I live in Alaska and the schools are all in the lower 48. Hopefully I will visit as a tie-breaker if I'm accepted to more than one! Feel free to PM me with any questions and I wish you the best of luck on your path to nursing!! Katie

If you have time over winter break, I'd recommend getting a head start on familiarizing yourself with some of the concepts. Before I started A&P 1, I read a book on medical terminology that helped me feel more comfortable with the subjects. The best recommendation I have is to check out The Stuff of Life: Profiles of the Molecules that Make Us Tick by Eric P. Widmaier. I wish I'd come across it before my class started, but I read relevant chapters as we moved through the A&P topics. The author has a really straightforward way of describing what is happening (and why) during certain biological processes. The DNA stuff was so helpful! Best of all, it's a very small book with only 160 pages. A short 20-page chapter will not add much to your workload but may really clarify the more complicated textbook explanations. Be prepared for a lot of work but even more fascinating new knowledge! katulka

I read Medical Terminology Demystified. It's like a "For Dummies" book, so everything is explained in real-world terms, not just lists of words to memorize. I used this book to get a jump on A&P topics the semester before my class started, reading a few pages every morning while drying my hair! When I got to A&P (my first science class in 10 years), I found that most of the basics sounded familiar and I could automatically break down words I didn't know. Good luck! katulka

There are so many exciting possibilities for a "gap year"! Have you considered doing a year in AmeriCorps? It could be a great way to work in a health care field, maybe doing something like health education. A full year program would earn you a $4725 education award you can use toward tuition for the MSN program or pay off undergrad loans. An intensive service experience could help set you apart from other applicants, too. I did two full AmeriCorps years and they were immensely rewarding. In fact, AmeriCorps played a major role in my commitment to human services and (eventually!) nursing. Check out americorps.gov to search for programs if you're interested. Good luck!

Thanks for the helpful information. I have more questions along these lines. If a school says they require two semesters of chemistry as a prerequisite, does this basically mean 1 organic and 1 inorganic? If a school only requires one semester of chem, is it alright to take biochem? I am really only interested in the medical side of chemistry, so if there's a choice I do not want to slug through the awful inorganic stuff! I understand every school is a little different, but generally speaking, what chem classes are usually required for an accelerated BSN? Which is/are most useful in nursing practice??? Thank you for any insight! Katulka

I am currently taking Statistics online (in the Psych Dept) through City College of San Francisco. I very highly recommend it! Dr. Judith Roberts is extremely helpful and accessible, and the course is an adequate, but not excessive, amount of time/work for a 4-credit class. I am halfway through the semester and although I'm not a "math person," I am loving the course. The website is http://online.ccsf.edu Good luck, Katulka

Hello, I remember a post somewhere (either Pre-nursing or Gen. Nursing Student Discussion forums) called "Do CNAs make better nurses?" or something close to that. A lot of people weighed in on their experiences; this is probably the type of information you're looking for. I've heard of some schools that require a CNA certificate as a prereq for admission to the SoN, so it definitely sounds like a good idea to me. Personally, I'm considering taking a semester off from prereqs to get a CNA license. I'm a second degree BSN hopeful, so I feel that working as a CNA for a while might boost my application package. Good luck to you! katulka

I just finished a wonderful book on nursing: Life Support: Three Nurses on the Front Lines by Suzanne Gordon, and I wanted to share it with any of you looking for a good (non-academic) read over winter break. :) Gordon profiles three nurses in different roles (a nurse practitioner in home care, clinical nurse specialist on a general medical unit, & RN in an oncology clinic) at a Boston hospital. Since the book is written for the average reader, it does a good job of discussing various nursing roles and the evolution of American nursing without being too technical. I thought the best sections dealt with nurse-physician relationships and how the rise of HMOs is affecting patient care and nurses' practices (at least up until 1997, when the book was published). Life Support definitely gave me a lot to think about in terms of my goals in a nursing career. I am more excited than ever to enter this occupation! Check out this book, and please share your recommendations for other books you have found helpful and interesting! Cheers, Katulka

Uh-oh, is Nutrition supposed to be a bad class? I'm excited for it, because it's one of the few nursing pre-reqs I could get into at my city college. I just want to get these courses over with so I can apply to accelerated BSN programs and be on my way to becoming a nurse! Glad we'll be able to help each other here...

Thank you all for your perspectives. At this point, I think I will continue planning to become an RN. There really do seem to be more options this way, plus more job security. I currently work in nonprofit social services with homeless people, and I like the idea of working in the ER as well as case management, as ways to serve poor communities. I'm also just finishing a case management class, but didn't know that was an option for nursing practice! Thanks again for all the help, and if you think of any other advice, please share! Be well.

Gen- Thanks for your insights. It's good to know I'm not the only one interested in both fields. My conflict is that it's easier for me to get an MSW right now, but what I really want more is to become an RN. Maybe I should think about giving up on the social work idea, in favor of a better return on my investment in nursing... I'm lucky to have this sounding board! Katulka

Hi everybody, I am torn between going back to school to become an RN or to get an MSW. Does anyone know of any programs that combine the two degrees? I have a BA in Cultural Studies & Spanish, and would be love to become an RN as fast as possible. Because of my undergraduate majors, I am well-qualified to enter an Masters of Social Work program, but am lacking many prereqs for nursing. It would be great to combine my studies in both areas without having to invest the time and money into two completely separate schools. Google has not yielded any results for me. Thank you for any direction! Katulka