featherzRN

No, mine is not a multi state license as I do not live there. Needed it for a remote job so it's just a single state. ?

I just did this, and I got my endorsed license in four days - all the problems I expected didn't happen! ? I didn't read this first, unfortunately, as it seems going through 'fieldprint' could be cheaper than 'printscan' (which is likely the same machine in the UPS store). I am in NY - cost me $110 to apply for the license., $30 for nursys, $120ish for the fingerprints. Nothing to mail in via snail mail- applied on Monday night, did fingerprints on Thursday, got license on Friday. Was amazed it was that quick!

I finished the program last year and was happy with the experience. My employer accepted without issue. That said, I work in Clinical Documentation and not in informatics by choice! :) WGU doesn't require GRE or recommendation letters for any degrees. I had heard that some of the enrollment counselors can be pushy - rest assured it gets better once you get past them. You can also request a different EC if needed.

I have certs that DO matter for my job - I work as a clinical documentation specialist and have two certs for that as well as a coding cert. Those I will keep for now. But certs I no longer use? Nah. Plus the ambulatory care isn't as prestigious as the CCRN, in my opinion. No one seemed to give two hoots about it when I was job hunting.

My ANCC cert (amb care) appears to still be offered, but honestly I'm not planning to renew it when it's up next year. Work paid for the first one, but I've never seen a benefit for having it except for the RN-BC status. Plus it's super expensive to renew and I doubt I'll be in ambulatory care again any time soon. At least I hope not. I am sure the benefit is still there for some of the certs!

You want a school that is regionally accredited. Some/most employers won't care, but I happened to have a job that did - so it's best to cover all bases. I went to WGU, but Capella is also regionally accredited. Aspen still does not have that accreditation, as far as I know.

OP keep going and take that opportunity. It reminds me of when I was 21 and signed up for a brick and mortar BSN program (I was an LPN at the time). Running through my head was 'OMG I'll be TWENTY FIVE when I graduate' - so I ended up dropping out and taking an ASN instead, RN at 22. I FINALLY got my BSN.. at 45. If I had just stuck with the program I woulda had that BSN 20 years earlier but I got hung up on being 'too old' (LOL). FWIW, I just turned 51. MSN at 49. I'm still ticking and you will be too :)

There are actually stats on 'how many pass on the first try' - I just checked and for US educated grads, so far in 2018 almost 90% pass on the first try. Nothing against OP, but there are stats to back up that most of us who say we passed on the first try actually did so. :) 2

That's the point here - I'm on the side of the nurses, not the racist patients. I don't think the patient has the absolute right to request a certain race (unless perhaps with language or disparate religious issues) but who would want to be the unwanted nurse? This happened to me once, a long time ago.. (and I'm white, not that it matters). I was *VERY* happy to not have to take care of the racist patient. Never even thought to sue, just 'fine, that's what you want? sure thing!'. Working a 12 hour shift with someone who does not want me there? Nah, not worth it.

Non AA here but I have long hair and have seen tons of natural hairstyles that are gorgeous - the only thing I would add is that it's just like any other hairstyle - needs to be neat and not down enough to get into anything when you bend over. I usually wear my long hair in a braid. I highly doubt it would affect hiring - and if it did it might not be a place you wanted to work anyways. :)

I got my BSN, MBA, and MSN all after 40 (WGU). All three degrees cost me less than 10K and I paid cash so no loans. For me it was worth it, if only as a bucket list item (the MBA) and just to keep my brain working. :) The BSN at WGU took me just over three months to complete. I now work in a job that allows me to work from home that would not have been possible without AT LEAST the BSN. Even in my podunk area the hospitals are BSN mandatory for anything not bedside and soft mandatory (within 5 years) for bedside.

I have three degrees from WGU (MSN MBA BSN) and agree with everything meanmaryjean says. I didn't have to take the first class she mentioned because my BSN was in 2013. But other than that and the capstone for the MBA, no group projects/discussion boards, etc. I did all my degrees each in under 3 months but that's a huge YMMV. WGU is on your schedule, so you can do it accelerated or at a normal pace, whatever works for you.

I'm late to the party, but had to say I was a primary care nurse for the last 10 years or so in a tick infested area. I did tick checks and removed the ticks before the provider poked their head in to write a script if needed. Ticks are actually a nurse visit here- we would have never booked a tick with a provider unless we had tons of open slots. And even then we would have gotten stink eye for doing so. :) That said, probably would have been quicker for the person in the room to do a quick look, but seems it's now all worked out.

OP, why are those the only two choices? You know WCU is expensive and has an iffy reputation. If you don't want to go to WGU there are TONS of other online MSN programs you can pick instead! :)

Have never heard of a problem getting into anything post WGU - however, if you decide to go elsewhere, not a fan of West Coast - they charge an insane amount and don't have a great rep at all. There are TONS of schools out there so look around if WGU is not for you.