Anikka

As I mentioned I am a WIA Case Manager in WI. Your best bet is to contact the program in your area. Things vary even within a state (there are regional areas that set the guidelines) so to get the most accurate answer I'd make a call. Most of the time WIA will not assist with a second degree in our area. However if you can prove you been actively looking for work and there really is nothing in your field (or it is very low wage) you may be able to get assistance from WIA. It may be at your case manager's discretion however so it's to your best advantage to supply them with anything they request to prove that you need the nursing degree to reach "self-sustainability". For example if you are currently on any kind of public assistance (no matter how small) and being a nurse would allow you to go off that public assistance that might help. If your spouse has been laid off (or had hours reduced) and that is why you are looking at going to back to work that might help your case as well. Like I said make a call and see what your area allows!

I'm not sure where you live but in WI you are required to show proof of income. It may not be a national requirement but the WIA (Workforce Investment Act) states that priority will be given to low-income individuals and those receiving public assistance. (I am a WIA Case Manager in WI)

i am a wia case manager in wisconsin (was thinking about going back to school for nursing that's how i ended up on this site). i would like to clarify that this list is a list of potentially eligible training programs. the reason i say potentially is that each region (a collection of counties governed by a workforce development board) sets its own rules about eligible programs. usually they will only fund high wage/high demand jobs. the catch is they have to see it as high wage/high demand in the area you live. so if nursing is in demand in the country but for some reason not in your area they may not fund it.

I am a WIA manager in Wisconsin (was thinking about going back to school for Nursing that's how I ended up on this site). I would like to clarify that this list is a list of potentially eligible training programs. The reason i say potential is that each region (a collection of counties governed by a workforce development board) sets its own rules about eligible programs. usually they will only fund high wage/high demand jobs. the catch is they have to see it as high wage/high demand in the area you live. So if Nursing is in demand in the country but for some reason not in your area they may not fund it.

One thing I'd like to clarify is that WIA is a training and EMPLOYMENT program. The intent is that you have been looking for work first and are unable to find any with your current qualifications or that the jobs you can find are not "high wage" (varies by the area). You should be working with a case manager prior to training as we need to prove you completed initial steps before you enroll in training.

I am a WIA case manager in WI and can answer questions as well. It should be noted that you don't just "sign-up" for this program. Many areas have waiting lists based on priority of service requirements..meaning the more "needy" they see you the higher you are on the waiting list (requirements can vary from area to area depending on a local board's policies).

The other thing I have noticed in just browsing out of curosity (I'm not a nurse...yet) is that many places are currently giving high priority to internal candidates. Probably due to the economy ...everyone's striving to hold on to the loyal employees they have when they can

My post...which knowing me will get lengthy..is regarding disclosing a mental health history with a nursing program I am applying to. I'm embarressed to share this here but I'm expecting that in a community of medical professionals (and hopefuls like myself) people will be understanding. I finally graduated in January of 2007 (i should have graduated in May '06) with a BA in Psychology. I struggled throughout college with major depression. Certainly in my major I knew exactly what it was but I was afraid of the stigma in seeking help. In waiting so long to get help (i'd been dealing with it for the better part of 10 years) i had reached a point where I needed to take time to focus on myself. I took a semester off from college and therefore finished a semester "late". Unfortunately depression's "marks" are all over my transcript. I failed a couple classes and withdrew from others. I looked at my transcript for the first time in a long time the other day and it really hit me just how dark those years were for me. It's not that I couldn't handle the classes I just wasn't in a place psychologically where I could do my best. I applied to the nursing program at my small college and was by no surprise denied. I didn't have the grades. I graduated with a 2.8 GPA which I'm not proud of but I know that's what i earned. Now two years later and much healthier and happier I am considering going back to school in a Post-BA RN program. Unfortuantely I realized that the pre-reqs I have taken would need to be retaken to meet the program's minimum grades in those (Hopefully I will exceed them). I've come to realize that persuing this nursing dream of mine will take some patience so I can complete the pre-reqs as well as save for living expenses while i"m in the intensive program. So this brings up many questions. I realize that noone can predict what a particular program might take into consideration but I just wonder if anyone has any experience mentioning something like this during an application and/or interview process. Or what would you do if you were me. I dont' see this as an excuse for my undergraduate grades but rather an explanation of sorts. More than anything it will hopefully explain the large difference between those grades and the prerequisites that I will take between now and the time i apply. I realize though that mentioning this could impact my potential admission both positively and negatively. I also feel though that this is part of my interest in nursing and I feel like it could come up in an interview or essay for that reason as well. I don't want to hide it but I still fear the stigma (even among knowledgeable people). Thanks for listening...

Usually credits "expiring" depends on the institution accepting the courses. It can vary from program to program. However if you completed the degree and are applying for a "post-ba" program the requirements MAY be different. Although from my research (not specific to the schools you mentioned) 10 years is standard. I think this is for two reasons. 1. For some courses the information may change. What we know about Anatomy and Physiology is rapidly changing (as is any medical field). 2. The information needs to be "fresh" in your mind. If a course has a pre-requisite that is usually becasue one course builds upon your knowledge from another. If you can't remember what you learned in a statistics class 15 years ago that would put you at a disadvantage. Even if you did get an A when you took it. Bottom line is that the pre-reqs and their limits are not only a way to gauge your readiness to enter the program but they also help get you ready. The only way you can truely determine your qualification is to talk to someon at the school probably in the department rather then in admissions. They are the only ones who can probably determine what courses you've met (and how long they are valid for). I hope that helps!

I live in the Duluth Superior Area so here's my advice...I'm not sure how familiar you are with the area so I apologize if any of these sources are "stating the obvious" MN Works (http://www.mnworks.org) - It's free to list so I've found some listings there (in general not necessarily nursing) that I haven't found other places. WI JobNEt (http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/jobnet/mapWI.htm) Not very user friendly but worth a try Duluth News Tribune http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/ (THey've recently redone their site and it's a mess...classfieds dont' seem to have jobs anymore at the "Jobs HQ" may just be employers who pay extra...still it's worth a try) Duluth Hospitals/Clinics http://www.slhduluth.com/ - St. Lukes (and Clinics) http://www.smdc.org/ St. Mary's Hosptial (and Clinics) http://smdcmedicalcenter.org/ (SMDC Medical Center? - formerly known as Miller Dwan. This name change was news to me!) I'm sure there are more but these were the easiest to find.

What do you mean "technology centers"? The biggest problem is that I work full time and can't afford to quit just to take this. It's just a step i need to take to get into an RN program....So any class I take has to be on the weekends or evenings (after 5). The latest program in my area starts at 4.

Unfortunately the class that starts in a few weeks is full and it won't be offered again on the weekend until fall. I emailed with the person in charge though and she let me know when the fall class would be announced. She said if I keep my eye out I should have no trouble getting in. I guess I'll find a different pre-req for nursing that I need to work on for now.

Hi Everyone. I have lived in MN most of my life but about a year ago became a WI resident. I live across the bridge(s) from Duluth in Superior. I work full time at a non-profit but am looking to get into nursing (slowly but surely!). I am hoping to soon get my CNA and then start on PreReqs for nursing school which will hopefully be at St. Scholastica (in their Post BA Certificate program - I have a BA in Psych). My first question is does anyone have experience working in one state and living in another. I assume it makes sense to get my CNA in MN if that's where i expect to work. Since there are more facilities in Duluth that's what I think would be the smartest. However I don't know if there's any legal issues that your license has to be in the state where you live. Or is it at all possible to have a dual license? I would assume not but I know sometimes MN and WI have reciprocity or other special arrangements due to close proximity. I haven't found anything about CNA licences though. Also since I already have a BA does it make any sense to just get my Associate RN degree? I know the pay his higher for a BSN (which is essentially what you have when you finish St. Scholastica) but I don't know if it's worth the very high cost of the program. I went to a small liberal arts college and so I think the atmosphere of their small program would be nice but it's extremely expensive and intensive. Thanks for the input! This site is great!

How much do CNA programs usually cost? It looked like I could take it at the tech college practically across the street from my house for about 500. I should explain that to take the Red Cross course i also have to drive two hours to a major metro area. I live in an area of about 80,000 people but the the tech and community colleges only offer it during the day or they start at 4 pm. I work full time at a non-profit until 5 pm everyday so that doesn't work for me. I've checked all the schools within about 2 hours and none offer it weekends or after work hours. I'm suprised!

Has anyone ever taken a CNA class offered through the Red Cross? Or know of anyone who has? In Minnesota I have found there is one (and found some notes that is structured differently then that offered through community colleges). I am considering it because it is the only program I can find on the weekends (or after 5 pm in my area). I work full time and need to continue to do so while I take my Pre-reqs to enroll in a post-ba nursing certificate program at a local private college. I graduated in 2007 with a degree in Psychology after not getting into a very small nursing program at my college. The program that I"m trying to get into now has entirely different pre-requistes (or very high grade requirements) and so I'm practically starting from scratch. So I'm just curious as to how the Red Cross' program might differ. It works great for me because it's all day Saturday for 8 weeks followed by two weekends of clinicals. Very doable although not cheap ($800). I'm hoping to take this and then hopefully find a part time CNA job in the evenings to help me pay for the other courses I need to take.