jdan88

I'm in a similar situation. I have a BS in Psychology and Math (double major). After being out of school for a year, I decided to go into nursing. I am currently enrolled in an ADN program that's accelerated (18 months). This school offers an online BSN option after you become a RN that I'm considering. There are a few BSN schools in my area (central Arkansas), but this was SIGNIFICANTLY less expensive (I'm looking at about $11K in tuition versus $20K-30K for BSN). I'm really enjoying the program, and we get a lot of bedside experience. I'm going into my second semester in January. There is a college nearby that offers a bridge program for RN-MSN. I am debating on whether or not to get my BSN or to do the RN-MSN route since my ultimate goal is NP. In my neck of the woods though, ADNs get hired just as readily as BSNs with no pay difference. You may see a problem trying to get into management positions without a BSN, but aside from that no problem getting a job. Can't speak for other areas, but here there still seems to be quite the RN shortage, and new grads here aren't having much difficulty obtaining employment at either education level.

Woah, easy killer. I started college at 17, took 20+ hours most semesters, went summers, and knocked EVERYTHING out in 4 years, making me barely 21 at the time of graduation for my first degree. So 1) I'm not lying about my age or my degree. I have a B.S. in Psych and Math (double major, not double degree. There is a difference). Psych=extremely easy until senior research proposals and projects, Math=extremely difficult, but I did very well in both. I also did very well in all of my science pre reqs for nursing (all A's). I even graduated with honors. Don't attack my intelligence or credibility without knowing a single thing about me besides the few paragraphs I posted to an internet message board. I chose not go go the grad school path because there is no money in either fields, and I felt a calling to go back to finish what I had initially started (healthcare). 2) I took 1 year off before I started RN school, I already had every pre req for the program, just had to take the admissions test. 3) Psych/Math theory (once you get into upper division courses) is MUCH different and more complex than nursing process theory (at this early point in the program, at least. I can't speak for later in the program because I'm not there yet). I'm not downgrading the difficulty of nursing school by any means, but as most people seem to agree, the nursing process stuff is for lack of a better word, boring. The clinical material, however, is much different. I find it both challenging and enjoyable. 4) As far as assignments are concerned, yeah, a lot of them are completely pointless. I'm sorry, but how is drawing a picture of myself when I'm 70 even remotely relevant to nursing? Research, group projects, all relevant. Pictures? Not relevant. 5) It's all politics. We can't even approach our instructors if we have a question about a previous exam question (very specifically outlined in our policy and procedures manual). A lot of the instructors are great, a lot of them couldn't care less about the students. I am STRICTLY in nursing classes only, and it is technically my first semester (although we had 1 course this summer), so it's all nursing process theory aside from the clinical portion a this point. I have no more pre reqs, I did A&P 1 and 2, chem, micro, etc. is all complete. I could continue to ramble on in response to your attack on me, defend my intelligence, etc., but I'm going to safely assume that no matter what I say, you aren't going to like me or my reasons for being in nursing school. I don't care, I don't even know you. I will say that I have a huge heart for working with people in a nursing setting, and I place a huge value on the life and well-being of all individuals. These are good reasons to pursue a career in nursing. If I felt so poorly towards nurses and nursing school, as you accuse me of, do you honestly think I would pursue it? I never said nursing school was easy. Learning to do foleys, vital signs, sterile dressings, and the stress of med admins is completely different from anything I've ever experienced. Next time, I'd use a little more discretion in your comments towards complete stranger. It's rude and uncalled for to attack me for simply looking for feedback on what I can expect later in school or a career as a nurse.

Actually, the place I work right now (office job) isn't doing so well and may have to close its doors...my hours, along with everyone else who works there, just got cut by more than 1/2 (not so awesome when you're newly married and not financially stable ). I have just applied for a CNA type position, but honestly school is taking up a lot of time (4 days a week with an hour commute each direction)...so it would have to be good pay and better hours for me to quit where I'm at and take on more responsibility. Like I said, I still have hope that this is right for me because I really do enjoy learning the hands on clinical stuff. But the classroom lectures are just blah. The lecture work is blah. Is it really relevant for me to draw a picture of myself when I'm old for an assignment? It just all feels like busy work. Not to mention constantly feeling like a lot of instructors are just waiting for you to screw up so they can have a reason to rip you a new one (thankfully, I do have really excellent clinical instructors this semester). I'm hopeful that the further you get into the program the material becomes less about nursing theory and more about relevant clinical material. I'm also hopeful that nursing as a career is nothing like nursing school...

Hi all, I'm new here, so I hope I am posting this in the correct location. I'm looking for some advice. Here's my background: I'm a 22 year old female with a previous Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Math degree (graduated in May of 2010). After weighing the pros and cons of grad school, I decided it wasn't right for me. Initially when I started college, I began on a pre med or nursing track (for whatever reasons, I changed my mind halfway through). I decided shortly after graduating that I wanted to go back to school for RN. I found an ASN program relatively close to where I live, took my required admissions test and scored very well, and I was accepted into the 18 month accelerated option. I was ecstatic, I couldn't wait to start. I have always had a HUGE interest in the medical field, and felt like I was headed in the right direction. I started my first course this summer. Did very well, learned basic skills, etc. I just started back for the fall, and I'm feeling discouraged. I'm doing great, but I constantly feel like I'm jumping through hoops. I dislike all of the theory coursework and the seemingly pointless assignments, although I realize it's importance, at the same time it's incredibly intuitive at this point. I really enjoy the clinical skills we're learning though, but I am definitely nervous about our first real day of clinical coming up soon. I've heard horror stories of people getting into the field and hating their jobs, their coworkers, the politics, and so on and so forth. I'm terrified I may be making a horrible mistake. All of my previous degree was paid for by scholarships, but now that I am going back to school and have a previous degree, I don't qualify for anything but unsubsidized loans. I'm already out several thousand dollars for school. I don't know if I'm just in a funk right now or what, but I can't help but have this nagging feeling like I'm potentially making a mistake. It all felt so right to begin with, but I'm just discouraged by the course content. I LOVED school during my first degree, enjoyed nearly everything about it...but I just feel underwhelmed by the material at this point. So nurses, does it get better? Is nursing school just always about politics and hoop jumping? Does anyone regret all the stress of school after becoming employed? A very large part of me still feels like I'm headed down the right path, I really do have a heart for working with people in this type of setting...but I just don't know if it will all meet my expectations when it's all said and done. Thanks for any advice that can be offered!