hjs13

Hi @AlPal6! I believe my credits were still within 5 years. I didn't have any problem at all having those credits transfer. I'm not sure about over 5 years as I didn't have to ask about that. Sorry! After taking the CNA 1 course, I actually got a really great job in the field of my already obtained bachelor's degree. I realized I couldn't afford to continue with nursing at this time and decided not to pass up on this job opportunity. I wish you the best though! @ImKosher should be able to answer your HESI questions as I never ended up taking the test. Sorry I wasn't much help!

I haven't even gotten into nursing school yet but I do have a bachelors degree in the health field. My starting pay for my job after graduating was $16.83/hr or $35,000/yr, and had it not been for student loan payments, I could have saved up quite a bit of money in this year since graduating. Looking up starting salaries for nurses in my area, it seems to be around $24/hr or ~50,000/yr. I realize many of you feel with all the responsibility it's not enough, but from an outsiders perspective, nursing comes with "big bucks". No, not doctors or CEO "big bucks", but certainly more than a lot of others in the working world are making. Nurses may have the stress of someone's life on their hands but other professions can be stressful in other ways. I grew up with two parents that have bachelors degrees and back when I lived at home they made around $60,000 COMBINED. I think it's absolutely silly that people on here are saying they aren't making good money, or that their money doesn't go far in this economy. Everyone else's jobs have suffered, too. Nurses do have a lot of responsibility, but considering you make more than others in the workforce, you are "getting paid" for it. Now, CNAs are a different story.

Hello there,I am starting a CNA 1 course in a few weeks and wondering about jobs after I am done in July. I live in Pinehurst and trying to figure out where I could apply with a CNA 1. I am reading that NC is different than other states as far as CNA work. Can a level 1 work at a hospital? I heard that only level 2s can work in a hospital. I'm also wondering what are typical hours and pay rates? My monthly bills total about $1,070 (i live with my boyfriend, no kids) but I would obviously like to have some cushion. I have in mind I'll probably need a waitressing job to make up the difference. I'm applying for te ADN program at SCC for fall 13 so I'd be working as a CNA for a little over a year (actually probably while I'm in nursing school also).

Thanks for your post and advice! I'm starting the CNA summer course in a few weeks at SCC and applying for their fall 13 adn program! I was just hoping to get started sooner but I'm quite alright with this route. :) the advisor suggested I try taking the science courses I don't have this year so next year the only classes I need to take are the actual nursing classes. Just have to wait and see if spots open up for the anatomy class this fall.

HouTx - I have been applying to local hospitals because that was definitely a thought of mine, getting a hospital to help with the costs of obtaining a nursing degree. 1) There aren't many openings in the HIM departments at these hospitals and 2) I was told I was either over-qualified or under-qualified for every position they had available (where is that perfect position for me?! haha). I feel as if I was misled in this HIM degree...I would like to work in a hospital setting but most jobs only requre a high school diploma (perhaps with a couple years experience in a medical setting) or associates. No one wants to hire the 4-year degree holder (over-qualified). OR, they are management positions that require years of experience. I said I would be willing to take one of the jobs I am "over qualified" for to get me in the door at that hospital. At least this has been my experience in the job search. I am interested in a nursing degree because I definitely would like to be more on the clinical side of health care. In the long run, I would like to obtain a position that uses both degrees, such as case/outcomes management, risk management, quality assessment, etc. During my undergrad, we shadow many positions like this and were put under the impression that these were jobs we could be employed in as an HIM graduate - however, looking at those job descriptions, every hospital I've seen wants that employee to have a nursing background. I am leaving the job I held since graduation as a medical records coordinator (or, clincial information analyst, as the title was just changed). I do like working with and maintaining patient information but I would much rather be in the "action" and on the clinical side of it.

Thank you so much for the advice! Everything you brought up I was originally thinking, but I started to doubt going the associates route. You definitely made me feel better. Good luck with everything!!

Hello! I graduated last year with a Bachelors in Health Information Management. I would like to get a degree in Nursing now. I paid for my undergrad entirely by student loans so I'm a very scary $70,000-ish in debt. I was wanting to get an associate's degree in nursing since it is much cheaper but would it be more advisable to try to get into an accelerated BSN program? I'm well aware that BSN is preferred, but will someone with an ADN have that much trouble finding a job? I was even thinking of doing that and once my student loans are a little more paid off and I have saved up some money I could do an RN to BSN program. Any advice would help!

Hello All! I'm moving to Pinehurst, NC in about a week and looking for a new job. I graduated last year from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Health Information Management and now that I'm looking for a new job I am seriously wanting to get a degree in nursing. Several people have told me to look into an accelerated BSN program but I actually don't have the main pre-reqs they require (chemistry, human devl. psychology, and some others). To get through undergrad I mainly took out loans so I am WAY in debt right now. I thought maybe getting an associate's nursing degree at a community college would be cheaper. I applied to Sandhills CC and got in to the college but they did not receive my transcripts in time to register for the HESI exam which was required for entrance and now the nursing program is filled for the fall. Does anyone know of other options to start in the fall? Would you recommend doing pre-reqs to get into a ABSN program instead of the Associate's Nursing degree? I also thought about trying to get into a CNA/LPN program and do that until I could start at Sandhills (I guess I would have to try to get into the Fall 2013 class) but then I'm afraid some of my classes will no longer transfer (like biology that I took freshman year at Pitt) because it will have been 5 years. If anyone has any advice on which route I should go to get in to nursing I would greatly appreciate it! I was hoping to get into a program for fall 2012 (which probably will not happen since I feel as if all the deadlines to apply were in January) or Spring 2013 (starting in January). Sorry for the long post! Thank you all!

Hello All! I'm moving to Pinehurst, NC in about a week and looking for a new job. I graduated last year from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Health Information Management and now that I'm looking for a new job I am seriously wanting to get a degree in nursing. Several people have told me to look into an accelerated BSN program but I actually don't have the main pre-reqs they require (chemistry, human devl. psychology, and some others). To get through undergrad I mainly took out loans so I am WAY in debt right now. I thought maybe getting an associate's nursing degree at a community college would be cheaper. I applied to Sandhills CC and got in to the college but they did not receive my transcripts in time to register for the HESI exam which was required for entrance and now the nursing program is filled for the fall. Does anyone know of other options to start in the fall? Would you recommend doing pre-reqs to get into a ABSN program instead of the Associate's Nursing degree? I also thought about trying to get into a CNA/LPN program and do that until I could start at Sandhills (I guess I would have to try to get into the Fall 2013 class) but then I'm afraid some of my classes will no longer transfer (like biology that I took freshman year at Pitt) because it will have been 5 years. If anyone has any advice on which route I should go to get in to nursing I would greatly appreciate it! I was hoping to get into a program for fall 2012 (which probably will not happen since I feel as if all the deadlines to apply were in January) or Spring 2013 (starting in January). Sorry for the long post! Thank you all!