C-130 Load

Hello, I will be there with you. Looking forward to the new adventure. I will be at Wright-Patterson AFB.

Talked to my recruiter today and will be reporting to COT on May 22. Got my 4th choice of duty stations, Wright-Patterson. Looking forward to the new opportunity. Pretty sad to be leaving aviation. I am pretty excited to meet you folks in the May 22nd COT class.

Yeah, you can do it. I was a framing carpenter and commercial painter while I was in college for the first go around. I went through and accelerated BSN and one of my classmates owned his own construction business. We are both about 40. It is all in what you want to do. I just passed my NCLEX-RN and am now on the job hunt. Best of luck.

I was in a similar boat. I just graduated yesterday from an accelerated program. It was a ton of work but worth it in the end. Getting into the work force faster will pay off. I do think there is value in getting a few years of clinical experience before continuing on to advanced practice roles. At this point I am planning on about three years of working and then applying to advanced practice roles. I would not worry about the DNP mandate or degree inflation, however you look at it. They still have not mandated BSN as an entry level and that is the first place to start.

One of the best clinical instructors my classmates had was a former NYC cop. He broke his back in the line of duty and decided to change careers after 15 years on the police force. He did not regret his decision and had great experiences as a nurse. It is really about what you want in your career. I think the skills you developed doing police work would be a great addition to your nursing skills.

Well, you have what it takes to get in and make it. I can't tell you what is right for you, no one can. That is a question that you have to answer for yourself. If you decide that this is not for you, then consider any of the medical specialties. Many of them pay well and do not have the level of responsibility that nursing does. There are the various radiation technicians, medical technologists, physical therapist assistant, occupational therapists, speech therapists, respiratory therapists just to name a few. I wish you the best on your journey.

Air Force C-130 Loadmaster here. I am still a reservist and will be completing my BSN in an accelerated program July 31, 2014. Very happy to have this almost completed. I love my AF job and nursing has been very rewarding so far. I would be happy to answer any questions anyone has.

In Colorado there is also the Accelerated BSN at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs campus. The minimum GPA is 2.5, but your pre-req grades do matter. My GPA, due to my prior degree is 2.95 right now. That being said, I did very well on my pre-reqs showing that I am a different student than I was 13 years ago. There is a HESI test requirement, and that counts for a lot, and an interview. They interview 40 and accept 24 students.It is a good school and good program. If I have time I will tell you about the experience once classes start here in May. There is also Pikes Peak Community College here in the Springs that has a nursing program. There is a dual enrollment option with UCCS. So, you get your 2 year RN from Pikes Peak and finish up at UCCS. You are taking courses at both, but have to pass the NCLEX to take the last course from UCCS. If you have all the required courses done it would mean only 1 semester more after your associates to complete your BSN. Good luck with your goals.

Well, got an A on the lab practical, next week 3rd test then the final. So glad this semester is almost over.