Sandi_NC

And I plan on heading for BSN once I graduate ...

I love this thread ~ what a great idea! I'm newly 40, married with 3 kids (15, 14 & 13) plus we're fostering a 6 month old that we're hoping to make ours someday, so things are definitely crazy around here! I started taking classes about 2 years ago without much direction, though I'd been thinking of heading towards HIT (Health Info. Technology). I couldn't stop thinking about Nursing though and decided to go for it! I've tackled 2 English classes, Gen. Psych, Med Term I, a computer class and a health class. This summer I'm taking: A&P I, Med Term II, Elem. Algebra (math is my weakness) and a college student success class which is now a requirement for most of the programs offered by my comm. college. In the fall I'm taking: A&P II, Math 110 (which is basically a math class for health science students) Chem I and Intro to Communications. Then come Dec/Jan I need to take the TEAS V and get my application in by and of January. I'll have one "recommended" pre-req to do at that point, which is Microbiology. At that point, I hope to make to an interview and then NS would start in Fall 2014. Otherwise, I have to wait another year and hope for Fall 2015. There is talk that our school might be adding CNA certification as a pre-req starting Fall 2014, so it's a possibility I might have to add that in as well if I don't make it in this next cycle. Classes start tomorrow and I can't wait!

Thanks grannyclampett for bringing this thread back to life! I turned 40 a few months ago and I'm working on my pre-reqs. Our school accepts applications in the spring and starts a class every fall so I'm working to apply for spring 2014, and hoping to get a spot for Fall 2014! I can't believe that I'm going to do this but I'm really excited about this journey I'm on. I have three children that I homeschool (ages 15, 14 & 13) plus we're fostering a 6 month old girl that we hope to eventually adopt. So while I definitely have an active home life, I know this is the right time for me. I do plan on pursuing my BSN ... and who knows ... maybe MSN as well! I say go for it all if it's something you want! That is so neat that your school graduated a 62 yr old ~ no one is too old to pursue a passion.

I'm in NC and none of the four schools I've looked at have nutrition as a pre-req. The general consensus in this area is: A&P I and II, an upper level math class, microbiology, chemistry and they are just now adding in Med Term I & II.

So excited! I was able to adjust my summer/fall schedules so I'm now taking A&P I this summer as a hybrid class. So I am on campus one day a week and then we have web-centered work as well. We're also using Fundamentals of Anatomy, Martini 9th so if anyone has any good links or information in regards to that book, I'd love to know about them! Then come the fall, I'll take A&P II and Chemistry, which will leave Microbiology for the Spring and then all my pre-reqs will be done!

Is a private college your only option here in NC? Maybe I missed something but you could do your pre-reqs and complete a 2 yr RN program (through a comm. college) here and then after you pass your NCLEX you could move to CA. If you are a licensed RN you can apply for a CA license via endorsement. Then you could look at a RN to BSN bridge program in CA.

@Iheartcremebrulee I'm in far western NC though I've been to Raleigh once or twice. I didn't know that the exam could be challenged so that is good to know. I will have to look into that some more!

Thanks everyone for all your input! I'm frustrated by the requirement but only because it's just "one more thing" I've got to tackle and I'm not able (as of yet!) to make my schedule work where I can work on that as well as pull all the pre-reqs that I need to get rolling. If I take the continuing education route, the classes are T/W/R from 5-9:15 for roughly 3 months, and that class is roughly $300 plus supplies and then $100 to take the exam for certification. If I take the comm. college program, it's 2 hrs each Monday, and then 10-3:15 T/W/F but financial aid will cover it. It's the same amount of time, roughly 3-3.5 months. If I to the CE route, I have to pay out of pocket but I can fit more of my pre-req classes in during the day. Sometimes it's just so hard to make a decision!

The closest BSN program is not requiring CNA cert. at this time but since the comm. college and the university like to work hand-in-hand, I'm wondering if that might not be changing within their program as well. Ugh!

No, you don't have to take the CNA course(s) through them though they offer a Nursing Asst. program that is 2 semesters (Fall = Nurs. Asst. I and Spring= Nurs. Asst. II) That program is covered by financial aid if you qualify for a Pell Grant. The other CNA course(s) are offered through some kind of continuing education program but those are not covered by financial aid. I'm just frustrated that it's one more thing to add to my list! I agree with you in that it would be nice to have, but I don't think it should be a requirement.

The ADN program I'm considering is revamping their program and will now require CNA certification as a pre-req. They are also no longer using the HOAE (Health Occup. Aptitude Exam) but now using the TEAS. Has anyone else had to obtain CNA certification before they could apply for their nursing program? The way the current program is set up, at the end of your 1st semester of nursing classes, you could sit for the Nurs. Asst. I and at the end of the 2nd semester, sit for Nurs. Asst. II. If I pursue this route, it will set me back just a little bit because of having to add another layer (CNA cert.) but I was just curious if this was something wide-spread within other programs out there.

I'm 40 and will be starting pre-reqs this fall. I've been in school for the past year and a half bouncing back and forth between HIT (Health Inf. Technology) and Nursing. I finally realized that I've got one life and time is moving fast! So far, I'm scheduled to take A&PI, Mathematics for Health Care professionals and a few other classes but I'm debating on whether to try to add Chemistry in there as well. I need Chemistry in order to apply for the program. If I want to apply in Spring '14 then I need Chemistry for Fall '13 ... but I'm not sure if I can handle 2 sciences. I need to decide pretty quickly though if I want to go super fast or take it slow and steady.

For our program here locally, the points system looks like this: - Up to 15 points for Health Occupations Aptitude Exam (HOAE) -Grade point average is multiplied by 10: Up to 40 points -Up to 10 points for college courses completed with a grade of “C” or better -2 points – BIO 168 A&P I -2 points – BIO 169 A&P II -2 points – BIO 175 Microbiology -2 points – CHM 131 & 131A or an equivalent or higher course Intro to CHEM w/ lab -2 points – MAT 110 or higher math course -Up to 3 points for other educational experience or current licensure ** - 1 point – Health Occupations I or Allied Health Science I -1 point – Health Occupations II or Allied Health Science II - 1 point – LPN** - 1 point – Nurse Aide I / Nurse Aide II** - 1 point - EMT** - 1 point – Paramedic** - 1 point – Certified Medical Assistant** - 1 point – Bachelor Degree or higher** **Documentation of current licensure must be submitted to admissions prior to January 31st deadline in order to receive points. -Up to 25 points for interview (39 candidates with the highest numerical score will be interviewed) Not sure what the points range actually *is*, but obviously the higher the better I would think.

I was going to try for A&P I this summer but so far it looks like I'll have to wait until Fall. They only have one class scheduled for the summer and the timing isn't working for me. I'm kind of bummed but I think the Fall will be better and I get the teacher that I really want if I wait until then.