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That's great! The best way to get a job is definitely by knowing people. That's how I got my job now, recommendation from my professor. My sister may be able to help me get a job being in the medical community. NPs are the best! When my childhood doctor left the practice, I just continued to see the NP. She used to give us discounts when I was uninsured. We're working on trying to get an expanded scope of practice for NPs at my work right now since they can't prescribe controlled substances in FL. Thanks for all your advice :) Good Luck with your graduate program.

I think I would prefer to get the BSN over the ADN. Very impressive that you did so well in the ASBN - congrats! I too am not a great test taker but I would prepare a lot as you did. Did you have trouble getting a job as a new grad? I think i would prefer to work in a doctor's office over a hospital. Is the pay really that much less? My sister is a physician assistant and thinks I should try to go for that. Very difficult to get into though and I think it's more like medical school. I think I would prefer nursing because of the caring role. Thanks again for the advice

hi glad. thanks for sharing. what did you think of an accelerated program? was it too much too fast? I have heard that I should get BSN over ADN. but then my friend who went to Edison in Naples and got her ADN said the local hospital was more likely to hire Edison grads with ADNs than graduates from FGCU in ft Myers with BSNs. she had a BA in another field. (as you did and I do) does the school matter that you go to as long as it is accredited and you study a lot for the nclex? I'm limited to where I go by where my fiancé gets a job. but I don't want to go back and not get a job.

Thank you all for the advice. As Devon Rex says, the responsibility of being a nurse is great. It seems overwhelming to me. If I am overwhelmed thinking about it now, would nursing not be a good fit for me? When I shadowed a nurse in the hospital, she mentioned some of the legal aspects - a nurse who was fired for copying and pasting charts. A nurse who was fired because she gave Tylenol she claimed the doctor told her she could give. A doctor's office seems more ideal to me. But I've heard they don't pay as much, and may not be worth the expense of going through school again.

Devon Rex- Thank you for your advice. I feel like there isn't much I can do with just the MPH degree, and I think it would be great to gradually move up in nursing. It just all depends if it's worth me being in school for three more years and racking up debt. But I just feel besides money, the career could be so rewarding, and I would be proud to say that I am a nurse. I'm a research analyst at a nonprofit now and there's no where to really move up unless I want to stay in the same company in the same city and we want to move to Southwest Florida. Mchel- Thanks for the advice. It seems like the starting salary would be the same or a little higher than what I'm making now. But the opportunities to move up are greater. I feel like I don't have that with my current job. SUNFLOWER- this is a great suggestion!! What do I need to do to get certified to be a CNA? Do you think I could do that while doing my pre-reqs for nursing school? It does seem like experience like that would be helpful to getting a job.

Belle and Steph- Thank you both for the advice. I will definitely look into the market more. I didn't realize the demand was only for experienced nurses. I do think once I managed to get in somewhere and get some experiences, the job prospects would be better than they are with my MPH degree. But it is a lot of debt and stress. I'm afraid to make the wrong decision! For my area, the only options are working at the county health departments and state agencies and the jobs are scarce and rarely get raises.... have you heard of Infection Preventionist jobs? I saw one posted at my local hospital. It seems like it would be a great merge between public health and nursing.

Hello all! I have a MPH degree and I am thinking about going back for a BSN. If I do, my fiance and I will struggle financially for a couple of years. I'm nervous about making the decision because I don't want to go into debt if I end up not liking it. How did you all know you wanted to become a nurse? I know the demand for nurses is high in my state - Florida. Everyone I know who graduates in my area gets a job right away. But I don't know what salaries they are making. I currently make a little over $40,000 as a research analyst. If I go into debt to go back for my BSN, what type of wage should I expect when I get out? Do you all think it would be worth it? Besides the money factors, I think I would like doing clinical work more than the research I am doing now. Thanks all!

Wow, that is awesome KAR! I honestly didn't even know they had grad entry programs like that because I haven't seen any for the schools I've looked at in Florida. I'm geographically limited to FL because my fiance is lawyer and just passed the FL bar, he has asthma and a weak immune system so we can't live anywhere cold. Good luck to you!!

Hi Dawn! I feel the same way - every time I look for jobs with my MPH, they want a nursing degree too. I think it would give great flexibility. That's great that your MPH degree is helping you in nursing school. I've heard that having an MPH can help with moving into nursing management. Have you heard anything like that? Thank you :) KAR- it doesn't look like there are any grad entry programs like the CNL in Florida. Is there a source I can find this out for sure you might know of. Thank you :)

Congratulations on your acceptance! Thank you for the advice. So you didn't need a BSN to start with the CNL program first?

Oh wow, the US public health officer sounds really interesting. But is there travel required for that? I think it would take 3 years to get my BSN because I haven't even done the pre-reqs. But it seems jobs are scarce for just having a MPH.

Thanks for the advice! What type of grad program did you do? I was thinking of trying for PA school, but I'd still have to do all the pre-reqs and it seems even more competitive than nursing. It just really seems like there aren't many jobs for just MPH degree, but I'm also not sure if it's worth spending all the time and money to go back to school. I think it would take 3 years for me to get the BSN.

Happy New Year all! I am seeking advice about pursing a nursing degree. I just graduated with a Masters in Public Health degree and I work doing research. I think I would really like nursing, however, because I find working at a desk boring and clinical work sounds such more rewarding. However, my fiance and I will struggle financially if I go back to school (again), so I need to make sure it's the right decision. Is having a BSN/MPH valuable? I think it would be worth it, but I would like advice from those already in nursing :) I would have to complete all prerequisites and then apply to a nursing program. I fear completing all the pre-reqs and not getting in. I have very strong grades from my first bachelor's degree and my master's degree -but I know it's highly competitive. The schools I am looking at are University of South Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University, and Florida State University. My undergrad is from FGCU and my grad is from FSU. USF's nursing program for the 2nd degree sequence seems very competitive. I would appreciate any advice!! Thank you all.

Happy New Year all! I am seeking advice about pursing a nursing degree. I just graduated with a Masters in Public Health degree and I work doing research. I think I would really like nursing, however, because I find working at a desk boring and clinical work sounds such more rewarding. However, my fiance and I will struggle financially if I go back to school (again), so I need to make sure it's the right decision. Is having a BSN/MPH valuable? I think it would be worth it, but I would like advice from those already in nursing :) I would have to complete all prerequisites and then apply to a nursing program. I fear completing all the pre-reqs and not getting in. I have very strong grades from my first bachelor's degree and my master's degree -but I know it's highly competitive. The schools I am looking at are University of South Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University, and Florida State University. My undergrad is from FGCU and my grad is from FSU. USF's nursing program for the 2nd degree sequence seems very competitive. I would appreciate any advice!! Thank you all.