conchobar

-ClarkeBar, hearing that you got your BSN thru an accelerated program and and were able to get to Australia is extremely encouraging! I am curious to know how much nursing experience you had before you applied Australian licensure? Did landing a hospital or agency help you thru the immigration process?

FatsWaller, thanks for sharing. Your story is really validating for what I'm doing. Its definitely a risk, but I do believe opportunity is on the other side. Even though you went from an area of high competitiveness to low (and I might be doing the opposite). Getting the credentials, making connections during the program, and casting a wide geographic net for a new grad nurse job/nurse residency are my focuses. Good luck to you, and thanks again.

You guys are great. I hope to give back sound advice when I am in a position and asked to give it. Swimmingfever00, thank you, staying and working/ gaining healthcare experience is undeniably the solid plan. I'm glad to hear it worked well for you. And bluebird, thank you too, working as an EMT would be better than nothing -but the opportunities seem to actually take me down a different path (I respect those first responders, but my area is looking for EMTs who want to be firefighters too. Thats a step in a different direction.) Either way, attending an aBSN program will be my path into Nursing and I'm very excited. I know of many successful nurses who pursed this course of action, It seems to boil down to doing exceptional academically/ at clinicals, making connections/ using networks, luck and being in the right place at the right time - soon I am going to keep mind to task and keep moving forward! Lastly, Here.I.Stand, I definitely want to be involved in Travel Medicine. Not practicing of course =] but involved. Administering vaccines in a clinic may not sound ambitious, but I want to work with travelers, tropical diseases, and global health issues. Thanks all of your input - Going back to school for Nursing is a strategic process and reading your opinions and stories has been informative.

Wow, thank you for the input. I was aware of the risks when applying, now I'm making the final decision - to go or stay $900/ month is extreme. I will have loans for some years - in all scenarios - but the most from moving out-of-state. In my heart, I guess I know that staying in my home state in Northern New England and putting in my dues/working my way up, from Tech to Nurse to beyond is the most genuine, safe, realistic, etc. It just means investing 2-5 years in this place. However, I do feel like getting a start in a world class city could have advantages for my ultimate career goals in Travel Medicine. Not travel nursing, but Travel medicine. ( Thank you for your input all. Its just my own situation, but I appreciate the time you took to share your opinions.

Hello all, I have been accepted for the Summer start and will be attending. Could someone inform me of how I can get into the Facebook group, or vouch for me an accept me? =] Still have a million questions

Hello all, I am hoping to get some advice on what is seemingly the most important decision of my life right now :) I have been accepted to an Accelerated BSN program in a great American city 3,000 miles from where I live now. The opportunity is very exciting, but requires taking out some real loans. My biggest fear attending this program out-of-state is that I won't find a job quickly after graduation, be saddled with debt, and have no network. The only concrete healthcare experience I have right now is an EMT (Basic) license which I received one week ago. I am applying for open positions as an ED Tech/ EMT in my area. My dilemma is: If I get an ED Tech or EMT job, should I stay in my area and get 6-12 months of healthcare experience with the hope that it will enhance my future job prospects when I finally complete an aBSN program 2 years from now? OR, will a BSN from an aBSN program be enough to land a job when I complete the program in 1 year. Basically, stay and get experience at lower level and re-apply to local aBSN program OR go to the big city far away and get my BSN now and hope to be working as RN by next fall. I would love to hear from people in similar situations or who went far away for nursing school and whoever has any input. All nurses is such a great resource, I thank you all for your consideration and advice.