Pursuing a Nursing Degree...Don't know where to start...

[melsv]

Hello,

I am interested in attending school for nursing. I have already received a Bachelors of Arts and I am hoping that some of my general education classes will transfer to cover some of the prerequisites for the nursing program. I wan't to try and take the most cost effective route so, I am considering going to a community college, where I can complete the prerequisites as well as receive a ADN in nursing. Following my ADN, I would like to complete my BSN. I basically would like to know of some accredited community colleges in the Chicago area, (I live in the city but wouldn't mind traveling to a near by suburb). I understand that a waiting list is a common factor when applying to a nursing program, what is the average wait list? What schools, if any, don't have a wait list? I'd also like to know, if I were to complete my ADN, how much longer would it take me to complete my BSN, (average credited hours)? What are the chances of being hired by a hospital with a ADN over a BSN? I know that reports say Nurses are in high demand but I have also read a lot about nurses having a hard time finding jobs, is there a large demand for nurses in the Chicago area?

If someone could answer a few of these questions for me, it would be of great help.

Kind Regards,

Melsv

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

I applied to Illinois State's program. Applying in a month or two to Loyola and Rush if for some reason I don't get into ISU.

If you don't mind living in Bloomington/Normal for 16 months and aren't tied to Chicago due to a spouse or children, I'd consider their program. They had a 100% NCLEX pass-rate this past year, the in-state tuition rates are super reasonable and the cost of living in Bloomington/Normal is dirt cheap compared to Chicago prices. The money you would save in tuition versus other the Loyola program or the one at Rush or Depaul would mean you wouldn't have to work.

When I was looking at schools, ISU's accelerated program was still considered 'experimental' (whatever that means) and as such was not elligible for financial aid. This may have changed since then, so I suggest you look first.

Also, re: DePaul and Rush's program - the GradPLUS loan elligibility means that you will get enough money in school to cover all your costs. You won't have to work during school there, though you'll have to pay off your debt later (which shouldn't be too much of an issue once you start working).

[prinsessa]

If you have a bachelors degree already and took high-school chemistry (which I assume you did), you can get the chair at Harold Washington College to let you enroll in Chem 201 without taking the placement test. That's what I did and I hadn't had chemistry since 1993. Truman will require you to take the placement exam to get into chem 201.

I did the same thing. Chem 201 isn't easy but it isn't impossible either. I was able to get an A and I haven't had Chemistry since H.S. (over 10 years ago)

[ChloBear]

I graduated from an ABSN program in May, 2010. The best advice I can give you is to work as a CNA/PCT before and/or during nursing school, if that is an option for you. I have been applying for jobs since May and have not had ONE interview. I graduated with a 3.8 GPA and have 3 years of experience working full-time, though not in any clinical capacity (I worked for a non-profit company that accredits surgery centers). Of the people in my graduating class who have jobs, the majority of them seem to have gotten hired on to the unit where they did their senior practicum. The unit where I did my practicum has not hired in over 6 years, so I missed out on that opportunity to get hired right out of school. So my next piece of advice is to do your homework when selecting a site for your senior practicum once you are in school, since this seems to be the way to get hired as a new nurse. I really wish I had done this. Also, when you are researching schools/programs, make sure to ask about their senior practicum, since I can't stress enough how useful it can be in finding a job. I know you are probably just focusing on getting in somewhere and maybe not thinking about where you will work yet, but you don't want to be a position where you have a degree that you can't use because you can't get hired.

To answer your question about the job market in Chicago for nurses, when I stated nursing school in 2009, many hospitals had hiring freezes for new grads or RNs in general. This has improved much since then, although there still are not many opportunities for new grads. I think your best bet for finding a job as a new nurse in Chicago is 1) Do your senior practicum on a unit that you KNOW might hire a new nurse (check the hospital's job board and try to contact the hiring manager on the unit if possible), 2) work as a CNA/PCT before getting your RN license, and 3) network-many people get jobs through people they know. That's all the advice I have.

Best of luck!