Questions about Non-nursing degree majors!

Danielwd · Jul 11, 2010

Not sure I understand the question. As far as I know, RN is an undergraduate degree, not like medicine, which requires an undergrad degree before application. Basic RN is an associates degree, then you can advance to BSN. Only for the Nurse Practitioner would you have to have a degree in something first. NP is a master's program.

Danielwd · Jul 11, 2010

Btw, getting accepted into an MSN program without an RN degree of some sort, is not an easy road to go. I tried. I have a BA in Graphic Design and am now working on my RN.

Jennifer0512 · Jul 11, 2010

I am a second-degree BSN/MSN student, which I'm finishing up my first year of. I went straight after I finished my undergraduate degree--completing all, but two of my prereqs for the nursing school during my undergraduate career (and the other 2 I did after I was accepted to the school during the summer before it started). My program is 3 years- 2 years for BSN and 1 year for MSN.

If you have the time and credits it doesn't matter if you switch over to a Sociology major or stay with your Biology major. That's kind of the beauty of these programs is that you could have majored in ANYTHING else and still could get in as long as you fulfill the prerequisites (I was a biochem major, but i like the sciences :) ). The nursing program you apply to won't look at only your science classes--just the ones that count as prereqs this usually includes microbiology, chem 101-102, anatomy and physiology I and II, and then social science courses like psychology, growth and development, etc. Each school varies a little on their prereqs.

Again if you have the time and credits and want to switch to a Sociology major I say go for it. Then you won't have to take silly courses like Plant Biology that nursing schools are NEVER going to look at. Just focus on the ones that matter.

kenpochic · Jul 12, 2010

I just started an ADN program but I already have a Bachelors in Business/ Management. You cant get into an MSN program without being an RN. I have never seen an exception. At that point of your education you would specialize in a certain area of nursing. example, CRNA, FNP,GNP, NE. How can you do that without being an RN aka having the basis of nursing down. thats like wanting to run before you can walk. My plan is to finish my ADN and do a bridge gap program and start a CRNA program which is a masters program. I have noticed that with the bridge gap programs they like it if you have a bachelors in science. For example, biology or chemistry Some schools will not let you enter there bridge gap program unless you have a bachelors in a science. You can enter an ADN, BSN or even a BSN to MSN program after finishing prereqs but you cant start just an MSN program without being an RN first. I've noticed that ADN programs look at certain science prereqs while BSN programs look at your overall GPA

Jennifer0512 · Jul 12, 2010

True you can't get your MSN without being an RN, but you can get into a program that automatically enrolls you in both. There are many many programs like that including mine. I have to get my BSN/RN first, but when I was accepted I was automatically accepted into both the BSN/RN AND the MSN/NP program. You might've been saying the same thing, but I was just clarifying :)

kaolla56 · Jul 13, 2010

So, since you didn't finish 2 of the nursing prereqs, how were you still admitted to the school you wanted to go into? Also, reading off of other replies to my post, one must become an RN before going into the MSN program. Did you apply for an accelerated BSN program after you graduated or what type of program did you enroll in? What do you mean by BSN/MSN?

BellsRNBSN · Jul 13, 2010

Actually, there ARE some MSN programs that don't require you to be an RN to get into, at least in California. Cal State Fullerton has one such program (EL-MSN). You have to have a bachelor's degree, but it can be in any subject. However, these programs are EXTREMELY tough to get into, and I think you have to have a fairy high undergrad GPA to even be considered for acceptance.

I am starting a post-baccalaureate accelerated BSN program next month. I graduated with my bachelor's degree in 2008, and if there was one thing I could do differently, it would be to have taken as many nursing school pre-reqs as possible while still an undergrad student. The only anatomy and physio classes my undergrad university offered were for non-science majors (and thus didn't have the necessary labs), and I figured I could easily just take all my remaining nursing school pre-reqs at a community college in the 1 or 2 semesters following my undergrad graduation. HOWEVER, it wasn't as easy as I had planned. It ended up taking me 2 years to take the 6 pre-requisites I needed because these classes were severely impacted at EVERY community college in my area. There would literally be 90+ students just trying to CRASH a human anatomy class designed for 30-40 students. If you can take anatomy, physiology, and microbiology at your current university, where you have priority when it comes to registration, DO IT!!! Just my :twocents:

Good luck with your education and your future career in nursing! :nurse:

Jennifer0512 · Jul 13, 2010

So, since you didn't finish 2 of the nursing prereqs, how were you still admitted to the school you wanted to go into? Also, reading off of other replies to my post, one must become an RN before going into the MSN program. Did you apply for an accelerated BSN program after you graduated or what type of program did you enroll in? What do you mean by BSN/MSN?

In regards to the prereqs they allow you to apply even if you haven't finished ALL OF THEM because they know that there is still a semester or so left before you have to go that you may want to use to finish them up. So as long as you have a plan to finish them and you get the grades you need in them you're good to go. If for some reason you didn't finish them or you did not get the grades they would remove your acceptance.

Haha there are so many different types of programs it gets confusing. I think I sort of described this in my second post, but I'll re-explain. As far as I know you do need to have an RN license to become an NP, however you don't need to already have an RN license to apply to these types of schools. I applied to a program that automatically accepted me into "both programs" (the RN program and the NP program) although they'd never describe it as two separate programs. For the first two years I will study to get my RN and my BSN. Then the last year I will study to get my NP and MSN. It is an accelerated program. http://www.aacn.nche.edu/IDS/pdf/GENMAS.pdf This document is a year old, but this is a list of schools that are the type of program I am in and am trying to explain.

Let me know if you still need help understanding the program--it is kinda confusing especially when there are so many different formatted schools and programs out there!