"Career" change - RN/NP interest

[Jinxbrand]

A bit about me; I'm 25 years old. I graduated from University with a BA in Journalism/Mass Media in Dec 2014 with a 4.0 GPA, dean's list, and membership into the golden key international honour society.

I spent the last couple years abroad working in Japan and Australia since graduation. (Unstable work, extremely stressful unfortunately!) I taught for a year in Japan in an exchange program and I've been doing odd jobs here and there while in Australia.

When I was 18 I wanted to go into medicine but didn't feel I had what it took to go into nursing or med school. I wasn't a good test taker and I was a bit depressed and didn't feel the motivation needed for that. After I lost my grandfather 6 months ago (he was my father figure) I decided I really need to push myself to do what I want to do and not fear the possibility of failure.

I'm looking to return to the states in January with my husband and start working on remaining pre-reqs for nursing school. (seems like I just need micro biology, chemistry, and a statistics course)

I was going to go for an Associates of Nursing first because the state I'm returning to allows you to sit the NCLEX and be hired as an RN on an associates degree. I was going to continue my BSN while doing that (an online program tied with the nursing school I'm looking at, you actually have to be an RN to qualify for this BSN program)

And later down the road I'm considering going to nurse practitioner school after working and figuring out what kind of specialising I'd like to do. - - I have a few ideas but nothing solid yet.

Is there anything else anyone can think of that could hold back my nursing school application?

I would really like to do this and I want to anticipate any trouble now so I can solve it/talk to a career counsellor when I'm back in the states.

The school I'm applying for is in a community college but it ranks pretty high in the state for nursing programs. I can't afford (nor do I want to afford) going to a full University again.

[shibaowner, MSN, RN, NP]

Seems like you have a good plan. Don't see anything that should hold you back or to worry about. Good luck!

[verene, MSN]

Sounds like you have a pretty solid plan in terms of your idea of where you want to go and how to get there. The only thing I could see taking some more time is if the community college you want to attend has pre-reqs you need to complete before applying to the actual nursing program. Even that shouldn't hold you back by much though.

[Jinxbrand]

Thanks! My other concern is if there's a wait-list for the nursing program. I recently found out the neighbouring county's community college has a 2 year wait for their nursing program entry. Hoping to get a hold of them soon to figure out what kind of wait there is.

The other problem is I've noticed that pharmacology isn't strongly covered in this nursing program.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Thanks! My other concern is if there's a wait-list for the nursing program. I recently found out the neighbouring county's community college has a 2 year wait for their nursing program entry. Hoping to get a hold of them soon to figure out what kind of wait there is.

The other problem is I've noticed that pharmacology isn't strongly covered in this nursing program.

Pharmacology is generally embedded in every clinical nursing course. And wait lists are a fact of life today.

[imhorsemackerel, LPN]

If you end up on the wait list for 2 years, perhaps a backup to your backup plan might be going for LPN/LVN? I'm not sure about your area, but the school I went to offered a full-time 11 month program. At least you'll gain some experience for a couple months as a nurse prior to going for your RN.

[adventure_rn, MSN, NP]

It definitely sounds like you have a good understanding of the nursing profession, and the admissions process.

I'd add that if you have an interest in acute care (i.e. nursing in a hospital setting), you may have an easier time getting a job with a BSN rather than an ADN. If you're in a less competitive region, it may not be a big issue; if you're in an over-saturated region (like California or many metropolitan areas in the US), you could have a hard time. In that case, you may need to apply to work at LTCs, SNFs, or other nursing home facilities. Pursing a BSN may also be faster in terms of the waitlist. Unlike ADN programs, which can have rolling waitlists for several years, BSN programs function more like a typical university waitlist; for each application cycle you're either accepted, rejected, or waitlisted. The least expensive option is definitely to get your ADN, then have your hospital pay for your BSN. However, you may find that there are some affordable public BSN programs available depending on your state. In my region, an ADN was ~$4,000, a public school BSN was ~$12,000, and a private school BSN was ~$100,000. The public school BSN option was the best choice for me.

As a second-degree student, you're also eligible for Accelerated BSN (ABSN) programs. These would allow you to complete your nursing degree more quickly, and consequently allow you to start earning a salary more quickly. However, ABSN programs may be more expensive than traditional because they seem to be offered by more private schools than public schools.

Finally, it might be wise for you to get your CNA certification and work part-time as a CNA while you complete your pre-reqs and apply/wait on the waitlist. CNA experience is incredibly useful. It makes you a stronger nursing school applicant, it gives you a leg up in your nursing clinicals, it can give you a huge advantage when applying for your first nursing job as a new grad, and it should help clarify whether or not the nursing profession is a good fit for your.

Best of luck!