Really stressed on Nursing career path to take help please :(

andreams · Oct 31, 2012

I am currently a sophmore in my fall semester of college. I was considering transferring into a nursing program outside of my school because my school chooses freshman over internal transfers and ill probably have better luck elsewhere. My problem is that I will not be done all my pre reqs by the end of this academic yr and I will have 2 or 3 classes I still have to take to have sucessfully completed all my prereqs. I cant try and squeeze them in to my spring semester because it would mean I would have to take 3 four credit science classes and some 3 credit class which isnt even allowed and would be a major overload for me anyway. This prevents me from wanting to transfer because almost all clinical rotations start in only the fall and require all prereqs to be finished. My pre reqs wont be finished until the end of next fall semester which pushes me back a whole yr making me only eligible to start a actual nursing program in the fall of my senior yr which will mean I will graduate with my BSN in 5 and a half to 6 yrs. Nursing is trully the career path I want to take but I feel so discouraged and really dnt want to spend 6 yrs as an undergraduate especially because I plan to get my masters degree a little while after I graduate. I am now considering just going to my community college and getting my Associates in nursing and then taking the licensing exam to become a Rn this will take me about a year to a year and a half. After that I would apply to a rn to bsn program which takes about 18 months in total this would be 4 and a half years to 5 yrs for my bsn. Since I will be a Rn I can also work during this time which will give me experience and make things a little easier financially. I would like to know if this sounds like a good or bad idea because I honestly do not know what to do. If you have any other suggestions they would be greatly appreciated. I want to be a nurse and do not want to just give up and change my major I like to see all things through! Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

I am in the same boat as you. I chose to take the long route, so I can get the most out of the experience, instead of cramming so much in at once. I have changed the amount of classes I was planning on taking at once, so like I said I can get more out of each class. I am going to take a nursing assistant class next semester, and I can at least get some onsite experience as a CNA while I am doing the nursing program. I also comptenplated going straight for the bsn, but realized I would not gain any work experience in the meantime.

violetgirl · Oct 31, 2012

Sounds like you have a good plan in mind, and that you have researched some options, which is great!

I look forward to reading your updates! Blessings~

maddiem · Oct 31, 2012

There are other people in the same situation as you, including me! I'm technically supposed to be a junior in college, but I've been working ever since I got out of high school and my first year of school I was part time. I'm applying to nursing schools next fall. I was really upset that I was taking so long to get my degree, but I thought about it a lot and I realized - I'm only 20 years old, I have my whole life ahead of me! There's not a huge rush for me to finish my degree in a four year time frame...For most people, finishing a bachelors degree takes 5 years (especially if you are going into healthcare!). Don't be discouraged. Take the classes you need to finish, don't try and cram them all into one semester (I know someone who tried to do it and it turned out to be a big mistake for them and she is retaking classes). As for going to a community college and getting your associates in nursing, if your main goal is to get you bachelors, I would just go straight for it. You would be taking the same classes later on anyway, plus more and more hospitals are requiring that you have a BSN these days (Here in Chicago its really hard to find a hospital that doesn't have this requirement). Take your time and do things right, don't rush! Not sure what college you're at now, but maybe take the rest of your prerequisite classes at a community college to save money and then you can apply to a bunch of nursing schools. Good luck!

NightNerd, MSN, RN · Oct 31, 2012

Honestly, either of these routes would be OK - you'll still be a nurse at the end! I second the concern about hospitals mostly hiring BSNs now; I know the ones around me are starting to crack down on that. However, I'm sure you can find a job - may not be your dream job, but it will be a job - with the ADN. My advice is to apply for both programs and work as a CNA/PCT for a year regardless of which program accepts you - build up some savings for those textbooks and gain experience that will probably help you get a job afterward.

For what it's worth, I will probably end up doing the community college thing and going back for my BSN later on. I am still applying to a BSN program now, just in case they go crazy with the financial aid, but I'm definitely not counting on that.

zoe92 · Oct 31, 2012

I am In the same situation. I am 20 and supposed to be a junior, but after my freshman year I switched majors, causing me to be put back a semester. Over the summer I squeezed in chem and a & p 1 which was a horrible mistake because I failed a & p (now retaking it with an A). Now (when I get accepted) I will start clinicals for my BSN during my senior year and graduate after five years.

My thinking is:

1. There are so many people in my pre reqs who are much older than me and coming back to school. The ones I've talked to say just get school done now. Dedicate the next few years to it so I don't have to come back. Even if I graduate at 24, I will still have my whole life ahead of me.

2. Most kids who start college right out of high school don't graduate on time anyways. It is becoming more common at 4 year schools to see seniors in their 5th or 6th year.

3. Friends have told me i should apply for the ADN. but ADN or BSN will take me 4 semesters anyways because I have every other class for a bachelors besides the nursing courses. I want that BSN because when I am done with school, I want to be able to find a job. All the hospitals around me are BSN preferred so I am just going to go for that.

4. If you really want this, then the extra time in school will be worth it. It'll be a pain in the butt, but so so worth it. I can't emphasize that enough.

I hope reading this makes you feel better. there are many people in your situation. Just do it right the first time without rushing classes and stick with your BSN plan. good luck!

Jessicainsantafe · Oct 31, 2012

Claudiac--you are on the right path. Definitely check out the community college options (I am in the nursing-pre req program at my community college). Sure, it takes a little longer, but a degree is a degree---ADN, BSN, whatever. You will be a nurse at the end of each one. My school required the CNA course for the nursing pre-reqs, but they have discontinued it (?????). I have spoken to many nurses on the job who say they appreciate the nurses-to-be who have worked as a CNA.

You didn't mention how old you were.....not that that matters. Heck, I'm 50 years old and still trying to get that degree!! You are never too old for school, and any time you spend learning is time not wasted. I wish you luck in your endeavors. I'm sure you will be a great nurse.

JennJillO · Oct 31, 2012

I'm an RN, ADN working in my BSN. I was an LVN for 7 yeas and certified as a CNA and EMT. Most hospitals are looking for a minimum of a BSN. Unless you live in Texas. The only way you will find a job as an ADN is if you already work in the hospital and they grandfather you in to their new grad program. I always suggest whatever program you are in to get a job at the hospital wether it be as a CNA, ward clerk, EMT etc asap. many schools frown upon working and going to school but unless they are going to pay my bills, the reality is, its a must. I have friends that I graduated with, who will be amazing nurses, but are still looking for an ADN job almost 2 years later. If you can avoid the ADN program, I would. Now, for science classes, what I did was take my A&P and Micro through National University. If took me 6 months for those classes instead of years. It was expensive but well worth it. My friends who didn't listen to the working while in school part are the ones without jobs! I hope this info helps! Best of luck to you! You're still young and waiting the 6 years for something you want isn't really all that long. It's crucial to have some life experience to make a good nurse. : )

Claudiac · Nov 1, 2012

Thanks alot guys I feel a little better about the whole situation. I just am so use to the idea that college is meant to be 4 yrs long that I feel like I was going to be in college for the rest of my life. I am 19, 20 in June @Jessicainsantafe. I spoke to the head of the nursing department at my current school and she encouraged me to apply but said it all depends on the grades I earn in my sciences this year. Hopefully I am able to get in at my school because I have alot to lose if I have to transfer out (Full tuition Scholarship, & Free housing for being a Community Assistant). As far as working as a cna that's not possible because im away at school and don't really have the resources to even get my cna and work with it. It would just be to much for me I'm from Philadelphia but go to school in a really small town. If I were in the city i would have had more options because I would be a commuter and I would be able to do more. As I said before I am applying for my current schools nursing program after Thanksgiving break If all goes well hopefully I will get in and start the actual program in Fall because for my current school I will have all of their prerequisites finished by this spring. Wish me luck! Thanks guys

Nursing24/7, LVN · Nov 1, 2012

I am torn as well. For me, it's the amount of time to complete my education that I am trying to cut back on because I am older and nursing is a career change for me (I already have a BA in another field). I prefer not to spend 4-5 years in school at this point in my life. I wish I had started nursing 4-5 years ago like I had originally planned because then it would probably be a different story...I wouldn't have cared about just sticking it out in school if I was younger in age. I've been interested in nursing since I was a teen and I come from a family full of nurses but I took a different career path and now I wish I hadn't.

I think it really depends on the job market in the area you live in though, that really will help you figure out the best path to take. I live in Los Angeles where ADNs are slowly being phased out and the BSN nurse is the requirement for 98.9% of the hospital jobs in the los angeles area. My problem is that I can't afford the private BSN programs which are $80,000+ in the LA area and take 3-4 years to complete. And majority of the CSU's have really competitive admission GPA requirements B+ and higher to even be seriously in the running for admission and not that i have a horrible GPA but it is def not 3.0+. And all the Community colleges in the area only offer ADN programs and I really would like to just go for my BSN I think at this point.

I found 1 BSN program at a CSU that I may have a chance at because the GPA requirement is between 2.5-3.0 (but of course the better your GPA is the better your chances) and it has a 93% NCLEX pass rate (one of the highest out of the CSU's), so right now I think that I am going to try really hard to get into that program. My plan B (which I am hoping I wount have to do) is to do an ADN program and then do a ADN to BSN program right after.

Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide!

FaithGurl93 · Nov 1, 2012

I'm a CNA as well. I was in a high school nursing program that helped students to become lpns once they graduated but they cram everything into two years and the teachers just give you the notes and you're left to fend for yourself. I know we weren't babies but when we had questions, the teacher who had been a nurse for almost 30 years could barely answer us and when we reviewed test, we had to correct her at times lol. I just know I wasn't ready to take an NCLEX PN with that kind of teaching lol so I got my CNA and I'm working while in school for my BSN

Nurse2b7337 · Nov 1, 2012

I too, am in the same boat deciding which route to take. I could apply to my current community college and more than likely get in. However, I really think I should go for my Bachelor's as this is becoming the norm. It would take me probably the same amout of time to complete my bachelor's as the associates because I've taken a good bit of the prereq's. I am weighing costs and the bachelor degree program is more costly than the other. I am leaning toward the Bachelor's. Ahhhhhh decisions-decisions!!