Second Career in Nursing:Accelerated BSN Questions

zoya1 · Apr 6, 2017

I think before you invest any money into this, you have to find out if you'll do well in the sciences. You don't have to be naturally gifted in those areas, but you have to do really well in those courses and it helps if you enjoy them. Chemistry, Anatomy, and Physiology can be difficult, especially if you don't have much of a science background. I would suggest getting some books and start reading and testing yourself now before enrolling in the courses. Coursera is great if you want to try taking some courses for free:

Chemistry - University of Kentucky | Coursera

Advanced Chemistry - University of Kentucky | Coursera

Introductory Human Physiology - Duke University | Coursera

adventure_rn, MSN, NP · Apr 9, 2017

To piggy back off of the PP, if you don't excel in the sciences then the CRNA route might be a terrible fit. The main focus of the CRNA role is biochemistry, pharmacology, and pathophysiology, since your primary role is selecting, administering, and monitoring the effects of potent anesthetic drugs. That said, I wouldn't discount nursing all together. Even if you're not naturally gifted at the sciences, I think that with focus and hard work you can get through your classes.

I was a second degree ABSN, and it's the best decision I ever made. I work in NICU, and I love it so much I'd do it for free (don't tell the union, lol). Nursing is an awesome career for all the reasons you described, and a few more. I have no concerns related to job security. My job is stimulating and challenging, and I learn new things every day. I'm full-time with great benefits, and I only have to work 3 days a week (3 12-hour shifts)--four day weekends every weekend! I have no work-related obligations when I'm not at work, so great work-life balance. It is very easy to go part-time; conversely, it's also easy to pick up part-time work in addition to your full-time job in order to make some extra cash. There are endless opportunities for advancement or specialization (advanced practice as an NP/CRNA, management, education, research, etc.) if you need a break from the bedside. My patients' families tend to appreciate my hard work since I'm caring for their babies, and they frequently express their gratitude (however, there are certainly nurses who feel overworked and undervalued, so my experience isn't necessarily universal.)

My best piece of advice is to volunteer or shadow in a hospital. Most people have a vague sense of what outpatient nurses do, but unless you've been hospitalized for an extended period of time you may not have seen many nurses 'in action.' Volunteering in a hospital may help you to better understand the day-to-day nursing role, and clarify whether or not you'd actually enjoy doing it; it will also make you a more competitive nursing school candidate. As an FYI, you can take nursing school prerequisite classes online, but you cannot get your initial nursing degree online because it requires so many clinical hours.

Best of luck!

shasta13 · May 11, 2017

I am you, 15 years older. I say this as a 40 year old in your shoes...make the change for long term happiness. I stayed so long even though I was unhappy because 1) I was good at it, and 2) I felt I had invested so much into my career that it would be a shame to let it go to waste. It wasn't a waste, but I wasn't happy. Like you, I thought I wasn't suited for science classes. Like you, I considered earning my MBA. Ultimately, I knew the MBA wasn't going to make me any happier in my career. I thought long and hard about what I would do if I could start all over, and I enrolled in General Biology instead.

General Biology is hands down the hardest college course I have ever taken in my life. I had never had any kind of biology or chemistry course before (even in high school) and I was surprised by the amount of chemistry I needed to know for the class. I felt like I was taking biology and chemistry at the same time, and I took it over an extended summer term (it was 12 weeks long vs the standard 6, but still not a "full length" semester.) I was lucky enough that I didn't have to work while taking this one class and I literally spent 6-8 hours a day studying for this class. I was doing well, but I was constantly stressed out that I didn't know enough material. Knowing how much time I was putting into this class, I thought it would be wise of me to only take 1 science class at a time.

In the end, I got one of the two As in the class. When meeting with my advisor, she told me that General Biology at our school has a 50% fail rate and she was very impressed with my performance. After that discussion and after earning that A, I felt like I could do anything. I ended up taking AP1 & Microbiology in the same semester and AP2 & Chemistry in the same semester, easily all with As--and I still say, hands down, General Biology was the hardest class.

I didn't have to put near as much time and effort into the other classes and that really boosted my confidence. Maybe I am a science person, after all! I tried to think back to why I thought I wasn't good at science. I certainly don't want to blame anyone else, but maybe it was a little bit of lack of passionate teachers in middle/high school combined with a lot of my general laziness and failure to make an effort to understand the material that made me choose classes that were naturally easier for me (hence leading to a degree in business.)

I can't answer your question regarding an ABSN program because I haven't completed one, but that is now my plan. I just finished my pre-requisites and I'm playing the waiting game now (expect to hear any day now!) Honestly, I guess I really can't answer any of your questions, because ultimately it's your life. I just read your post and saw so much of me in it. Even with that, I can't say that I wish I had made the change when I was 25. I'm grateful for the experiences I had along the way, but I'm excited now for my new path. I wish you all the luck.

Laurensbyrd · May 17, 2017

Hi! I was you a year and a half ago. I earned bachelors of science in Psychology from Clemson University and went on to work in the HR department at a regional bank. I was really good at my job but the "business" aspect just was NOT for me. I always dreamed of working in the healthcare industry but had reservations due to the amount of debt to be accrued along with the level of competitiveness involved.

When we found out my husband was being stationed in Utah, I decided to "go for it" and apply to an accelerated second-degree BSN program. It was the best decision I've ever made. Nursing is truly my passion and my reasoning is solidified every single day. I am gifted in math and the sciences; however, I do not think that is required if you truly have an interest in the subject and WANT to learn. Nursing is much more than anatomy and physiology. Now that I am in my nursing courses, we learn how to handle situations as a nurse - I have been thoroughly surprised by how little "science" is explicitly involved. A decent background and understanding of the human body is necessary, but many things will be learned and reinforced during your program.

That being said: I think you should do it. You will likely need prerequisites to be accepted into a nursing program - those will be your math and science courses. They will be challenging (they are for everyone, even those of us that really like and do well with the material) but they are not impossible. As a second-degree student you will be better prepared to take on these courses (in my experience). It's really amazing what a few years away from school do for our study habits.