RN education advice

NurseGirl525, ASN, RN · Oct 31, 2016

Why is your ultimate goal an NP? Join the thousands of others who want to become one, by the way.

Think about it this way, can you master any subject without having first practiced it? Direct entry MSN programs are wanting you to do that. While they laugh at your struggles in finding a job as they already have your money.

Bravo colleges for making people feel they are nothing if they don't get that NP title.

BrendanO, MSN, RN · Oct 31, 2016

Are you still looking to go to school in Chicago? There is no "best path", really. The programs you were considering back in April are all different in length, cost, and size.

Personally, I picked Rush because it's a semester shorter than UIC, cheaper than DePaul (and DePaul requires orgo pre-req), and less intense than Loyola. I also liked that Rush prepares students for CNL certification, for whatever that may be worth. I couldn't see the value going back to get an ADN, as I'm probably headed for APRN eventually, and that would require a BSN/MSN at some point later. CCC is definitely much, much cheaper than the others, though.

Did you apply for the spring 2017 cohorts anywhere, or still just thinking about it?

BrendanO, MSN, RN · Oct 31, 2016

Think about it this way, can you master any subject without having first practiced it? Direct entry MSN programs are wanting you to do that. While they laugh at your struggles in finding a job as they already have your money.

Do you have evidence (not anecdotes) that RNs from two-year MSN programs have any more or less trouble finding a job than graduates of 15- or 18-month ABSN or two-year BSN programs? All three direct-entry MSN programs in Chicago say that they have 90+% employment rates at 6 months post-licensing. Do you think they're all lying?

ILNurse2b · Oct 31, 2016

Thank you Brendan. I am considering Rush as well they have a great program. I thought about going to CCC Malcolm X for RN since they tailor their program to transfer to Rush. But it seems I would be going backwards by getting an associates degree from CCC instead of just going to Rush and getting my MSN. But if I went to CCC I would be an RN faster and could work while continuing my education. I'm just not sure the best route that would be efficient and the least money.

BrendanO, MSN, RN · Oct 31, 2016

The fastest and cheapest non-CCC option to become an RN is the Loyola ABSN program. It's 16 months (four semesters) and $52k. I think it would be very difficult to work while in it (it's 18 credit-hours per term).

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Oct 31, 2016

Moved to the Pre-Nursing Student forum.

ItsThatJenGirl, CNA · Nov 1, 2016

Is getting your accelerated BSN an option? If so, that's the route I would take. 15-18 months and you're working.

Buyer beware, BSN · Nov 7, 2016

I think NurseGirl525 is on to something.

Nurses possess/nuture/develop over time and through clinical diligence and practice a descrete set of skills that makes our knowlege base very special if not unique among job categories.

Nurses even posess specialized knowledge we often allow others to take credit for and the money too.

With many this knowledge becomes second nature over time so it's not considered a big deal by many practitioners--- but it is!

Knowledge of disease processes, treatment protocols, hands on procedures, being able to recognize the deathly ill from the merely sickly well and so much more takes time; or else it used to.

The idea of the fast tract or the accelerated program or any program that wants to give you a badge and a one way ticket to taking care of the the complex needs of the human beings scares me; while the person who aspires to this level of patient care without the aforementioned basic rights of passage terrifies me even more.

Maybe OP you should consider becoming a Physician's Assistant. No offense intended but you may have the perfect bacground for it right now,