Hi, new here. Love this website, I've been lurking for awhile before I made an account:) happy I did!
I'm looking into different nursing programs offered in my area and while many require students to take and pass prerequisite classes I found/heard of a few that don't. For example, Sumner College in Portland, Oregon has a new location that offers an RN program, 2 year Associates degree, with no pre-reqs. The only requirements to apply are diploma/GED, pass TEAS, and complete 2 essays. I reviewed the courses in their RN program and the "General Education classes" are listed in there at the bottom, which are: English Composition, Expository Writing, English and Writing, Psychology, Human Growth and Development, and Sociology 1 but they seem to be incorporated into the RN program and not required to take before nursing school...What does this mean exactly? That it isn't proper Nursing education if it just skips all that as a requirement to apply? I've read most nurses taking an extra 1-2 years, in addition to the 2 year RN program, to take/finish their pre-reqs. Should I look at only the schools that have pre-reqs? Even if I'd rather be an RN in two years and not 3-4.. ? But would prefer proper education over the time it takes. Sorry if this is poorly explained, typing fast on my tablet. Basically my main question is, does not having to take and pass any pre-reqs classes for Nursing school make the school bad?
The nursing school I attended needed an entrance exam to get into and was competitive. It was a 3 year Bsn accelerated program which included everything you would take if you attended a traditional nursing program. School recommended sciences but if you didn't have that they would incorporate into your program. Some people don't have the time to take prerequisite course due to many reasons and don't have the time to wait on a waiting list. Why not take a program which incorporates them into the program? It may cost you more but pays off in the long run. Why do you say you don't buy it any particular reason?
My problems with it:
1. What exactly is incorporating it? Extra classes during the semester or just randomly introducing microbiology and chemistry during various classes. If the latter is the case that IS cutting corners. Sorry, "incorporation" of science doesn't take replace a strong background in science with brick and mortar classes and labs.
2. If you don't have time then you shouldn't go into nursing. As I said before why do ALL medical, dental or pharm schools REQUIRE a set standard of science pre reqs before admission? Because they actually matter and are needed to progress to the next level. Half-a-s-sing the S in BSN doesn't help nursing progress into the 21st century and actually opens more criticism from naysayers who already say APRNs or RNs in general don't have enough of a science background.
Once again I don't buy it.
I took:
2 semesters of A and P
2 semester of Gen Chem
1 sem of O chem
1 sem of Microbiology
2 semesters of Physics
2 semester of stats/calc
I felt like I earned my B"S"N and am a better nurse because of it. I'm an RN now and taking Gen Bio (Harder than A/P in my opnion) and Histology so I can learn even more. You never stop learning.
But hey lets just skip it all and "incorporate" it I am sure that's efficient and thorough
My problems with it: 1. What exactly is incorporating it? Extra classes during the semester or just randomly introducing microbiology and chemistry during various classes. If the latter is the case that IS cutting corners. Sorry "incorporation" of science doesn't take replace a strong background in science. 2. If you don't have time then you shouldn't go into nursing. As I said before why do ALL medical, dental or pharm schools REQUIRE a set standard of science pre reqs before admission? Because they actually matter and are needed to progress to the next level. Half-a-s-sing the S in BSN doesn't help nursing progress into the 21st century and actually opens more criticism from naysayers who already say APRN don't have enough of a science background. Once again I don't buy it. I took: 2 semesters of A and P 2 semester of Gen Chem 1 sem of O chem 1 sem of Microbiology 2 semesters of Physics 2 semester of stats/calc I felt like I earned my B"S"N But hey lets just skip it all and "incorporate" it I am sure that's efficient and thorough[/quote']
Incorporating means adding classes to your set schedule. If you never took chem or biology they would insert those classes into your program schedule. Some people work for a living and may not have the same opportunity as some people do to be able to wait for a program slot to open. People have to work and take care of their families as well as saving up money to pay for the program. I'm in the same boat with you. I completed all my prerequisites before attending so I'm not against you. I'm just saying even though schools may not have prerequisite doesn't mean it's not a real nursing program. I have many colleagues who graduated from a schools without prerequisites and are successful ER nurses, flight nurses as we'll as CRNA's.
Specializes in Pediatrics/Developmental Pediatrics/Research/psych.
My problems with it:
1. What exactly is incorporating it? Extra classes during the semester or just randomly introducing microbiology and chemistry during various classes. If the latter is the case that IS cutting corners. Sorry, "incorporation" of science doesn't take replace a strong background in science with brick and mortar classes and labs.
2. If you don't have time then you shouldn't go into nursing. As I said before why do ALL medical, dental or pharm schools REQUIRE a set standard of science pre reqs before admission? Because they actually matter and are needed to progress to the next level. Half-a-s-sing the S in BSN doesn't help nursing progress into the 21st century and actually opens more criticism from naysayers who already say APRNs or RNs in general don't have enough of a science background.
Once again I don't buy it.
I took:
2 semesters of A and P
2 semester of Gen Chem
1 sem of O chem
1 sem of Microbiology
2 semesters of Physics
2 semester of stats/calc
I felt like I earned my B"S"N and am a better nurse because of it. I'm an RN now and taking Gen Bio (Harder than A/P in my opnion) and Histology so I can learn even more. You never stop learning.
But hey lets just skip it all and "incorporate" it I am sure that's efficient and thorough
I'm wondering what you needed the physics and calculus for. A and P, micro definitely. Statistics is obviously needed before research, I can understand requiring 1 or 2 chemistry classes (3 seems a bit much), but why physics and calculus.
This has nothing to do with trying to limit learning, but aren't there other things to focus on? For example, maybe increase the science load by requiring epidemiology/genetics/histology/advanced patho.
I understand that med school and the like have these requirements, but those are Grad schools. That means they have to have 120 credits (some sort of baccalaureate degree). Nursing schools can't require 120 prerequisite credits because entry level RN is at most a BSN.
An undergrad students can really only take about 150 credits before graduating. If a program has sixty nursing credits, there can only be about sixty other credits. In my school, each of those classes is four credits, which would mean forty. That does not allow many other classes
At minimum most programs require intro to psych, developmental/child psych, two English classes, nutrition, pathophysiology, a music or art, philosophy/ethics, sociology. That equals 27 credits.
Then there are also other requirements that some schools have like computers, language, history, economics, phys Ed...
Where do all these classes fit in to a ~120 credit plan?
Also, a BSN isn't required for entry to practice, so if ADN students are require to take these classes, go would you justify them?
My program was somewhat like that. Because it's an AAS, there aren't as many gen ed requirements, and the only classes you had to take to apply were AP 1, Gen Psych, and a semester of English. All the rest of your typical prerequisites were considers coreqs.
But the reality was a big part of acceptance was how many of those coreqs you'd already taken. So the people who were accepted had at MOST one course outstanding to take during the nursing program. Which is good, because it would be impossible to get through the program taking a lot of extra coursework.
So anyway, my point is that minimum requirements don't always reflect what actually goes on.
Agreed. The program I first went into had only 1 official prereq, but then there were 10 courses that gave points toward admission depending on your grade, and if you didn't take most of them and get mostly A's you weren't getting in. This was only made clear in the info session.
That's weird! I don't see how can you understand what you are going to do as a nurse if you don't study human anatomy and physiology first. I think A&P is the foundation. Microbiology is equally important, and (although I'm not a fan of English classes) college English teaches you how to write as a professional and how to think critically. I don't know how is in your state, but in Georgia and Florida, ASN programs are being phased out. The new minimum requisite for nurses is going to be a bachelors degree.
That's weird! I don't see how can you understand what you are going to do as a nurse if you don't study human anatomy and physiology first. I think A&P is the foundation. Microbiology is equally important, and (although I'm not a fan of English classes) college English teaches you how to write as a professional and how to think critically. I don't know how is in your state, but in Georgia and Florida, ASN programs are being phased out. The new minimum requisite for nurses is going to be a bachelors degree.
Where are you getting this information? You can't make generalizations like this if you don't know what's going on. I live in SW Florida and work for one of the biggest hospital systems here and most nurses are hired from the local community college that offers the ASN degrees
That's weird! I don't see how can you understand what you are going to do as a nurse if you don't study human anatomy and physiology first. I think A&P is the foundation. Microbiology is equally important and (although I'm not a fan of English classes) college English teaches you how to write as a professional and how to think critically. I don't know how is in your state, but in Georgia and Florida, ASN programs are being phased out. The new minimum requisite for nurses is going to be a bachelors degree.[/quote']
Rumors.
There are so many different places nurses work, and a hospital is only ONE of them. ADNs aren't going anywhere.
FYI I got that info in an information session at University of North Georgia. The director of the program explained that is the reason they are phasing out the ADN program they have. There is one last group taking classes right now and that is the last one. Also the Adventist University of Health Sciences is no longer offering the associates degree in Orlando, FL. I have a relative who studied there. No rumors as your assuming. Thanks!
? But would prefer proper education over the time it takes. Sorry if this is poorly explained, typing fast on my tablet. Basically my main question is, does not having to take and pass any pre-reqs classes for Nursing school make the school bad? 
Dranger
1,871 Posts
My problems with it:
1. What exactly is incorporating it? Extra classes during the semester or just randomly introducing microbiology and chemistry during various classes. If the latter is the case that IS cutting corners. Sorry, "incorporation" of science doesn't take replace a strong background in science with brick and mortar classes and labs.
2. If you don't have time then you shouldn't go into nursing. As I said before why do ALL medical, dental or pharm schools REQUIRE a set standard of science pre reqs before admission? Because they actually matter and are needed to progress to the next level. Half-a-s-sing the S in BSN doesn't help nursing progress into the 21st century and actually opens more criticism from naysayers who already say APRNs or RNs in general don't have enough of a science background.
Once again I don't buy it.
I took:
2 semesters of A and P
2 semester of Gen Chem
1 sem of O chem
1 sem of Microbiology
2 semesters of Physics
2 semester of stats/calc
I felt like I earned my B"S"N and am a better nurse because of it. I'm an RN now and taking Gen Bio (Harder than A/P in my opnion) and Histology so I can learn even more. You never stop learning.
But hey lets just skip it all and "incorporate" it I am sure that's efficient and thorough