Hi! I just found this forum and it looks like it will be really helpful figuring out all the school stuff ...Right now I'm looking into prereq courses (all the community colleges nearby were waitlisted this semester for the evening courses I needed) and trying to figure out which direction to go.... I have a Bachelors in General Studies/Human Services and I'm not sure if I should get an Associates in Nursing then bump the RN up to a MSN once I start working.... or do an entry level master's program (they aren't as easy to find it seems). Also, I currently live in Campbell but may move to Marin county...I work full time and need night courses...but most Associates programs seem to have day classes and a lot of master's programs look like they are full time. So, I was wondering if anyone had any info/advice on how to swing the work/school thing without having to be in school forever.... and any school programs or day jobs you have found that are accommodating to work/school. I'd rather not do the online courses.....Wow, I hope that made sense.
Thanks everyone! I would rather have a masters and not have to go back again to upgrade.... but I do want to start working ASAP and the only entry level masters program I've found nearby that I can afford (if I move, other than SF) is Sonoma State but I think it's mostly online. I will do some more searches tho. I guess I may just have to suck it up and take out a big loan.
Hello- How's the research going for Sonoma State? I'm in the same boat. I'm deciding which route is best for me. I already have my BS and I'm working on pre-reqs for either: ADN, AccBSN, or ELMSN. I've done some research- most CSU's offer an ELMSN program now. I think Sonoma State's is fairly new and I noticed they have a lot of courses online. Anyways, have you made a decision? Good luck!
on thing i forgot, associates, bachelors or masters...you take the same licensing exam. getting out of school with a masters and no experience will probably land you the same job as someone with an associates. possibly at the same pay. again, that will probably depend on where you choose to work. check the job postings for local hospitals and they will usually look for education plus experience for jobs in icu's, pacu's, er and sctu.
another thing you may want to look into is hospitals that will pay for a portion of your education in turn for agreeing to work for the facility for some period of time...as in a contract between you and them.
not exactly the same. bsn or msn coursework is preparation for nursing leadership so you would be in line for those types of positions much faster than if you start with the adn. also some hospitals and most fed gov positions either prefer or require a bsn so while there are some merits of taking getting an associate's degree or diploma at community college or a local hospital and then working your way up there are also plenty of career benefits to starting at the bsn level or above.
I also have a B.A. and have way too many hours to qualify for financial aid once I actually start the program. What I am doing is going to apply for everything ADN, BSN and MSN (for people have bachelor's in other fields). People can recommend the BSN all they want to but if money is a problem and you are unable to get financial aid as a result of having too many credit hours (usually 180+, I will be at 178 when I start the program with my pre-reqs adding on to B.A. credit hours) than it would be better to do the ADN (which is usually manageable financially if you have a part time job) or the MSN which you would be able to get financial aid for because it's a graduate program.
My advice to you is apply for ALL of them. BSN, ADN, and MSN. If you get the BSN program then more than likely you will need to find financial assistance from a hospital or entirely in the form of scholarships--which is tough to do but is possible to have the entire thing paid for this route. I'm only going to do the BSN *if* I have scholarships/hospital loans to cover my entire need.
The reality is that BSNs are not easy for people who already have degrees if they are in danger of being disqualified for financial aid. If you can find Accelerated BSN programs and you are not too close to your credit hour cap (say your in the ballpark of 122-130) than you may be able to swing it
Just apply for as many as you can and see after you are accepted which is the all-around better choice. Clearly having a BSN is better for you if you plan on advancing than an ADN. But you can always go straight from an ADN to BSN and have your employer pay it or have enough money as a nurse to pay for it yourself if need be. Plus they are usually exclusively online which means you can still work.
My first choice is MSN (which I am about 90% confident about), second is BSN (99% confident) with all expenses paid (not so confident about that part) , then ADN is third. If I do end up doing ADN, then I will go ADN-BSN immediately afterwards, and then MSN (or DNP which it may be then) because my ultimate goal is to be a NNP.
It's always good to have backup plans, and I have about three--makes it easier to sleep at night.
Not exactly the same. BSN or MSN coursework is preparation for nursing leadership so you would be in line for those types of positions much faster than if you start with the ADN. Also some hospitals and most fed gov positions either prefer or require a BSN so while there are some merits of taking getting an associate's degree or diploma at community college or a local hospital and then working your way up there are also plenty of career benefits to starting at the BSN level or above.
Even with training for APN, students are usually licensed as RNs for several years before completing their APN training. Meaning, if I am accepted into my AE MSN program, I will be an RN long before I am done with the Nurse Practitioner component. Which means I will be a nurse for 2+ years with out the MSN benefit--meaning entry level pay just like everyone else--which I think was the poster's point to which you responded. You are right that the MSN gets you there faster, but there are ADN-MSN programs out there which get ADNs to MSNs as fast as BSNs can get to them.
Well, it comes down to money versus time. In my area, community colleges are not waitlisted, just merit based. You get in or you don't. It's a 2 year program, and the pace is less hectic so it's possible to work during school AND tuition is low.
The second degree BSN programs are around 12 months, incredibly expensive, and not really possible to work through. But you're done in a year and have a BSN.
Nursing school is competitive to get in to, so it might make sense to take prerequisites to cover several programs and then make your decision based on where you are accepted, whether there are waitlists, what financial aid is available, etc.
I'm unable to reply back to your PM (I guess I haven't met the required number of posts?) but wanted to say overall, I'm happy with the program and if I could do it again, I'd still choose CSULB. It definitely puts your social life on hold and many of us will have to reintroduce ourselves to family and friends after graduation!! But if you want to get your BSN & MSN asap, then this would be a great option for you. Also, if you're considering on becoming an APN, CSULB allows you to choose any of the options they offer (FNP, GNP, CNS, etct). Just keep in mind that what students normally learn in a 15-18 week long semester, you will learn in 6 weeks i.e. you'll have 2-3 days of lecture, then 2 days of 12-hour clinicals, plus time to actually study, etc. Also, you may be able to work part-time during the MSN part due to the schedule format (I believe it's less intense), but definintely won't be able to do so as easily during the BSN part.
There are amazing instructors who are great student advocates, but then there are also the not so great ones...but this can probably be said for any or most academic settings. In terms of feeling prepared to become an RN, I honestly haven't met a single RN who has said that he/she felt comfortable when first starting out (we haven't graduated yet) as a new grad no matter what kind of program they graduated from. But I'm a firm believer you take out what you put in, so if you're a go-getter and motivated (which sounds like you are with your researching nursing schools!), I think that any program would be lucky to have you.
, then ADN is third. If I do end up doing ADN, then I will go ADN-BSN immediately afterwards, and then MSN (or DNP which it may be then) because my ultimate goal is to be a NNP.
saral_123
79 Posts
Hello- How's the research going for Sonoma State? I'm in the same boat. I'm deciding which route is best for me. I already have my BS and I'm working on pre-reqs for either: ADN, AccBSN, or ELMSN. I've done some research- most CSU's offer an ELMSN program now. I think Sonoma State's is fairly new and I noticed they have a lot of courses online. Anyways, have you made a decision? Good luck!
Sara