Seeking advice second career

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I will be 28 tomorrow....lol. I currently hold a bachelors degree in psychology and a masters degree in behavioral epidemiology. Since I received my masters degree in 2006 each job that I've held I have worked with teams of nurses. Until I recently I never even considered being a nurse. Now its all I think about. I'm currently enrolling in a local university to complete some of my pre-nursing courses.

Here is my problem.....I already have an enormous amount of student loan debt from my previous degrees. I need advice on financing a nursing degree. Most of the schools that interest me require a full-time commitment so I would have to resign my full-time job and resort back to being a broke college student. This worries me a lot! Please share any scholarschips, grants, loan reimbursement programs or employeers that will pay for my education.

Since I already hold a bachelors degree I have to pay out of pocket for my pre-nursing courses. I anticipate that will be roughly $4000 or more.

I want to know if someone can tell me the pros/cons of seeking a Associate nursing degree vs BSN. I really need to know the difference because it appears that the Associate degree is much much much cheaper.

Thanks in advance for your feedback

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There really isn't many downsides to getting an Associates but it depends on the area. Some will prefer Bachelor's but honestly if an associates is the only possible way you could do it then I would do it. You can always do a RN-BSN later online which is I know yet another degree but it's cheaper than the direct BSN route.

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Since you already have a bachelors, you could consider an accelerated BSN. I'm not sure if it would save you money, but it would decrease the amount of time you're not working.

-B

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I already have a BA, so I'm attending a second degree BSN program (12 mos). I have to tell you, the financial aid is mostly non-existent for a second degree. I'm not eligible for any scholarships or grants through my state, which is how I paid the first time. I did get a decent scholarship through the school of nursing, but there was only one fund available, and most people didn't get one. The rest, I had to take out student loans (federal, not private). This just covers my tuition, not living expenses. Although my program is not outrageously expensive, many programs are.

I didn't go to cc because there is at least a 2 year waitlist. If you're okay with waiting - since you still have pre-reqs to complete - maybe consider the cheaper route? Plus, ASN program might allow you to keep working.

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Specializes in Infusion.

Not all comm colleges have waiting lists. In Oregon, most look at a mix of grades and essays. Some have interviews. I would take the cheapest route and get your ASN/ADN and worry about the BSN later. The pay is about the same. Some hospitals will only hire BSN new grads..... look for the hospitals that support their local ADN programs. Being a poor college student may be your only option.

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I totally understand your dilemma! I too have a BS and MS. I am currently enrolled in three of the four pre-reqs needed for the ABSN programs that trying to get into next year. I also work full-time. I fought myself (not literally LOL) about quitting my full time to go back to school for a BSN. I have decided that I am going to do it! I have bills as well, but keeping my current full-time and being miserable is not worth it in the long run. I would prefer to scale down to a college student again rather than show up to work everyday for a paycheck and not find my work fulfilling! I have a heap of student loans, too, but I'm not worried about that either.

You also ask about the ADN vs. BSN. My girlfriend has an ADN and she loves nursing, but doesn't like the hospital she works at so much. She has been applying for jobs for months and no one will hire her. She has been a RN for two years. She swears it's because she doesn't have her BSN. While I cannot tell you what to do, I would do the BSN. I'm only doing the BSN because I don't want to pay twice for a degree in the same field!

Best wishes!

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Getting an employer to pay for the program up front is hard nowadays. Most hospitals have eliminated this with the economic downturn. Any employers that still offer payment for school in return for work will require a multi-year contract. In general, these employers need to sign people into multiyear contracts because their attrition rate is very high (no one wants to stay).

What is more common is loan-payoff tied to retention. The Veterans Administration will pay off up to $15K in nursing student loans for each year of employment (to a max of three years/45K).

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Yep, I'm in the same boat! Bachelor's in Biomedical Sciences, Master's in Public Health. I have just applied to various community colleges in my area--much cheaper since I already have tons of school loans, I may even consider checking into the VA thing. You could also try the Armed Forces?? Colleges around here have full-time day and part-time evening programs, that may be something you could look into in your area.

Also, I think the ADN program is the way to go! If after you get out there and see the need for the BSN, you can do the mobility track.

Sorry for the rambling, good luck!!!

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@all- I want to thank everyone for the feedback. To be honest I'm still undecided on what I'm going to do. I wish this decision wasn't so hard. I'm struggling with being a broke college student again and potentially having to take out loans. My stomach hurts at the thoughts of more loans. But I am going to look into the the VA loan repayment

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I have a BS in journalism and last year decided I wanted a change. I worked in public relations for 2 years and was not happy at all!!! After much deliberation over whether to quit my job or go to school while continuing to work, I decided to quit and start my prereqs for nursing school full time. It was the best decision I could've made!! I am SO much happier now! Although I don't think you should throw out your financial concerns, as they are legit, but be sure to put your happiness first! For me, I was at a breaking point and needed to get out of my old job quickly. I am happily broke and in debt. Good luck with your decision!!

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If I were you, I'd satisfy the nursing itch with non-nursing-school solutions until the loans were paid off and the money for nursing school saved up. daveramsey.com has good advice on how to dig oneself out of loans. Being debt-free means a whole lot more options later.

Non-nursing school solutions might include: prereq classes, prep classes that aren't required but would be helpful, volunteering, shadowing, researching, teaching yourself things like medical terminology, anatomy, some simple pharmocology...

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I have a BS in Psychology and am completing prereqs for the nursing program at our local community college. Even though I have a bachelor's, I have received generous financial aid. Last semester I took only one class, but I didn't have to pay for anything but books.

As for having to quit work, if you go through a community college program, it may be possible to work (nights and weekends at the hospital) while completing the program. Our ADN program is only 10 credits per semester (if you get all your prereqs out of the way first), as opposed to 16 credits per semester for the BSN I also considered.

Our local hospital reimburses tuition, so I plan to do the RN to BSN after I get a job. Then, all I will have to pay for is the ADN (probably less than $3000 out of pocket).

If you aren't ready to make the leap, I agree with the poster who suggested volunteering and job shadowing. I have done both and enjoyed them immensely. Good luck to you!

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