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Discussion

Strugging to decipher nursing programs in SF Bay Area

I feel like I've been taking prerequisite classes for 5 years... oh wait, I have! I have a non-nursing bachelor's and am either very close to being able to apply for a nursing program OR still very far away... depending on which program, since they all have such varying prerequisite requirements.

My question: are there any good RN or BSN programs in the San Francisco Bay Area that a person could take part-time? That was my original plan but it's very hard to find such a program. Now I am considering quitting work, taking out gigantic loans for a year or two and doing an accelerated BSN or MSN program (perhaps the one at San Francisco State?). But I can't decide what is the right course -- I know there are loan forgiveness programs, etc., but I'm worried about quitting my job, since I have a disabled partner at home so we'd be living on my salary/loans alone... it's all very complicated and frustrating.

anybody else in this area, doing similar research?

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Dear Cat,

I too went through your struggle. I vovered ll my bases, strugglrd with the giant loan issue, and eventually moved to NM to get the accelerated program that took all my pre-req's. NOW, after you get out of school, you will not be able to easily find work in CA. CA is my home (born in SF) and I was heartbroken to move back, get licensed, and receive a worthless piece of paper, because there are very few " NEW GRAD" positions-in fact there are none-you must apply to new grad "programs"-I ended up moving back to NM to work, paid CA to unlicense me, paid NM to license and now I await CA to let me go officially to get the NM lic. ARGHHH!!! I would suggest moving to a less populated state for your education. Otherwise, Samuel Merrit to the tune of 60-80K. Good Luck. Hope you get to stay there!

I am with you. If it is not struggling to find the funds to support you, it's wondering if you will get accepted. It is so competitive to get into ANY schools in California.

NOW, after you get out of school, you will not be able to easily find work in CA. CA is my home (born in SF) and I was heartbroken to move back, get licensed, and receive a worthless piece of paper, because there are very few " NEW GRAD" positions-in fact there are none-you must apply to new grad "programs"-I ended up moving back to NM to work, paid CA to unlicense me, paid NM to license and now I await CA to let me go officially to get the NM lic. ARGHHH!

I was just posting about this very worry! What if I go through all this and can't even find a job - and the nursing job market is as impacted as the nursing programs? I can not and will not leave the Bay Area to find work - I have a house, kids, spouse and aging parents/in-laws here. It is a little scary, especially with so much invested in this.

Good luck in NM!

You will find something. Apply EARLY to the Nurse Grad "programs" at Kaiser, UC hospitals and Sutter hospitals. I did not know this when I went back so it's my own fault. My student loans are due now, so I had to leave again.

Best of Luck (and it helps to know someone too)

get licensed, and receive a worthless piece of paper, because there are very few " NEW GRAD" positions-in fact there are none-you must apply to new grad "programs"

Could you (or anyone else) elaborate on the difference between "programs" and "positions?" I've seen posts about the 'new grad programs' -- but haven't yet investigated what is meant by them. Thanks.

  • Experts
Dear Cat,

I too went through your struggle. I vovered ll my bases, strugglrd with the giant loan issue, and eventually moved to NM to get the accelerated program that took all my pre-req's. NOW, after you get out of school, you will not be able to easily find work in CA. CA is my home (born in SF) and I was heartbroken to move back, get licensed, and receive a worthless piece of paper, because there are very few " NEW GRAD" positions-in fact there are none-you must apply to new grad "programs"-I ended up moving back to NM to work, paid CA to unlicense me, paid NM to license and now I await CA to let me go officially to get the NM lic. ARGHHH!!! I would suggest moving to a less populated state for your education. Otherwise, Samuel Merrit to the tune of 60-80K. Good Luck. Hope you get to stay there!

Not sure what you are talking about but you do not get unlicensed in one state to get a license in another. You only need to endorse the original license, in your case, it would be to NM. But you still retain the CA license.

Your diploma is not worthless, it is just that you came from an area that has a large number of nursing schools and that means a large number of graduates for a limited number of positions. If you have two years of experience, you will not find any issues with finding a job in the Bay Area.

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