Trying to Decide!

Okay, you have given a lot of information, but someone from the outside might not exactly know what advice you are seeking. I will try to give my perspective, and maybe it will help you make a decision. There is a certain amount of science in nursing. I like science as I like to know how and why things happen. But I have not taken chemistry since high school (many, many years ago), and the major classes you need to know before nursing courses are a little biology and Pathophysiology. Other science courses are needed or used, but Pathophysiology is by far the most important. If you know how the body works, you can use critical thinking and observation to determine what is wrong or what to do next.

Having patient care experience is important, but the experience before becoming a nurse can hold you back. In nursing, you are taught to see things differently, and if you have developed bad habits from being a CNA (or doing CNA tasks), it can be hard when you change roles. As an instructor, I saw many students rely on their CNA duties when answering nursing questions, and they struggled to see the difference. Think of it this way, the CNA is helping the patient through what is happening right now. Nurses think about patient discharge when they first see the patient, and they always have to think about the process, including what could happen and what that would mean. As you become a nurse and get a couple of years of experience, you do these things without thinking about it.

I think talking with the school is important, but do not believe everything you hear. Find a student who graduated a year or so from that school and ask them how they think they were prepared. Ask a nurse who may have struggled or at least had a difficult time, as those who excelled will likely have all positive responses. Ask about fairness and support in the educational process. What are the numbers of students that start the program, and how many eventually graduate? Does it take 2 or 3 years for most students to graduate? What is the process or protocols if I fail a class or classes? These are important answers to make your decision. The pass rates can be looked up on your State Board of Nursing (SBON), so know the number before you ask to determine how they want you to see the program.

In conclusion, what decision are you trying to make? Trying to find a program that fits your life or style? Or in general, what you want to do as a career. Ask that nurse how they see the nursing profession. It is difficult being a nurse right now, and it isn't all about the acuity of the patients. It is about facilities and administration offloading tasks onto nurses that they should not be doing. Not in their scope of practice. The administration wants nurses to take on more patients, which makes nursing unsafe. For the nurse and for the patient. When something "bad" happens, it is always time to blame the nurse. No matter if you acted correctly or incorrectly. If you become a nurse, I highly recommend a liability insurance policy to protect your practice and your license.

Hope some of my words helped.