Want to go to nursing school, but I'm out of the country for 3 years.. Advice please

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2017

I would try to take as many "core courses" i.e. non-nursing requirements as possible online through an American college (to facilitate acceptance/transfer of credit) while you're away. If you can become Australia's equivalent of a CNA and do some hands on practice as well, that would make nursing school easier for you. Can you access the military's study programs as a military spouse?

caliotter3 · Jul 23, 2017

Could you stay with family while you go to school? If 'space available' travel is still used in the military, you could possibly use that venue to visit your husband during time off from school. And there is skype for day to day communication. Time will pass quicker if you are actively in school, working toward your goal.

ggirl91 · Jul 23, 2017

Thank you very much for your advice! Depending on the school, some do give tuition assistance to military spouses if that's what you mean by the military's study program? I do have a lot of general ed courses completed already, minus biology and chemistry courses, but I'll look into it to see if there is anything else I can take in the mean time.. I wonder though if I'll have to repeat some courses when I get back to the states just because it will have been a few years since I took them by then.

Becoming a CNA equivalent over here sounds like a good idea if they have such a thing. We are also in a very remote location of Australia, but I'll see what I can find í ½í¸Š thank you again

ggirl91 · Jul 23, 2017

I agree that going back to the states would be the quickest route to get this train going. I'm unsure as to what the 'space available' travel is, but I really would prefer to stay with my husband. I don't really see staying with family as an option.. They either are not in good living situations themselves and/or don't live near any schools that offer BSN programs. Thank you for your advice thoughí ½í¸Š

caliotter3 · Jul 24, 2017

Because of budget cuts, the military may no longer offer space available travel. It is/was a system where you go to a military airport (with your military ID card) and sign up for a flight to wherever. As each plane comes and goes, if there is space on the flight, they will take along the space available travelers. The only drawback is that it is truly space available. You have to be prepared to wait a long time to get where you are going. So you hang out in the airport or take a room at the nearby hotel and go wait again the next day if necessary. If you have a drop dead date for coming and going (such as returning for start of school), you might have to take a commercial flight for that leg of the journey. Ask your husband about it.

Just looked it up, system still exists.

ggirl91 · Jul 24, 2017

Thanks for the info í ½í¸Š yeah I asked him about it earlier, he said it is available. He doesn't really want to be separated either.. Especially since his assignment is longer here because I came with him. I'll just have to figure something out.. There is a CNA equivalent here, but where we are at is very remote, and I haven't found a program nearby í ½í¸•