What's better, for my situation? I need help!

[Skips, MSN, RN]

My husband is graduating with his LPN on Thursday, December 16, 2010. YAY! He is starting in the RN program at his community college in January, but it's mostly the "pre-RN" classes that the students can get out of the way before the actual summer semester RN program officially begins. He will graduate from the RN program in May 2012.

I am taking pre-nursing courses myself, and I will have the last class done in May 2011 before I can apply to the same CC as my husband for the fall semester of LPN school. This will be in late August 2011. However, if I get accepted...my husband will still be in the middle of the RN program. His clinical days are going to be on Thursdays and Fridays, from 0630 to 1230. If I get accepted, my clinical days would be on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 0630 to 1230. Is that too crazy of a schedule?

However, I can also pursue a BSN at another program here (if I get accepted, but this one would be more difficult to get accepted into). I'd have to have another year to get the pre-req's done before I can even apply. Then it would take 2 more years, and it would be a lot more money.

I guess what I'm saying is: is the difficulty in schedules worth the economical factor, or will paying a lot more money save our sanity?

Going the CC way would be faster, and cheaper.

We also have a son that would be 2.5 years old when I would start the LPN program. whew! I am confused....we would go into debt if I wanted to do the BSN program.

Thanks for advice!

[blessedw2&ahubby]

I would call local hospitals and ask them how often they hire new grads with a ADN. I am guessing that the answer will be not very often. I live in a major city and have spoke with the 5 major hospitals and they have all said the WILL hire a new ADN grad but will always PREFER to hire someone with a BSN. This is SUCH a heated topic on this website. People with ADNs say doesn't matter...people with BSNs say it does. I am getting a BSN because I will be that much more marketable. I have 3 friends that have ADN and are new grads....it took about 9 to 12 months to get a job....all 3 work in nursing homes. That is not the path that either one of them wanted to go down...just could not get a job at a hospital. There is nothing wrong with nursing homes let me be clear about that...just not where any of my friends wanted to be. Call HR directors in your area and ask. I guess you should think about what you want to do with your career after you graduate. I want to work in NICU or PICU so a BSN is a MUST. Blessings and hope this helps!

[Saysfaa]

Am I missing something? What is difficult about that schedule?

I would NOT go into debt. That limits later options by too much. If you want the BSN, get an ADN and bridge to BSN rather than go into debt. Or take the prereqs as you can afford them and go full time after your husband graduates and you've saved up the money.

[blessedw2&ahubby]

Am I missing something? I agree that not going into debt is ALWAYS a good idea..but if the goal is to get a BSN and it is going to take why would you want to drag this out? LPN school = 9 to 12 months, LPN to RN ADN 12 to 18 months, ADN RN to BSN 12 months for a grand total of 24 to 42 months.(of course the time frames depend on the schools in your area) I would rather get the BSN and get it over with.... you are absolutley more marketable. I can't imagine that the cost of going to each of these schools individually would be any more then just going to get a BSN. Get scholarships and finacial aid....

[Skips, MSN, RN]

Well, I left out the other part of our schedules. I'm not sure about his program, but I do know he will be "pre-labbing" in the RN program, which means you go to the hospital the evening before clinical morning, and you fill out information about your patient. This could take up to 2 hours. I would be doing that, too...So, that's a full day of class plus 2 hours. Then off to clinical, another class after that one. It's pretty intense. It's 5 days for the first half of the semester, then 4 days. Since it will be that intense for both us while trying to raise a family, I didn't know if it would be a viable option.

[Saysfaa]

Our solution was he did school/work and I did full time mom. If I had it to do again, I'd do the same thing. I would not both of us do five or four full days of classes, then come home to study if I were in your shoes. I didn't bring home a pay check but I had time to fix things instead of replace them, cook, research bigger purchases, watch for sales, notice things that needed attention in a timely fashion, and so on so we didn't spend nearly as much either. I think we came out ahead financially. More importantly, I think the kids benefited from an unfrazzled parent and the extra time/attention.

Blessedw1andHubby, I think making a living is the goal rather than a BSN specifically. I don't know if it is true everywhere but I priced out the different paths around here and it is less to do RN-bridge to BSN than straight BSN, counting only the school related costs. Even if it wasn't, debt is still a bad idea.