Where to start help please

Published

my wife wants to go to school to become a rn. however, i'm in the military and we move frequently which makes it practically impossible for her to have 4 years guaranteed at the same location. unfortunately, for us to be able to afford her school means that i more or less have to stay in since i am still 2+ years away from finishing my degree (its taken me 5 years to get my associates lol). i am certain that i could be stabilized for at least 2 years (which from my understanding is the required length for most nursing schools) but in the mean time wish to find an option for her to start her schooling. we have attempted to search the net for some type of prenursing program that can be completed online... with no luck. could someone please provide the basics of what she would need to get into a nursing program? what is the best thing to do in our situation? the only thing we have come up with amongst ourselves is for her to get an associates in general studies and just take a bunch of natural science/chemistry courses. my main concern though is that she doesn't loose to many credits transferring to a nursing school. if someone could point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated. if someone could give me a school that provides such a course i will consider you my hero :) lol

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Clinical Documentation Specialist.

I'm in the same spot because my hubby moves with work (builds powerplants), but I came across a great option because of allnurses. Try online community colleges for her pre-reqs! I am doing it that way and it works out great. My daughter is going to start the same thing here in the fall...she will get 60 credits (paid by her HS) and then only have to enter into the 2 year program to get her BSN.

If your wife does them through a CC, they should transfer no problem between states, most English, AP and stats are pretty much the same no matter where you go.

Start with some research into what she needs. Check out some nursing schools in where you think you might be when she is done the pre-reqs (that's what I had to do...and it changed 3 times!!). Then find an online school to take them through and go from there.

Good luck!!

Hope that helps!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

two options:

1) find a community college and start doing the prereqs. even if she only spends one semester at each school, eventually she'll have the first two years completed. eventually she will have to commit to spending two years in one school to get the aa or bsn.

2) find an accredited online nursing school that is an approved program in your state. i think university of phoenix is approved in california but not sure. avoid this at all costs since online programs are the worst way to do it.

my wife wants to go to school to become a rn. however, i'm in the military and we move frequently which makes it practically impossible for her to have 4 years guaranteed at the same location. unfortunately, for us to be able to afford her school means that i more or less have to stay in since i am still 2+ years away from finishing my degree (its taken me 5 years to get my associates lol). i am certain that i could be stabilized for at least 2 years (which from my understanding is the required length for most nursing schools) but in the mean time wish to find an option for her to start her schooling. we have attempted to search the net for some type of prenursing program that can be completed online... with no luck. could someone please provide the basics of what she would need to get into a nursing program? what is the best thing to do in our situation? the only thing we have come up with amongst ourselves is for her to get an associates in general studies and just take a bunch of natural science/chemistry courses. my main concern though is that she doesn't loose to many credits transferring to a nursing school. if someone could point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated. if someone could give me a school that provides such a course i will consider you my hero :) lol
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

Most nursing schools require a set of core classes that usually have no problem transferring. If she goes for an associates, the actual RN program is 2 years, she can do the Pre Reqs in the meantime at your local CC and a lot of the classes can be done online.

Some of the basics needed are

Psychology Developmental Lifespan (the college might require General Psych first before taking the lifespan one)

English 101 (or whatever the number is for the various schools but it's the basic college level English class)

Anatomy and Physiology- Their might be pre reqs for these classes, it varies on the college and some colleges have these as separate classes and some have it as a 2 part course where you take one and then the other the next semester or quarter.

Microbiology, their might be a pre req for this one as well so you would have to find out from the local college.

Then you have some electives, I did interpersonal communication for Speech and that transferred over with me fine to fill my elective requirement for my new college, as did a basic sociology class.

If she works on getting these done then when you settle on your next assignment she should be where she needs to be or close to it. Our college also has you take Pathophysiolgy and Nutrition during nursing or you can take it before and get it out of the way. That is what I do.

I have heard of a few other schools requiring a Math class, I think statistics.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
Two options:

1) Find a community college and start doing the prereqs. Even if she only spends one semester at each school, eventually she'll have the first two years completed. Eventually she will have to commit to spending two years in one school to get the AA or BSN.

2) Find an accredited online nursing school that is an approved program in your state. I think University of Phoenix is approved in California but not sure. Avoid this at all costs since online programs are the worst way to do it.

They can also be very expensive where the local CC will most likely have a lot of the non science classes online.I see a lot even having the science ones online or hybrid but have heard many poor things going that route with the sciences.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My community college offers many classes online and some classes are now offered only online due to budget cutbacks. Right now I'm taking inorganic chemistry online and will be taking organic chemistry online next semester. No choice. Also many of the maths and Englishes are online. Anatomy, physiology, and microbiology are not offered online at my school and I wouldn't take them online anyway.

They can also be very expensive where the local CC will most likely have a lot of the non science classes online.I see a lot even having the science ones online or hybrid but have heard many poor things going that route with the sciences.
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
My community college offers many classes online and some classes are now offered only online due to budget cutbacks. Right now I'm taking inorganic chemistry online and will be taking organic chemistry online next semester. No choice. Also many of the maths and Englishes are online. Anatomy, physiology, and microbiology are not offered online at my school and I wouldn't take them online anyway.

Do you have to go to campus for Labs or how does that work?? That sucks that you don't have a choice, some classes are find to do online, but the sciences IMO go much better in a classroom setting. Guess it depends on the individual though. I don't miss Chem or Organic Chem

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I was wondering about the labs too, most schools require atleast one science lab and those can't really be done online, can they?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, Clinical Documentation Specialist.

I am taking all my classes online through ccconline (I live in CO). I'm currently taking Chem and AP1 which both have labs. You order a lab kit and do the required labs at home and just follow the manual. My AP1 lab report on muscles I just turned in was 9 pages! My next unit on nerves I get to dissect a sheep brain, can't wait! I love my online classes and will only have to go to a campus for classes when I get into NS full time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That is so cool, I'd go for online chem but my school is very picky about whose credits they will accept.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

Wow that is crazy. So they just send the sheep's brain to your house?? We had to dissect cats for the muscles and then go view a cadaver. Big fat cats. I don't think I would want to do my labs at home by myself though, I imagine their would be pros and cons though.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

How do they know if you cheat or not, some would set with the book open and notes out during tests?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion