Which pathway would you take?

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Hey guys, so i'm in my last year of my BSc undergrad at UofT and I want to pursue a career in nursing. Which pathway seems more convenient? Doing a four-year degree program at a university OR becoming an RPN, then bridging to a RN? Keep in mind that the end goal is to become a RN. I did apply to 2nd-entry level nursing, but i'm just keeping my options open incase I do get waitlisted or rejected.

My parents are a bit uneasy with me going through the college route considering i'm about to graduate from university. But what are your thoughts? And thoughts about becoming an RPN VS RN?

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I would go for the RN straight away if you can't do the second entry. I'm doing the RPN to RN bridge starting in September. I'm happy to be an RPN but doing both is the long way round if your ultimate goal is to become an RN.

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Thanks for getting back to me! How much longer will it take doing the bridging route? The bright side is you can work part time and study part time, but I assume it'll take much longer.

Also have you started working as a RPN yet? If so, how is it? Random question, say you're working at a hospital. Can someone differentiate if you're either a RPN or a RN? Cause i know there's differences in responsibilities and wages.

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If you go straight through doing the bridge would take five years. And yep. I've been working full time for the past 18 months. I lucked out and found a job about 8 months after I graduated. Other than the ID you can't tell nurses apart. Where I work I do the exact same job tasks as the RN's without exception. In a hospital RN's handle more complicated patients. And being an RN affords you a lot more career options. In the end being an RN will give you a better wage. Ron's make anywhere from $19 if you work for a doctors office to $32 if you work for a municipality. RN's usually earn from $30 to (and this is the top end) $44 an hour.

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Cool. I was just curious, because I thought there might be a division between RPN and RN lol. Wow, there's definitely a difference in pay eh? I got another question. Say i'm doing my undergrad in mental health. And I become a RPN for mental health. Would that increase my pay in any way? Do employers even look at that? I just don't want my undergrad to be a waste

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Having a degree would probably help you get an interview but as far as I know it probably wouldn't make a difference in pay. Especially in a union environment.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Yeah usually the only way to tell the difference is to read the badges. Quite often I have taken over an assignment from an RN.

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Cool. Are you still working as a RPN? If so, how do you like it and do you plan on becoming a RN?

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Yep. Still an RPN. No plans whatsoever to be an RN. Perfectly happy doing what I am doing.

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I think doing the four year option is the best choice. I know your parents line of thinking, i.e. college is not as prestigious as university. First, college and university are both useful, it just depends on what a person chooses to do. Second, even if you do a program where your first two years are at a college, you will still end up with a university degree. You do not get a college diploma with your four year program.

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