Working F/T while pursuing biology degree doable?

[on eagles wings, ASN, RN]

Hi ladies and gents!

I am a new grad on a surgical/tele/stepdown unit. It's been about 2 months since I've been working as an RN, been working on this unit before as a PCT/UC, so I already knew months ago what I was getting myself into.

Anywho, to the point. I got my ADN, loved nursing school. They painted a pretty picture for us, nothing like what I have to deal with on a daily basis. My favorite part about school was going through pathophysiological processes and pharm. Anytime I tried to further understand these concepts I was told "you're in nursing school, not med school". I feel like I got into nursing because of my equal love for patient care and for science.

But right now, I feel like I am just dealing with patient satisfaction scores and trying to meet impossible outcomes. I genuinely love my patients, my coworkers, and what nursing is supposed to be about, but I am disillusioned and constantly fear for my license. I am not the only one. All my coworkers feel the same way. Unfortunately, I know this is the case not just in my hospital. Furthermore, I just wished to be more involved in the medical/surgical decisions of patient's care.

So this brings me to where I am at now. I was debating months ago if nursing was for me. But now I know. I have several plan B's and C's, but they all require a bachelor's degree, which I don't have (I'm 22 and my ADN was my first degree). I always loved biology and want to enroll for my Bachelor's in Bio in order to meet the requirements for the Master's P.A. program in the same school.

My concern is that I have to work full-time. I live with my elderly family, and I am the primary bread-winner. Paying for school, however, is not an issue at all. I've got that solved, thank God. I am debating if taking two to three courses is doable while working as an RN. Courses such as orgo, stats, physics. And later on, biochem, genetics, etc.

I could also on the other hand complete my RN-BSN online and complete as many biology classes as possible and minor in bio. I would have a bachelor's in nursing and still have a strong application by having various biology courses. This route would be a lot faster, as I could complete my BSN online in about a year, and extra bio classes would take me just 2 or 3 semesters. But the thought of taking more nursing classes really drives me up a wall!!

Anywho, my other plan if I do not get into the PA program is to go the CRNA route. I could transfer to ICU in about a year and a half while taking classes.

I would love anyone's advice and thoughts. I have 2 years until I complete my contract with my hospital, and I plan on keeping that contract, as I do not want to burn any bridges. Plus, my school uses my hospital for clinical rotations for all its healthcare programs and I would be an idiot to look bad infront of HR right now, lol.

THANKS! and sorry for the rambling )

[rumwynnieRN]

I had a bit of a slump at one point, in between nursing schools (I had a semester I needed to fill as I switching from one nursing school to another), and I don't think the bio classes will be an issue because, well, unlike some of your other classmates, you have real experience with mutated cells, abnormal heart anatomy, what happens when mitosis screws up, etc. I took the science major bio class, and I wanted to sleep (I like biology also) and bang my head on the wall when someone asked something about cancer. If I hadn't gotten into the second nursing school, I was going to double major in biology and psychology. Had I studied the way I did in nursing school for my pre-reqs, I wouldn't have had an issue getting into any nursing schools in the first place. Whatever, that's done and over, and I have my license and my BSN.

I think you'd be able to do it, you would just have to use your time off wisely, just like everyone else who works full time and goes to school. If you're serious about PA School or pursuing your CRNA, I'd get the BSN first and then focus on the other requirements for PA school. Since opportunities and requirements vary greatly by place, do some follow up. It won't hurt you to get your BSN, and from my classmates who were already RNs and were just back to finish their BSN, they took the super easy classes. Their mentality was, "I'm already done with the hard part. I have my license. Good luck to you!"

Well, okay, to me, they were super easy. I think they only took Patho, Pharm, some elective, research, and management. I don't know whatever program you decide to pursue will want, but those classes were super easy to me, and I like writing papers for research...just not actually doing the research.

Oh, and I think the BSN would more helpful in the long run -- I'm not saying that to fan the BSNs-are-better argument (we're just as clueless as the next new grad), but because (okay I'm looking at the programs in the city I'm from so take this with a grain of salt) you can meet the requirements for PA school (in addition to the additional classes you want to take), and if a CRNA program you like requires an BSN, you have it.

[on eagles wings, ASN, RN]

Hey, thanks for writing. I think you have a point, especially because having my BSN I would be meeting requirements for both degrees. I was looking at the curriculum for the RN-BSN tonight, and it seems easy enough for me to bump my GPA (I was lazy with some general ed courses back in the day lol) and to also take one or two biology courses concurrently without killing myself.

Thanks again and good luck in your career!

[besaangel, ASN, BSN, MSN, CNA, RN, APRN, NP]

I had a bit of a slump at one point, in between nursing schools (I had a semester I needed to fill as I switching from one nursing school to another), and I don't think the bio classes will be an issue because, well, unlike some of your other classmates, you have real experience with mutated cells, abnormal heart anatomy, what happens when mitosis screws up, etc. I took the science major bio class, and I wanted to sleep (I like biology also) and bang my head on the wall when someone asked something about cancer. If I hadn't gotten into the second nursing school, I was going to double major in biology and psychology. Had I studied the way I did in nursing school for my pre-reqs, I wouldn't have had an issue getting into any nursing schools in the first place. Whatever, that's done and over, and I have my license and my BSN.

I think you'd be able to do it, you would just have to use your time off wisely, just like everyone else who works full time and goes to school. If you're serious about PA School or pursuing your CRNA, I'd get the BSN first and then focus on the other requirements for PA school. Since opportunities and requirements vary greatly by place, do some follow up. It won't hurt you to get your BSN, and from my classmates who were already RNs and were just back to finish their BSN, they took the super easy classes. Their mentality was, "I'm already done with the hard part. I have my license. Good luck to you!"

Well, okay, to me, they were super easy. I think they only took Patho, Pharm, some elective, research, and management. I don't know whatever program you decide to pursue will want, but those classes were super easy to me, and I like writing papers for research...just not actually doing the research.

Oh, and I think the BSN would more helpful in the long run -- I'm not saying that to fan the BSNs-are-better argument (we're just as clueless as the next new grad), but because (okay I'm looking at the programs in the city I'm from so take this with a grain of salt) you can meet the requirements for PA school (in addition to the additional classes you want to take), and if a CRNA program you like requires an BSN, you have it.

Great advice. Couldn't have said it better. Do your BSN if you can; you need a bachelors (for pa and crna) anyway so why not do it in something that you are able to have a career in. Btw you are already a RN so the hardest part is behind you.

as the OP mentioned, primary, secondary and tertiary plans are best so I would not recommend getting a degree in biology but rather a BSN with a biology minor in order to fulfill the requirements for PA school while you set yourself up for CRNA school simultaneously.

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[Lossea, RN]

on eagles wings, I join the previous posters in their advice...Select the simplest route to meeting the degree requirements for either PA or CRNA. As far as I have seen, PA schools accept people with all kinds of professional backgrounds; the requirement then is Bachelor's degree in any major. For CRNA, it's BSN (or "other appropriate baccalaureate degree" as per AANA). It sounds like BSN opens doors to either route for you, while a degree in Biology might not qualify for CRNA.

I find it should also be easier for you to get an online RN-BSN instead of Bachelor's in Bio, since a lot of Bio classes and labs need to be taken in a classroom. The flexibility of an online degree sounds like it will fit your full-time work life so much better. I know you said that thinking of taking more Nursing classes drives you up the wall...But maybe it will not be so bad. Like others have said, the hardest part is behind you.

Lastly, I don't think you would even need to get Bio classes to qualify for PA or CRNA. So if you don't need to take them to qualify, I would advise to not take on extra work. You are already working full-time...

[klone, MSN, RN]

I agree with the others. A biology degree doesn't do a lot for you unless you are either planning on applying to med school, or want to work as a PRA for $12/hour. Go for the BSN - it's a faster route, offers a lot more opportunities for you in nursing, and any PA school would love to take you with a BSN.