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Calling all NURSES-I need some career help!

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Angel7

Angel7

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Jan 18, 2005
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Hi all, I need some help!!
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I have a BS in Markteting and have started classes to work towards my RN at a community College.
However, I was told I should be going for my accelerated BSN since I already have a BS?
Although some also told me a BS in Marketing wouldn''t really help me.??

I''m so lost, my "guidance help" at the college hasn''t gotten back to me and I''m unsure as to wheater I''m wasting my time going for the RN.

I know the BSN gets your more "accelerated positions" but...I just don''t know!!
Any thoughts from you fellow nurses?? What can I do with as an RN as oppossed to a BSN?

Thanks guys!
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hey angel,
you''re a little tangled up in terminology here...
i''ll try and unravel a bit.
rn''s, like many other professionals, can have different levels of entry/education. the minimum required degree to sit for the rn board exam is an associate degree (adn-associate degree nursing). in order to take the exam (nclex) to become a licensed rn, you must complete a degree program that is nln (national league of nursing) accredited and obtain a degree in nursing. the degree can be an associate''s or bachelor''s in nursing (adn or bsn). the profession as a whole however is making the move for entry level to require at least a bachelors degree in nursing (bsn). there are accelerated bsn programs which take into account previous college credit, but not all of the credits will apply. you will have to talk to your advisor for information on what is best for you.
the bottom line is, you must complete a degree in nursing. since you already have a bs, an accelerated bsn program is worth looking at.
 
Thanks Belle. Yes I am definatley confused!
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I agree that looking at the accelerated BSN would be the better route. Why not get a higher credential in the same amount (if not less) time than if going for the ADN?
 
i hope i didn''t confuse you more
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i tend to do that sometimes!

i agree, if you can use some of your prior credit and complete a bsn program in the 2 years it would take for the adn, you should do it. it''s all going to depend on the requirements of the nursing program you want to get in to. you will have to talk with an advisor to find out for sure. i am assuming you are taking pre-req''s for the nursing program now? have you already applied to your school of nursing?
 
Another thing to consider here is your ultimate goal - are you looking to leverage your Marketing degree with a degree in nursing to get into the pharmaceutical industry? If that''s the case, a two year associate degree would be fine. I have been in the pharmaceutical industry for over 14 years and having a medical backround would be a real asset to someone in the marketing dept.

Aslo, the demand for RNs is still so great that you will get a good job in any hospital or clinic with a two year or a four year degree - and can certainly utilize a marketing degree in hospital administration also.

Hope this helped a bit....
 
Belle-No you didn''t confuse me more. I''m just confused in general!
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You helped me out quite a lot. Right now yes, I am doing pre-reqs for the RN. (Started Monday) I am applying for the Nursing Program for Fall 2006. (I have applied, need to take NLN and score wellto get in!)
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Little scared!
Just getting some Chem and Bio that I didn''t need for Marketing out of the way. I''m waiting for someone from the college to get back to me. Nothing yet! Thanks again for your help!
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RN18-I really had no intention of using the Marketing degree in Nursing. Didn''t really know that was something to consider. I have no desire to "sell" anything. However, down the road I wanted to be a Nurse Anesthetist which requries a BSN plus a CRNA. I just thinking I''m thinking too broad and maybe should start with some small steps. I just don''t want to waste time with the ADN if I could be doing the accelerated BSN.

 
you need to talk to an advisor to see what your best option will be. an adn is the first step. if you don''t have enough applicable credit to get in to an accelerated bsn program, which is entirely possible, you will have to go the traditional adn or bsn route. the core course work is the same for all of them. you just need to get in to the nursing program and go from there. best of luck to you!
 
Hi:

I taught in the 4 year generic BScN program here in Canada which is the entry to practice standard. (gov''t still require we have an early exit if one wants to write their legislative exams after 3 years and receive a diploma, but im my experience very few exit before their getting their degree). The 2 year accelerated program (those with previous degrees) is strenuous and a background in the sciences although not necessary certainly helps. Good luck with your career choice as nursing is a great profession!!

cheers--Sharon
 
Thanks again to all of you for your help, I really appreciate it. I tried to get help on a nursing board but I didn't get any reponses and I knew I could count on my PS family!
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My comm college said they don't have BSN programs, which I already kinda knew.
I contacted the University where I got my BS in Marketing to see what they offer. I guess in the meantime I'm going to continue with the ADN and go from there. It guess the BSN is always something I could pursue later after I've been in Nursing for a bit.

Thanks again for all the help.
 
I''m not a nurse but a pharmacist. If I didn''t get into pharmacy school, my "back-up plan" was nursing.
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I looked into it too many moons ago.

I agree with what Belle posted. Another thing you may want to consider is where you want to work when you get your nursing degree. Since you said you want to ultimately become a nurse anestethist (sp?), you will need a couple of years experience in med/surg and possibly critical care before you can apply to that program. (My cousin looked into that program at the hospital where I worked - that''s how I know
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). The hospitals around me have different pay scales for different degrees so you may as well make more money for the higher degree so you can get your experience. For example, a ADN with no experience makes $X/hour. A BSN with no experience makes more per hour, than an ADN, and a MSN makes more than a BSN. Make sense?
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They don''t take into effect the "other" degrees you may have, just the nursing ones.

For what it''s worth, I would get the bachelor''s if possible. I think in the long run it gives you more possibilities. For example, at the hospital where I worked at also, one of the requirements for a clincial coordinator posistion was a BSN. A lot of RNs that had only ADNs went back for their BSNs in order to get higher positions.

The best of luck!
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Date: 8/25/2005 3:47:18 PM
Author: Angel7

My comm college said they don''t have BSN programs, which I already kinda knew.
Click to expand...
HI:

Have you investigated an accredited online degree program? Many Universities here offer the same, since many working professionals cannot take "sabbaticals" in order to complete their degrees. This is just another option for you to consider...

cheers--Sharon
 
Canuk-gal had a great idea with an online course if you cannot travel far for a BSN school (heard OK things about the Univ. of Phoenix) ... the hospital I work for (though I am a NP)- allow the ADN''s only to work on the floors- no ICU''s, ER, OR, etc. Also, it just looks better on your resume, and will get you more money (always a plus)!
 
If you want to eventually become a CRNA, you should definitely look into an accelerated program! In fact, you may even be able to find an accelerated RN which leads directly into a CRNA program. Otherwise, you may simply be wasting your own valuable time.

I obtained a BA in another field and then decided to become an NP. In a three year (total) accelerated program, I became an RN (a little over one year) and an NP.

I would suggest buying a book which lists and describes all nursing schools in the country. (They have similar books for colleges and private schools.) The book should be further broken down into programs. Find the CRNA section and see if they offer an accelerated RN.

If you have any further questions, feel free to PM me!
Munchkin
 
My mother is a nurse and I used to work in a large healthcare company. A BSN will open more doors for you in the long run, especially if you don''t always want to work on the floor. There are many opportunities for nurses in healthcare, hospital administration, subacute care management, etc. A BSN is the standard these days from everything I''ve seen
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Just want to add:

If money is a concern for you, you may find a great hospital or private physicians office that will pay for your schooling in return for you working for them for X amount of years.
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The first thing you need to do is find out what college credits you have already that would transfer to a BSN program and if there is a BSN program near enough for you to attend. Online programs are doable, but not as easy as one might think. If you want to become a nurse anesthetist, you need at least a BSN to get into a program. I think if you go with an online BSN program, it would probably help to complete the ADN program at your community college first then finish your degree online. You would get most of the hardest credits out of the way, and the online stuff would be easier for you in the long run, and it most likely wouldn''t take any more time than an on-campus BSN program.
 
Hi Angel!

I have been an RN for 5+ yrs, work in a large hospital here in Northern NJ. My advice to you is to go and get that BSN through an accelerated nsg program. Yes, it is strenuous, but you should finish in about 2 yrs you will probably go year-round). You already have a bachelor''s degree, so to go to a diploma or associates program would be going backwards for you.

Belle is right, nursing is going through a transition, and hopefully soon entry-level RN positions will ALL require a BSN. I always have found it ridiculous that a 2 yr program could prepare you for this difficult, highly specialized career. Because of all of the pathways one could take to become an RN is one of the reasons I believe the profession has had a difficult time advancing all of these years.

I have my BSN, and after 2 yrs of working in the trenches at one of the busiest labor and delivery''s on the east coast, I decided to start back for my master''s degree. I will be finished with that this spring, and the degree will give me the ability to practice as a women''s health nurse practitioner. As of right now, I love my job, and I am young, so I have the energy to go nonstop all day. But because of this, burnout occurs quickly, so eventually I know I will want to move on. So, in the end, I am glad I got my BSN out of the way when I did. It just leaves you more options. Management positions are all held (in my hospital) by BSN+ nurses. Plus, eventually you want to be a CRNA, which requires a BSN for entry into the program plus a minimum of a year of critical care experience.

Bottom line- go for the BSN!!!! Nursing is a great career with SO many options- and most of those options will be avaible to you when you hold a BSN or higher degree. Plus, a lot of hospitals have different pay scales for degrees and certifications one has. So you will hopefully get paid more with your BSN too!!!

Good luck and if you have any questions, PM me, I would love to help!!!

-Danielle
 
You guys are all so great. Thanks so much.
I know I should go for the BSN but here are the obstacles I am facing:
1. No schools in the area
2. I am still paying off my debt for my BS in Marketing, do and CAN I really rack up another $20/$30K in debt right now

I was thinking and let me hear some thoughts on this:
Continue on with the RN program at the community college.
Get a job on the floor as RN, spend some time actually doing the work..possibly work where there is tuition reimbursement and then work towards BSN possibly online?Is that just a crazy notion? Am I making more work for myself??

I hear what you guys are saying about the BSN and I am ALL about the higher education and higher pay scales...but it seems the money and location are really putting a damper on my plans. I really need to sit down and talk with an advisor. My comm college advisor was NO HELP. I sent her an email explaining the situation and she writes back, "We do not offer BSN programs here"
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Wow, thanks for the guidance! (Mind you she has a BSN and a MS!!) No suggesstions whatsoever!

Well thanks again guys. I may be PMing some of you so watch out!
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Thanks again, I really appreciate it.
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Hey there! What a mess of confusion for ya
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Here''s my story if you''re interested.
I ''m taking a different route than you are looking at. I have been a LPN (licensed practical nurse) for the past 4 years and I am currently in my last two semesters to receive my ASN RN degree. With me working as an LPN for a few years, I have gained invaluable experience, which makes getting my next degree so much easier. I know not all people can do this, but I''m glad I did. I''m not too sure I''ll go back for my BSN. Nurses are in such need that with experience an ASN can do somewhat comparable work to a BSN. Where I work, the ADON (assistant director of nursing) is an ASN. THere is that salary difference, however. Just like with anything else, the more school the higher pay.

It all depends on what you want to do with your degree. Do you want to work the floor or become a nursing administrator or director of nursing? I know that I don''t like to be management so right now, all I need is my ASN.
If you only get your ASN now, you will more than likely be able to find a position with an employer that will pay for you to return to school to get your BSN if need be. Some hospitals pay your full ride and you would be able to work in the field to see if you even like it before investing years of schooling only to find out it''s not really your cup of tea...which kind of sounds like what happened with your previous degree.

I would, however, steer you away from internet degree programs. Without any medical experience, I feel it would be very difficult to just learn everything from the book. Without actually attending lectures, you miss out on being able to ask questions on the spot and you don''t hear alot of the "real world" information that nursing professors provide.

Hope this small book I wrote helps! Good luck
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Date: 8/26/2005 11:47:38 AM
Author: Angel7
You guys are all so great. Thanks so much.
I know I should go for the BSN but here are the obstacles I am facing:
1. No schools in the area
2. I am still paying off my debt for my BS in Marketing, do and CAN I really rack up another $20/$30K in debt right now

I was thinking and let me hear some thoughts on this:
Continue on with the RN program at the community college.
Get a job on the floor as RN, spend some time actually doing the work..possibly work where there is tuition reimbursement and then work towards BSN possibly online?Is that just a crazy notion? Am I making more work for myself??

I hear what you guys are saying about the BSN and I am ALL about the higher education and higher pay scales...but it seems the money and location are really putting a damper on my plans. I really need to sit down and talk with an advisor. My comm college advisor was NO HELP. I sent her an email explaining the situation and she writes back, ''We do not offer BSN programs here''
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Wow, thanks for the guidance! (Mind you she has a BSN and a MS!!) No suggesstions whatsoever!

Well thanks again guys. I may be PMing some of you so watch out!
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Thanks again, I really appreciate it.
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Click to expand...
it seems like from the position that you are in right now that getting an adn from your community college is the best option. many employers do offer tuition assistance and the percentage can be quite high, especially if you sign a contract..so working on the floor and gaining experience (which is no match for bookwork) is a great idea. best of luck!
 
Thanks again Belle!
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I checked into some of the BSN Programs that are offered online and they all say you need to be an RN before taking these classes. So it seems I''m going to have to go the ADN route? More confusion.

I thinking I''m going to pick up Peterson''s guide to Nursing Programs tonight. Anyone have any experience with this boo? Is it worth it?

Thanks
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i would not be surprised at all if that were the case. since all rn''s take the same board exam whether they have an associate''s or bachelor''s in nursing, all of the fundamental courses are completed in the first two years. since you can''t attend clinicals online, you would have to at least completed some nursing degree and proven your proficiency by passing the board before continuing with an online degree.
 
I think I said this in my first post, but if you go through the ADN course at your local community college and get your license, you can then get your BSN through an approved online course. The upside to this is, you get your clinical work done and out of the way at community college, and you can work and make good money while you are getting your BSN. Maybe you can even get your critical care experience out of the way during the time you are working to get your BSN online, so that when you finish you can go directly into nurse anesthetist school. Besides, after working in a hospital setting for a while, you might even change your mind about what you want to do in the long run. Nurse practitioner is also a very lucrative career.
 
Date: 8/26/2005 12:59:15 PM
Author: Angel7

I checked into some of the BSN Programs that are offered online and they all say you need to be an RN before taking these classes. So it seems I''m going to have to go the ADN route? More confusion.
I thinking I''m going to pick up Peterson''s guide to Nursing Programs tonight. Anyone have any experience with this boo? Is it worth it?
Click to expand...
HI:

Isn''t this fun?? Sounds like you have a plan to read up on the programs offered via different modes (online, hybrid, face to face, etc) as not all programs--ADN, generic 4 year degree, post diploma, NP etc etc--are offered at all post secondary educational institutions. Is there a representative from the National League of Nursing (legislative body) in your city/state that may be of some help with career advice?

cheers--Sharon
 
Angel - I noticed you''re from Chicago. (The Cubs logo gave it away!
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) If you don''t mind me asking, what school''s programs are you looking into?

I know Rush University Medical Center (formerly Rush Presbyterian St. Luke''s Med Ctr) has a nursing program that is a BSN. Plus, they also have the CRNA program. They are always looking for nurses! I believe they have tuition reimbursement too.

Loyola University also has a BSN program. I believe they too have tuition reimbursement if you work at the medical center in Maywood.
 
The others are right that you have to actually complete the 4-years for your BSN. You can''t just skip to BSN based studies without going through the fundamentals. You are doing ASN studies the first 2 years and then BSN stuff but you go straight through instead of graduating when you are done with your ASN so you will only have one degree certificate. You also still have clinicals during BSN studies...usually more community based/critical care stuff.

Excelsior college (online) sends me stuff all the time to go there. I have heard that there clinicals are extremely tough to pass... just because you can''t practice it on anyone before doing the "check-off" on a procedure. The girl that I knew that took it (who went on to become a NP) dropped out and went to a traditional college because she was getting enough hands-on experience.
 
I HIGHLY recommend the Peterson's book. That's where I found my program.

Also, some programs (classroom based - I know nothing about online options) will let you enter directly into an accelerated BSN program with a BA or BS. The rationale is that you've completed the core classes, so all you need is the nursing piece.

Good luck!
Munchkin
 
Date: 8/26/2005 9:52:10 PM
Author: jellybean
Angel - I noticed you''re from Chicago. (The Cubs logo gave it away!
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) If you don''t mind me asking, what school''s programs are you looking into?

I know Rush University Medical Center (formerly Rush Presbyterian St. Luke''s Med Ctr) has a nursing program that is a BSN. Plus, they also have the CRNA program. They are always looking for nurses! I believe they have tuition reimbursement too.

Loyola University also has a BSN program. I believe they too have tuition reimbursement if you work at the medical center in Maywood.
Click to expand...
Yup, Chicago! I went to Depaul for my undergrad degree and they recommed the MS program for people with a BS in other fields and want to become a nurse. Downside-SO MUCH MONEY!!!
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I know Loyola has a great program as well but again tuition is huge. I just DO NOT want to be in further debt when I''m still paying off loans. So confusing! I will check into the Rush program...tuition reinbursement sounds great. Thanks for all the help everyone!

For now, I''m continuing with the ADN at the community college.
 
I know that I''m a little late with this, but www.allnursingschools.com has a "Find a school" feature where you can choose your location and the type of program you want and it will show you the schools that offer it.
If you choose "Second degree BSN" it will show you the schools that offer an accelerated program for students who already have a bachelors degree in another field.
FI is just starting an accelerated second degree BSN-to-MSN program to become a nurse practitioner, and it will only take him one year to do the BSN portion. I understand your concern about piling on the debt, but a one year BSN program might cost you less overall than a two year ADN plus whatever additional coursework you need to get the BSN on top of it.
Good luck with the school research!
 
Thanks Saturn!
That was a great website. I requested info from 3 schools.
You make a good point that in the long run, 1 year may be cheaper than 2 years at a comm college.

Thanks again!
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