RN degree from CC

[Optomchick]

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[benny32311]

I think if you want to be a nurse, it's fine to get an RN from your CC. I know the community college in my area has a fantastic reputation for putting out great nurses. Surprisingly, their facilities are better than the two local universities for nursing.

As far as advancement it seems that the natural progression would involve getting a BSN at some point.

Good luck!

 

[Optomchick]

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[FCMike11]

I am working as an RN, got my ADN from our CC.
Can I ask why you are already set on getting your MSN? Essentially the only thing having your masters provides you is opening doors for working in management (although many managers at my hospital just have their BSN) and to teach in nursing school.

I am doing my RN-BSN through Texas Tech online, its only 2 semesters ( can be summer-fall,fall-spring etc).
Also check out these programs, even though a CC is a 2 yr program you have a list of requires pre reqs (english 1, dosage calculations, A&P 1&2, Pyschology, lifespan, interpersonal communications and a few more I am likely missing).

But also for BSN you have additional requirements ie english 2, english/british literature etc. My point is saying something is like 2 year accelerated track is a little decieving meaning that program may have 1-2 semesters worth of pre-requisites.

 

[Optomchick]

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[FCMike11]

I'm more interested in being an NP than a RN, I actually have most of the prereqs to apply for the RN at the CC, but the problem is that there is a WAITLIST that's one year It's too bad that my GPA sucks (3.0) or I would just apply to a MSN-entry program. I think I would rather do a 2 year to MSN than a 1 year BSN. Was it hard finding a job with just the AA?

Ahh okay I gotcha.
Just to point out master programs for NP's are different than an MSN (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Science_in_Nursing). When you look at these accelerated programs if it just says accelerated MSN program, unless specified as a nurse practicioner program, it is likely for an MSN which is relevant to what I had mentioned before.

You have Family Nurse Practicioner programs, Neonatal NP programs, Acute Care etc the list goes on to geriatric and such.

Also after 2015 the mandate is that all nurse practicioner programs will be doctoral level (DNP), could be relevant depending on if you are at all considering PA school or DO.

As far as job opportunities for an ADN, it really depends on where you live. I've have friends who went jobseeking midwest and jobs were pretty scarce. Could not find a job that would hire brand new nurses (wanted 2 years experience).

I live in Texas (east texas) and had my job lined up before graduated and started short after (didn't hurt I had a year of experience working in a long term rehab center with my lvn----my school has the option you can either break for summer after the first year or go through the summer and get your lvn).

 

[AnnoyedByFreud]

Ahh okay I gotcha.
Just to point out master programs for NP's are different than an MSN (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Science_in_Nursing). When you look at these accelerated programs if it just says accelerated MSN program, unless specified as a nurse practicioner program, it is likely for an MSN which is relevant to what I had mentioned before.

You have Family Nurse Practicioner programs, Neonatal NP programs, Acute Care etc the list goes on to geriatric and such.

Also after 2015 the mandate is that all nurse practicioner programs will be doctoral level (DNP), could be relevant depending on if you are at all considering PA school or DO.

This is not a mandate but a recommendation. No state nursing entities are changing the licensing requirements for NPs to have DNPs by 2015. There are plenty of MSN programs still in existence. I am in one and I am slated to graduate in 2015.

 

[FCMike11]

This is not a mandate but a recommendation. No state nursing entities are changing the licensing requirements for NPs to have DNPs by 2015. There are plenty of MSN programs still in existence. I am in one and I am slated to graduate in 2015.

Right what I understood even if you gained entry to a masters NP program in 2014 you would not be required to attain further education to practice as an NP.

An also from looking at different websites for universities offering NP programs, they are phasing out masters programs.

From what I understand it is just a push for higher education across the board, but if it really doesn't pertain much clinically, seems just like an additional way for the universities to make more $$$.

 

[Optomchick]

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[FCMike11]

I wouldn't mind having a doctorate So how hard was the NCLEX? Did you guys pass the first time?

I did, most of my class did. My fiance didn't though.
The test isn't so much to do with clinical knowledge as it is pertaining to general test taking abilities.

An then you have the generic stuff you learn in school ie. oxygen/respiratory issues first.
I just did (so did most of my classmates who passed) a bunch of practice questions and you get a feel for how to answer the questions.

The NCLEX and nursing school tests typically have more than one "right" answer, and it's picking between the answers to figure out which one is the most correct....nursing school is a game and you just learn to play it, ie. what would you do in real life vs. what would you do in the book world (if everything was perfect and you have everything at your disposal).

Nursing school was extremely frustrating to me at times just because of how subjective the questions would be. This is why I like the sciences more and I believe I will find medical school more tolerable..

 

[bala1]

Hello, I'm currently in Opt school and thinking of dropping out because I realized that I wanted to work in a hospital setting and Opt school is making me pretty miserable. What do you guys think of getting an RN degree at my local CC? It would mean I would have zero debt so I'm not TOO worried about starting salaries, but I would live in the SF, CA, which I hear pays very well for new nurses. I've also seen online RN to MSN degrees? Is there actual merit to those if I decide to complete one after while working?

Is there something wrong with you? You are in optometry school and you want to go back to school to become a NURSE?!! CMON. That is preposterous. And trust me you DO NOT WANT to work in a hospital setting.

 

[AnnoyedByFreud]

Hello, I'm currently in Opt school and thinking of dropping out because I realized that I wanted to work in a hospital setting and Opt school is making me pretty miserable. What do you guys think of getting an RN degree at my local CC? It would mean I would have zero debt so I'm not TOO worried about starting salaries, but I would live in the SF, CA, which I hear pays very well for new nurses. I've also seen online RN to MSN degrees? Is there actual merit to those if I decide to complete one after while working?

It is true that the bay area pays floor nurses a crazy amount of money. For that reason, it is almost impossible to find a job as a new grad RN. I am glad that I will be competing in the NP market and not the RN market, since the RN market in the bay area is unbelievably bad (I'll actually most likely leave CA to practice as a NP, since there are far better opportunities elsewhere).

OP - if your intent is to work as a floor nurse in the bay area, then it's extremely important that you go to school here, since most people find their jobs (if they can) through clinical rotations and networking. Make sure you get a BSN and not ADN if you want to be competitive. It is common for new grad BSNs to wait 6 months - 1.5 years to get an offer in this area... and most are only able to secure employment by volunteering on the floor where they'd hope to work after graduation.

 

[Optomchick]

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[AnnoyedByFreud]

Do you know if NPs have good job opportunities in the bay area? How much is the tuition for NP school? Opt school is 35k a year

I think you should base what your career is (optometry, floor nursing, NP, etc.) off your goals and interests. Optometrist, floor nurse, and NP are all very different careers. The bay area (well, CA as a whole) is flooded. I'd say the RN market is worse than the NP market, but neither is pretty. However, it also depends on your specialty as a NP. Tuition depends on the university.

 

[bjl12]

Nurses will have always work. There may be an overflow at times and a need to travel (somewhat), but there are so many avenues one can go with a BSN, so, so many. They're all lucrative too.

If you're sure about the Opt decision then the nursing decision is a healthy choice. You'll find work and have plenty of growth potential should you desire so.

 

[Poetic Silence]

I strongly recommend the PA route. Have you looked into that?

 

[ChillyRN]

Right what I understood even if you gained entry to a masters NP program in 2014 you would not be required to attain further education to practice as an NP.

An also from looking at different websites for universities offering NP programs, they are phasing out masters programs.

Mike, you have been misinformed. No one is requiring a DNP for NP practice anywhere. Not one single state BON is advocating this as a requirement for licensing, no certifying body is advocating it as a requirement for certification. CRNAs are requiring the DNP by 2025, I believe. Perhaps that is what you are thinking of. There are plenty of masters level NP programs staying around, including the #1 program in the country, Penn. Penn, and it's Dean, are together the biggest and loudest opponents of the DNP on record, lol. They, and many others, will maintain MSN programs indefinitely. The DNP as a requirement for entry to practice is not going to materialize anytime soon.

Just like to clarify that misunderstanding when I see it crop up. Carry on.

 

[ChillyRN]

Nurses will have always work. There may be an overflow at times and a need to travel (somewhat), but there are so many avenues one can go with a BSN, so, so many. They're all lucrative too.

If you're sure about the Opt decision then the nursing decision is a healthy choice. You'll find work and have plenty of growth potential should you desire so.

I don't think this is true. There is a huge glut of nurses in many areas of the country right now. New graduates cannot find work in most places and wages are depressed. I think that the notion that nursing is a "safe" and well paying career is urban legend at this point. It is highly regional. Here, average BSN nursing starting salary is about $18 an hour, (ADNs will not be considered) but in reality you have no hope in he// of actually getting a job because they won't hire new grads, so it is really closer to the $8 an hour without benefits you are going to get at Dairy Queen.

The upside is, you will be so grateful to get the job when you finally do, you won't dare complain about how overworked you are, lol. You will take the assignment of the 11-12 med-surg patients or the 3 or 4 critical care patients and keep your mouth shut and hope no one dies. I think it is safe to say you can forget about just moving to San Fran as a new grad and landing a $120K/y job on day shft with guaranteed patient ratios.

You could move to the Dakotas. I hear they are hiring and pay in the $20s. Bundle up.

 

[dfib slim]

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[Optomchick]

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[takeonme]

even with a masters? My friend is a recent grad in nursing and got a job right away and she only had a bachelors...I think nursing seems more stable than other careers, but I really haven't researched it too much. I hear PA school is super intense, I think it might be too hard for me :/

Also, I was looking at "West Coast University" because it had no waitlist and seemed to accept everyone...are schools like this total bull**** and just out for your money?

In CA the job market for new grads w/ no experience can be pretty harsh. From my nursing program (Bachelors), only a handful of us were able to work at one of the hospitals we spent a majority of our clinical time. We were lucky, and the rest of my classmates have not found a job yet. A lot of people believe it's due to the time of the year we graduated. From what I hear, it takes a majority of new grads about 6 months-1 year to find a job.

As for WCU - I know a lot of people who go here because they didn't have competitive grades or didn't want to wait. Personally, I wouldn't advise it if you had other options (time and resources to retake classes, willing to wait to get into RN school, willing to enhance your app w/ volunteer work, etc.). It's very expensive and extremely quick (~9 weeks/term) so I recommend you consider the pros/cons of this.

 

[InHim11]

Hello, I'm currently in Opt school and thinking of dropping out because I realized that I wanted to work in a hospital setting and Opt school is making me pretty miserable. What do you guys think of getting an RN degree at my local CC? It would mean I would have zero debt so I'm not TOO worried about starting salaries, but I would live in the SF, CA, which I hear pays very well for new nurses. I've also seen online RN to MSN degrees? Is there actual merit to those if I decide to complete one after while working?

Is Optometry School really that hard? I have been thinking about Optometry School for the past 4 or 5 years but recently I've been having a change in thoughts because I know that Optometry is becoming more commercialized and it's harder for new grads to find jobs (with a large amount of debt). I don't want to spend 4 years in school..graduate when I'm almost 30 and find out that I have to work part time at a clinic where I can barely afford to pay off my student loans. Now give me a full-time optometric job with benefits and good pay then we can talk! I think nursing is a very stable career choice....I'm deciding between Optometry and Nursing. I like nursing because there are so many different avenues and scopes of practice that you can get into. You can be a travel nurse, hospital setting, clinic setting and get licensed in different specialties as well as opportunities for advancement (MSN, NP, DNP). With the accelerated programs across the country, it's becoming easy to earn a nursing degree as well.

 

[Optomchick]

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[SmoothJams]

Also after 2015 the mandate is that all nurse practicioner programs will be doctoral level (DNP), could be relevant depending on if you are at all considering PA school or DO.

FYI ...this is completely false. There is no 2015 mandate that all nurse practitioner programs transition to DNP. It was simply a recommendation, not a mandate.

 

[fab4fan]

Mike, you have been misinformed. No one is requiring a DNP for NP practice anywhere. Not one single state BON is advocating this as a requirement for licensing, no certifying body is advocating it as a requirement for certification. CRNAs are requiring the DNP by 2025, I believe. Perhaps that is what you are thinking of. There are plenty of masters level NP programs staying around, including the #1 program in the country, Penn. Penn, and it's Dean, are together the biggest and loudest opponents of the DNP on record, lol. They, and many others, will maintain MSN programs indefinitely. The DNP as a requirement for entry to practice is not going to materialize anytime soon.

Just like to clarify that misunderstanding when I see it crop up. Carry on.

I love Philadelphia.

 

[fab4fan]

even with a masters? My friend is a recent grad in nursing and got a job right away and she only had a bachelors...I think nursing seems more stable than other careers, but I really haven't researched it too much. I hear PA school is super intense, I think it might be too hard for me :/

Also, I was looking at "West Coast University" because it had no waitlist and seemed to accept everyone...are schools like this total bull**** and just out for your money?

You should probably do some research about the profession. Take heed what experienced nurses are telling you, and be careful what you hear from people who aren't nurses. Some of the information you get here from non-nurses can be misleading is not outright false.

You might find www.allnurses.com helpful.

ETA- My guess is any school with no wait list and essentially no admission standards is going to give you med school debt for a nursing education. This sort of problem is discussed frequently at the site I mentioned.

 

[AnnoyedByFreud]

Also, I was looking at "West Coast University" because it had no waitlist and seemed to accept everyone...are schools like this total bull**** and just out for your money?

Yes

 

[Optomchick]

l.

 

[AnnoyedByFreud]

But West Coast still gives you a BSN and it's accredited...what's the catch? It's actually A LOT less $ than Opt school.

It's absurdly expensive for what it is (over 100k to become a RN, seriously??) and people have had problems transferring credits. If you try and go on for a MSN schools may not accept the BSN from West Coast. Do a search on allnurses and you will see there are many threads about that "school". Plus, remember an optometrist is going to make more money than a floor nurse.

 

[pamac]

But West Coast still gives you a BSN and it's accredited...what's the catch? It's actually A LOT less $ than Opt school.

You need to make sure that even though its accredited, that the credits transfer if you want to go to a state school. You don't want to spent a boatload on a BSN only to have your options limited if you want to go on for a masters or beyond. You may be limited to getting your NP at another for profit program.

 

[Optomchick]

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[AnnoyedByFreud]

I looked into it and West Coast is WASC accredited...which i believe means that the units transfer. They also have a one year masters program that I could do afterward...3 years to be a NP sounds pretty good...

Also most new grad Optometrists are making 60k, whereas new grad NPs are making around 90k from my research...

Yes, but you'll be taking out 100k in loans just for the RN part, not even the NP part, if you go to that program. You should call the graduate schools you're interested in for pursuing the NP and see if they accept West Coast University. Mine does not, although I am at a top institution.

 

[Optomchick]

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[Daggum]

I looked into it and West Coast is WASC accredited...which i believe means that the units transfer. They also have a one year masters program that I could do afterward...3 years to be a NP sounds pretty good...

Also most new grad Optometrists are making 60k, whereas new grad NPs are making around 90k from my research...

You can make 90k easily with a BSN in Cali.

 

[pamac]

I don't think 100k is a lot for nursing when you consider the job market is better than most careers for the same amount of $. I'm mostly interested in the CA state schools and I hear they accept WCU.

Do you know how many grads are being churned out by nursin schools right now? 100k is a lot of money if you can't land a job. I don't know anyone that is talking about how you get job offers thrown at you once you get an RN degree, but I hear all the time about how difficult it is to get on as a new grad RN, especially in California. The important thing is to go into whatever you want to do with your eyes open. If it were me, I wouldn't go off of what I "hear", I'd get on the phone and make calls to universities to see if they take credits from that school you are interested in. That's the only thing that I would base my plans on. I have friends in California who are nurses, and they are doing ok money wise. But 100k for an RN degree when it could be obtained for 6% of that? It's your money, I guesse. I'd ask around and find new grads that are making 90k. And as a new grad NP with very little experience as an RN even.... I bet jobs aren't easy to find. I could be wrong. Let me know if I am. I'd certainly like to think that my prospects after I get my RN, and eventually an NP, would be as awesome as what you've described.

How do you afford bailing on optometry, then planning to take up one of the most expensive routes to nursing?

One thing that's is going to change the landscape of hospital medicine might be the new doc fix that was just passed. Hospitals are going to take a hit in reimbursement to cover the doctors reimbursement. Hospital nursing isn't going to go on unaffected. The job market for nursing has changed in just the few years that I've been paying attention. When I started in healthcare, nurses were getting 10k-20k sign on bonuses, 5k referral finders fees for getting their friends to work at their hospital, huge callback bonuses, and 100$ gift cards for coming in on their day off. Not muh of that anymore. The rollback I've seen has taken place over just 5 years. And every job posting I see insists on several years experience in order to apply.

 

[Optomchick]

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[Daggum]

I don't really have a choice because the CA state schools don't allow you to get a BSN from them if you already have a BA/BS And my GPA is too low to get into a Masters-entry program (I've heard you need a 4.0)

I've only done a semester of Opt school so it wouldn't be too big of a mistake if I quit now. I might take a year between the BSN and MSN to gain some experience.

I guess I feel like the country always needs nurses, even in bad economic times, whereas with Optometry, I think that most people will just order glasses online (you don't even need a valid prescription!).

This is not true at all. There are schools (state at least; some private) in cali that accept 2nd bachelors...

 

[pamac]

I don't really have a choice because the CA state schools don't allow you to get a BSN from them if you already have a BA/BS And my GPA is too low to get into a Masters-entry program (I've heard you need a 4.0)

I've only done a semester of Opt school so it wouldn't be too big of a mistake if I quit now. I might take a year between the BSN and MSN to gain some experience.

I guess I feel like the country always needs nurses, even in bad economic times, whereas with Optometry, I think that most people will just order glasses online (you don't even need a valid prescription!).

I agree... My optometrist wanted a boatload of money for the frames I wanted, so I went online and got the same frames and lenses for half what he wanted. A great thing. Saved me over 50%. Needed a perscription, though. But I agree that you should get out now if you can.

There are places like Samuel Merrit that offer an accelerated BSN, and I'm sure there are others. You seem to be working off of very little research on your part, so start making phone calls and talking to admissions advisors rather than going off of your feelings. You went through the entire optometry school addmissions process only to bail the first semester in school. That tells me that you dont think things through, but rather you operate off the cuff... which hasn't suited you very well so far.

 

[Optomchick]

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[dudestheman90]

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[fab4fan]

Yes, but you'll be taking out 100k in loans just for the RN part, not even the NP part, if you go to that program. You should call the graduate schools you're interested in for pursuing the NP and see if they accept West Coast University. Mine does not, although I am at a top institution.

Sometimes it's best to just let people learn the hard way. Many, many people have advised caution regarding this course of action, but the OP seems intent on pursuing it nonetheless.

I wonder why it is people ask for feedback if they are going to argue with things they don't want to hear.

 

[fab4fan]

You can make 90k easily with a BSN in Cali.

Yeah...if you can get a job. And that's a huge "if" in many states but particularly in CA.

Homework, people...homework.

 

[takeonme]

True. Numerous people I finished nursing school with have yet to find a job despite applying to multiple places, going to job fairs, etc. Thats if you want to work in a hospital. I know you might have better luck at nursing homes, from what I see and hear. The job market in Ca is not pretty

 

[fab4fan]

True. Numerous people I finished nursing school with have yet to find a job despite applying to multiple places, going to job fairs, etc. Thats if you want to work in a hospital. I know you might have better luck at nursing homes, from what I see and hear. The job market in Ca is not pretty

There may be a little more leeway in LTC, although even that market has been saturated due to the glut of new grads. Not everyone is going to want to be the only RN for 30-50 people, particularly after an orientation of a couple weeks or less. (Some new grads report getting two or three days and being told they were on their own.)

I feel like I'm repeating myself, but I really think any prospective student should look at www.allnurses.com, particularly at the forums related to jobs, jobs by state, and colleges like the one the OP mentioned. There are a lot of tales out there of unemployed new grads with triple digit college debt and no way to pay it back.

 

[Makati2008]

Sometimes it's best to just let people learn the hard way. Many, many people have advised caution regarding this course of action, but the OP seems intent on pursuing it nonetheless.

I wonder why it is people ask for feedback if they are going to argue with things they don't want to hear.

Agreed. She seems to have done little research on the fields she has chosen. It would behoove her to go to allnurses as you advise, try to spend sometime volunteer in a hospital and get close to the nurses as she can. and crunch the numbers. Seems like she is forgetting that the 100k will be more than 100k with interests, time finding a job, and making more than the min. payments.......also her limiting herself to california also seems to be a very poor decision as well. I see no reason(unless her parents are sick/older or she has a family) that someone that is younger can't venture out of their comfort zone.

Hell I went to PA school 11hrs from home, Medical school 11hrs away from home and worked all the way in california when I was a new graduate PA. So I am wondering why the OP can't move away from home only for a little while to reach her goals if she is so hellbent on going the RN/NP route..

Also I do know of one person that has 120k in debt as a RN that is struggling to stay afloat........and that is with a job..........

Also being a RN/NP/PA is not all fun, if you don't have thick skin and can't take Physicians hollering at you for a slight mistake(seen this before which is disgusting to me), have a chart thrown at you because they have something going on at home or just in a general mood(one of my good friends told me about a Physician spitting on a nurse where she worked I know this is an extremely(very extreme) uncommon but this type of stuff can happen), and many other things you need to reconsider going the nursing route....

 

[dudestheman90]

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[Makati2008]

The economy is bad..regardless of what you do, the health field is starting to feel the effects of the 4+ year recession. Nursing is still a solid/career job compared to most other degrees. I'd rather be unemployed with a BSN, then with a doctorate in Optometry. With nursing it's cyclical, eventually the market will improve in a few years.

Five years ago I would have agreed with you but with the nursing schools putting out more and more graduates I think there will be glut(same for NP and crna) unless these schools slowdown in proliferation. I do agree about bsn over optometry though but I wouldn't pay that much for a nursing education

 

[Optomchick]

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[pamac]

I am aware of the posts on allnurses.com. I don't think you understand that Optometry school costs twice as much as nursing and there are FEWER jobs in the job market right now. Nursing school is also half the time of Optometry school.

I don't think they were making the case for you staying in optometry. There is a growing need for truckdrivers and geologists as well, but for some reason folks keep trending towards healthcare. Like any job, its a good idea to figure out if you are a good fit, but especially in a lot of areas like healthcare. For some folks, nursing is a good fit because they like working 3 days a week, and a decent paycheck. That has the potential to complicate the lives of your coworkers when you aren't up to the nursing role on the floor. Evaluating a career based on employment and income is like saying that you know you'd get along with a potential mate simply based on the fact that they are good looking.

 

[pamac]

Agreed. She seems to have done little research on the fields she has chosen. It would behoove her to go to allnurses as you advise, try to spend sometime volunteer in a hospital and get close to the nurses as she can. and crunch the numbers. Seems like she is forgetting that the 100k will be more than 100k with interests, time finding a job, and making more than the min. payments.......also her limiting herself to california also seems to be a very poor decision as well. I see no reason(unless her parents are sick/older or she has a family) that someone that is younger can't venture out of their comfort zone.

Hell I went to PA school 11hrs from home, Medical school 11hrs away from home and worked all the way in california when I was a new graduate PA. So I am wondering why the OP can't move away from home only for a little while to reach her goals if she is so hellbent on going the RN/NP route..

Also I do know of one person that has 120k in debt as a RN that is struggling to stay afloat........and that is with a job..........

Also being a RN/NP/PA is not all fun, if you don't have thick skin and can't take Physicians hollering at you for a slight mistake(seen this before which is disgusting to me), have a chart thrown at you because they have something going on at home or just in a general mood(one of my good friends told me about a Physician spitting on a nurse where she worked I know this is an extremely(very extreme) uncommon but this type of stuff can happen), and many other things you need to reconsider going the nursing route....

The angle of paying off your debt is a compelling case. Durring your time at that school, you rack up debt for that, in addition to what it takes to live on, especially in california. Floor nurses there often do pretty good compared to NPs, so being an NP might not be as lucrative from a monetary standpoint when you add in retirement and bennefits. When you add in all the debt payments, you could be living as large as you would drawing the wage of an administrative assistant. The numbers might not justify staying there and going to the school you are talking about.