How to become a nurse?

[HoneyHunter]

Hello,

This might be a stupid question but I'm wondering what requirements (gpa, test, courses, etc.) are needed to apply to nursing school? How about minimum gpa? This information is for my girlfriend. Her gpa isn't that great (~2.7?) and she is taking her MCAT is August(1st time). She is interested in the medical field but I have a feeling that her scores will not make her a strong applicat for Medical school. I suggested nursing to her but I need some information so I can gear her in the right direction. Any information will be greatly appreciated...

 

[wsu]

Where is she at in her studies? Its deciding between an ADN vs. BSN depending on her goals and her current course of stuides.

 

[Noeljan]

Hi honey
Well first thing, Nursing at the BS level is an UG degree just like anything else. Now I don't know what year she is at, but if she is undecided in her major, then she should apply to the nursing program. Nursing program GPA's range from 2.5-3.0 depending on the school. Seeing how she is thinking about medicine, she may have taken many of the nursing prereq's. She will need to complete those with no lower than a C or B(depending on the school) in each class. If she has lower, she can retake it. I listed the prereqs at my school on a previous post, but here they are again
Psych 101
Abnormal psych
Anatomy 1
Physiology 300
Pathophys. 412
Chemistry 1
Micriobiology 301
Psych Statistics
Medical Ethics
Biochem Pharmacy
there are a few more but my mind is drawing a blank.
Basically have her contact the nursing departent at her school for the requirements and go from there. She will fill out an app like anything else.
Now nursing is not an easy program, I would have never thought so if I had not done it. There are a lot of projects Tons of studying, and oh pay attention in her prereqs bc you don't want to have to try and relearn phys and anatomy when you are learning about health assesment.
Micro ad human phys at my school seem to be the toughest prereqs that people need to get through. It's the same classes that the school offers. There are not separate ones just for nursing majors. So she will take them with the pre PT's, pre OT's, pre pharm, pre meds etc.
Now as for diploma programs I have learned a little about them in nursing hx but I really have no idea about how to go about that. So if that is what she wants I don't know. But, if she wants to go on to grad school for nursing her best bet would to be to get her BSN now. We do have a lot of Assoc. RN's in our program with us.
Good luck any other questions let me know
Oh I go to SUNY Buffalo, and will be graduating this coming May, and also am applying to medical school.

 

[Noeljan]

Oh and by the GPA's 2.5-3.0 I mean cut off GPA's, obviously many people have much higher but those are the cut offs.

 

[wsu]

Nursing programs were discontinued some time ago.

 

[Noeljan]

WSU
What are you talking about?????
I am in the nursing program at SUNY Buffalo, and I know just about every major University has a nursing program.
Maybe I am taking your quote wrong and you mean diploma nursing programs???? Bc I know A LOT of those were discontinued, and also that tha ANA is always in debate whether or not to drop the RN program at the Associate level.
But again I go to SUNY Buffalo, am entering the last year of the nursing program, I will have my BSN in May, which is a four year degree just like any other 4 year degree.
Thanks

 

[wsu]

I'm talking about hospital based nursing programs.

 

[Noeljan]

ok got ya
That's what I thought you were talking about but was not sure. It's weird how so many people think nursing is like this little offset program removed from college. When in reality it's a four year degree just like any other. So may people are always like oh nursing is for people who did not get into med school. It's like what??? That's almost impossible bc Nursing is chosen like at the end of freshmen year just like any major. I mean if people are looking for a second degree more power to them, but they have to take the prereqs and the entire program. I think what creates some confussion for the public is the LPN degree and the ARN degree. They are community college level, which is fine but it does create some confussion. If you want to be an NP or be promoted to management of the such, you really should have your BSN.
Thanks for clarifying WSU

 

[wsu]

Noel-,

No problem. I wish you luck and God speed in your endevors towards medical school. Always, be proud of the fact that you are a nurse.

WSU, MSU-COM 2006, RN,BSN,BA

 

[HoneyHunter]

First of all, I want to thank you two for responding to my post.

wsu - She currently finished her 3rd year at UCSD and her major is general biology.

Noeljan - Thank you for giving me those useful information. I'll be sure to relay it to her. Hmmm...looks like she is missing some classes they require but I'm sure she can put them in. Do you know if they look at MCAT? That's not required right? Good luck with applying to medical school. If you have any questions about that I'll try my best since I went through that process already. If you have time...I recommend to apply to Osteopathic Medical schools too. Just another option :wink:

 

[Noeljan]

Thanks WSU and honey
Honey, the required courses may be a little different at her school, bc they vary from school to school. In NYS though, from most I have looked at they are roughly the same with a few minor differences. No, the MCAT is not required. I'm sure she will do well. It's not an easy program, but she will do well if she puts in the time. Oh, and she will probably start clinical sometime at the end of the first year of the nursing program(which is usually about the third year of college)
Her bio background will def. help in some of the courses and disease process. I know from just also taking the pre med sciences on top of the required nursing they have helped me a lot.
So she is going into her third year, well that is fine. There are people entering their sixth UG year in my class with me(it's our last year) My nursing program is pretty small. We have 40 people(started with like 60 last year but people don't pass the courses) We are all very close. Tell her to contact them like TODAY! Maybe if she finds out what courses she needs she can fit something into summer session 3.
Oh and I am applying to DO schools. I like the fact that they think my nursing is important. I want to go to NYCOM. My stats are 3.55 overall(hopefully will be close to a 3.7 by May bc I am reatking a class and science 3.4 I have not yet taken the MCAT bc I have to take ochem(my last pre med class Thanks for your advice too!
WSU that's so cool that you were/are a nurse too! Sorry if I got a little snotty when I first read your comment(I read it the wrong way) but after some of the things on this board about nursing, I wanted to defend our professsion(It gets to me that so many people think nursing is not at the college level, or not a degree. Well once I explain it to people that um yes nursing is a BS degree just like Bio they are like oh really I never knew that

 

[vixen]

the sciences for nursing programs are def watered down. I had some roommates in them, and from looking at their stuff, they learn stuff, but not a lot of the background to it (why and how stuff works).

 

[wsu]

Noel-

I understand your feelings about the nursing profession. Many non-nurses have an attitude that they can simply treat nurses badly.

I can tell you from my own experience that working as a nurse, some interns and medical students had an attitude of "God." No wonder, there is a nursing shortage. Who would want to deal with their ego 24/7.

I think you made a wise choice and commend you on choosing to become a nurse and physican. Some pre-meds I think are somewhat out of touch with the hospital workings and are focused too much on M.D. and all of its entitlements.

 

[Beagle]

I have a freind who is a senior in college.
She is a biology major and her GPA is about a 2.4. I am not quite sure what her Science GPA was, but I know that she failed Gen Bio, gen Chem, Ochem the first times she took it...
She wants to go to nursing school afterwards, but do you guys think she will get in? I know nothing about nursing school so any info would help.
She has no real extracurrics related to the health field

 

[Ryo-Ohki]

You can become a nurse by either going through a ADN program (2 years) at a junior college or a BSN program (4 years). It is better to get a BSN if you want to choose the nursing route.

Wsu, explain this ego thing that is bothering you so much. Are the residents telling you what to do? Not listening to what you say? Why do you think they have a "God" complex? Why do you have so much anger towards young MDs?

 

[wsu]

Ryo-,

I pose no hositlity towards young interns/medical students. I am simply stating my own observations and opionions of the best/worst of my experiences at Hopkins.

As to your question about this ego thing, I said some not all interns/medical students have an ego.

Like some interns/medical students are better in clinical peformance than others, more meticulous than others, and have better overall clinical judgement/skills than others.

 

[wsu]

Beagle-,

Thats a nice name. My friens joke and call me snoopy. Anyways, with your question about nursing programs, R- advice is worth considering.

If she's interested in nursing, she may even be able to get some hospitals to pay her tuition in exchange for working there later.

About her grades, I wouldn't be extremely worried. Like R- said, there are many options out there in getting a nursing degree. It all depends on you future/goals/plans.

If you have further questions, email me and I will try to help you.

 

[AnMD2B]

I think the only time a nursing student should take the time to get a BSN is if he/ she is concidering going on to get a masters. Associate degree nurses and bachlors degree nurses make the same amount of money. The only difference is that ADN nurses dont have the 55 additional credit hours in general studies required for a bachlors degree. Plus you get tons more clinical nursing experience at a community college than you would at a 4 year liberal arts college. Plus, after the first two semesters of a community college, she would get her LPN and be making 12-15 bucks an hour while getting her Rn. Here, they require you have your LPN before you can enroll in RN classes (at the community college). After another 2 semesters she can sit for the NCLEX to get her RN. If she would ever decide to get her BSN she can do everything online at nearly ever college that offers a BSN. Another good thing is that she wont have to go through the admission process if she already has an ADN. My nursing school doesnt require you to do the NET test which is the nursing school entrance test, or the application. Also, she can do her clinicals, if she already has her ADN, on her own time. What I mean by that is that she already has a license to practice nursing so she doesnt need an instructor, just the clinical hours that it takes to forfill the BSN requirements. Any other questions let me know

 

[Noeljan]

hey
in my opinion I still feel it's better to get your BSN. You never know when you are going to wish you had gotten it, there are several ARN who are in my program who wished they would have just started at their BSN. If you want manager level jobs, or ever want to go on to be an NP, DSN, or CRNA, I would highly suggest getting your BSN. Yes it's more work, but I think worth it. Nothing against ARN's bc they are very good clinically. But, a BSN has a lot more scientific background and critical thinking background. You will learn more of the why. Good luck either way.

 

[angelic02]

Originally posted by HoneyHunter
Hello,

This might be a stupid question but I'm wondering what requirements (gpa, test, courses, etc.) are needed to apply to nursing school? How about minimum gpa? This information is for my girlfriend. Her gpa isn't that great (~2.7?) and she is taking her MCAT is August(1st time). She is interested in the medical field but I have a feeling that her scores will not make her a strong applicat for Medical school. I suggested nursing to her but I need some information so I can gear her in the right direction. Any information will be greatly appreciated...

HoneyHunter,

I would personally suggest that your friend keep trying to get into medical school if that was what she truly wanted. I think that if you want something that bad then you will eventually get it if you keep working at it. Does she explicitly say she wants to be a physician? Or is she just interested in any medical field? If that's the case then you might convince her to go the nursing route, but as for myself, if I was in the same position I would keep trying [in my case, until I die, but I realize some people don't want to wait that long] to go to medical school.

 

[StudyShy]

Another thing that people often overlook about RNs is that a lot of them, in order to get into a nursing program, have already been enrolled in college classes for one or two years before they even apply. For instance I start my first year of nursing at my local community college in a couple of weeks along with the same people who I have spent my last one and a half years taking classes with. This means that credit-wise I (I took spring and summer classes) and my college buddies are at least sophomores or juniors. For me, that's 60 credit hours of literature, philosophy, sociology, history, economics, Spanish, psychology, biology, chemistry, physics, calculus, and the list goes on. The classes we have already taken are general, but they run the gamut. The reason most have to wait so long in order to get accepted into the nursing program is because schools give out more points for the number of classes taken. Competition is fierce, so you can't rely soley on your stellar ACT and gpa to get you in. Thus you have to become a diletante except you aren't becoming one for your amusement. Argh! In other words, if you have the money, go straight for the BSN. Definitely! But then again, if you lack the funding, getting an RN is the way to go because chances are you'll be able to get some sort of scholarship, and you'll be able to work your way through it like what was said previously. Additionally, if you do decide to go on to a four-year school, most of your general education requirements will have already been fulfilled for dirt cheap. Yeah! It's a lot to think about because you're going to have to put the time in whatever you decide to do. Good luck to everyone.