Nursing is no other program in college. It’s a degree for a particular career, in which it can branch into infinite choices for the individual. Initially, the process starts like any other, with an education. There are many different routes to begin in Nursing. My sister, for example, is currently a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). She began receiving her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification in high school. Then worked several years as a CNA, until enrolling in an LPN program. She is currently looking for a bridge program to receive her RN.
Myself, unlike my sister, I went right to the RN degree first. There are a few different degree programs that will allow you to sit for the NCLEX at the completion of the program. There are certification programs, Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN), and Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN). Many of the certificate programs are disappearing, due to a movement to have all RNs have at least a BSN. Most of the certificate programs will have some basic classes that are needed as prerequisites. In the end, you are given a certificate of completion, but the completed student will be able to sit for the NCLEX. Connecticut only has one certificate program left.
The degree programs to become an RN include ADN, BSN or alternate MSN route. An ADN is traditionally a two-year program. Many programs, like the one I graduated from, have an extensive list of prerequisites that are required to be done even before applying to the program. Followed by the additional classes that should be done along with the nursing core courses to complete the degree. My school strongly advised the completion of all non-nursing courses before starting the nursing portion. While working two jobs, the fulfillment of all the non-nursing courses took me a slow and painful four years. A plus, was while taking one-to-two classes a semester, I was able to pay out of pocket.
A BSN program, a four-year program, may have many different curriculum varieties. The two I have seen includes four years of both nursing and non-nursing classes taken simultaneously, or two years of non-nursing courses followed by two years of core nursing classes taken separately. Every program is different, but I was told associate programs get more clinical hours than the BSNs, but the BSNs get to have more classroom hours. The alternative MSN route is offered to students who already have a Bachelors in a degree other than Nursing. I have seen many of them be a three-year program where the first year is an accelerated nursing program. At the end of the first year, you sit for the NCLEX. Then complete the next two years to receive your master’s degree.
No matter which degree level you go for everyone sits for the same NCLEX and receives the same RN License. If a hospital has to choose between an ADN or BSN, may prefer a BSN. Nowadays, RNs will have to go and get at least their BSN before saying goodbye to college. Many hospitals are striving for Magnet Status from the American Nurses’ Credential Center. The Magnet status among the hospital covers nursing education and retention to strengthen their staff. Many hospitals have put forth goals of 80% of Nursing staff to hold a BSN or higher by 2020. Keep in mind after an ADN you will need to continue to a BSN, you will find work, although it’s more comfortable when at least enrolled in a BSN program.
The type of program will largely depend on where you are in your life and financial needs of the education. Nursing school takes time and money. If you are right out of high school and a full-time student, I would suggest the BSN route. If you have just graduated high school and unable to maintain full-time status may be an ADN is right for you. Nursing, for me, was the second attempt at college. I already held a Bachelor’s of Science in another major and at first applied to the Accelerated programs found at most of the major Universities. My acceptance was declined due to my less than stellar grades during my first attempt at college. My grades were kind enough to successfully finish my BS, but under the minimum GPA by one-hundredth of a point for the programs I was applying. My past classes had come back to bite me. All the Universities look at my complete GPA. I was accepted to an ADN program. The ADN program looked at several factors, my nursing GPA, which were the prerequisite classes needed before using, my grade in Anatomy and Physiology, and of course, my TEAS score. Mathematically they were weighted and calculated into a score. All applicants were placed in order of their rating, 75% of the class were chosen out of the top scores, and the last 25% were randomly selected out of the rest of the applicants who met all the standards.
Keep in mind, my class had a diverse group of people. We had students who were right out of high school just barely into their 20’s, and students who had two or more career changes and in their 50’s. Some students who were lucky enough to not work, some worked part-time, and others, a small minority, who worked full time. Working in nursing school is hard. I was able to work full time and a part-time job while taking physics, microbiology, statistics, etc., but nursing school working 25 hours a week was unbearable. The small group who did work 40 hours had a hard time semester to semester. It can be done, but beware. If you have a family, keep that in mind as well. Nursing school is time-consuming, you will miss a lot of friend and family events and moments.
When looking at programs look at their curriculum, their first-time pass rate at NCLEX, which can be found on the state’s Board of Nursing or Public Health websites.
Nursing school will test you and teach you what type of person you really are in life.