nursing as a second career - degree options
I'm sure people in this group have seen this topic before so apologies
in advance, but I've recently begun considering nursing as a second
career. I have a lot of questions but before I get into any of them I
have some questions about the various degrees -- I already have a
Bachelor's degree in a non-nursing related field so am considering an
accelerated BSN program. Does that make more sense than doing an
associate's? I would think so since I've already done a bachelor's
general requirements. If I do do the BSN, I need to fulfill about 5
undergraduate pre-requisites. Does anyone know if I can just do those
at a community college/local school before applying to a BSN program?
Different schools have different requirements about where you take
undergraduate pre-requisites. Some will take a "C" or better if you take
them at their college, but will only accept a "B" or better if you
transfer. Others will take transfers at "C" or better no matter where
they are taken. If your local community college/school offers the
science courses at better times/ is convenient for you, then go with it
things being equal. Just make sure you understand the nursing program's
transfer policy.
Since you already have your bachelor's, it makes sense to go for the BSN
and get it over with. Most if not all nursing programs run 2 1/2 to 3
years, the difference comes mainly from how much undergraduate work
(credits) required. You are going to be in school for about 2 years
either way, so why not take the higher degree?
I find that the ADN/BSN debate (especially among returners)
largely turns into one of finances: can afford to spend the extra
time and money?. If you can afford to go the longer time (assuming
it is longer and in real life it usually is by the time you get the
pre-reqs done) then go the BSN route. If not, make sure that the
place you go to has a ADN->BSN route that is seemless (some don't
count parts of the ADN toward the BSN although that scam is getting
rarer).
As for the pre-reqs. You will have to ask the school itself.
Some schools won't accept all of your credits from another school (a
scam that ISN'T getting rarer). It (literally) took an act of the
Legislature to get the "big Nursing schools" in the state to accept
the ADN credits from the community colllege.