online nursing education?
I'll be graduating shortly with a BS degree in electrical and computer
engineering. I'm trying to get into nursing.
However, I noticed that the University of Phoenix is offering a BSN
online. I'm often wary of online education, as some people don't fully
acknowledge.
Then again, Phoenix is a major, accredited school, unlike some of
those for-profit online institutions.
Also, my ultimate goal is to get into nurse anesthesia, as quickly and
cheaply as possible.
Any feedback on Phoenix's program? Am I barking up the right tree for
nurse anesthesia?
There is no easy route to getting a nursing degree. There are several
hundred hours of clinical experience (lab time) involved. I believe that
the Phoenix BSN program is for people who already have an RN license from a
two or three year program and who do not need clinical experience, or who
can arrange it on their own. Contact them for exact details. Since you are
not already employed in nursing, I would advise against it.
With your degree in EE/CS I think that you would find undergraduate nursing
courses to be excessively elementary and slow paced for you. I suggest that
you apply to a graduate program instead. Note that CRNA requires a master's
degree anyway. This school http://www.nursing.yale.edu/index.html is close
to where you live and has excellent master's and doctorate of nursing
programs.
I don't know of any CRNA programs that would accept a non-nurse. AFAIK,
they all require RN licensure and critical care experience, and the slots
are extremely competitive, at that. Also, AFAIK, Yale does not have a nurse
anesthetist program (I live nearby).
Why would a basic nursing program be too elementary for him? Are engineers
(and he apparently has no practical experience in any field, as a new
college grad) inherently superior to the rest of us who had bachelor's and
master's degrees (and considerable work experience) before entering nursing
school?
I do agree with your statements regarding UofP. I am not aware of any
online generic nursing programs, although some may accept LPNs who are
transitioning to RN.
CRNA programs require a BSN and at least a year of acute care experience.
Most schools require that that experience be in critical care. Also, I
don't think Yale has a school of nurse anesthesia.
Or are you recommending that he get a generic master's in nursing, become
an RN, and then go to CRNA school?