What is the best way to take up nursing?

Question

I hv been in mgmt & admin for upteen years. Got what i ever wanted to achieve. Since moving to U.S., i hv been seriously thinking of changing my career and go into nursing. Will have to start from the basic of taking CNA, then LVN then RN etc...one step at a time. What is the most effective approach? In term of saving time and money....??? (which is not on my side.)

Answer 1

If you do it in steps like you have outlined, it's going to cost more and take more time. Just enrole/apply to a good college for nursing and get your RN to begin with.

Answer 2

I have tried both the traditional 4 year University and Technical College. I am currently an LPN student (I'm done in Dec.) and I have been accepted into the RN program (at the tech). It will be by far cheaper at the technical community college as I have found out. Most programs at any school are now requiring you to have your CNA before progressing into any nursing program. You could either go 4 years, that's if you are accepted into the RN program right away (it's pretty competitive everywhere). Or you could go 2 to 2.5 years for LPN then another 1 to 1.5 for RN at a technical college. Anywhere you go it is competitive, based on grades, recommendations, merits, ect. Good luck! I would check out whats available around you and what the schools recommend!

Answer 3

I'll be honest with you...going that route is not only a waste of time, it's a waste of money.

If you want to be an RN, then be an RN. Women right out of high school are going and succeeding in nursing school.

EVERYTHING that you would normally learn as a CNA or an LPN is taught in an RN program...that is why there is no reason to do all 3, unless you just like going to school and throwing tuition dollars away.

Answer 4

My lady is currently enrolled at a hospital-based nursing school-the school is owned and operated by a local hospital. It is a great program for several reasons. The curriculum is every bit as good as what 4-year universities offer. During each term you get lots of real world experience working aside real nurses. From start to finish, the RN program lasts about 19 months. They offer loan forgiveness if you agree to work for that hospital system for at least 2 years. They offer financial aid other than loans. There are many such programs across the country. Just visit your local hospital and ask about local hospital-based programs. My lady's school is called the Mercy School of Nursing in Charlotte. It has been been around almost 100 years and has a very strong reputation. Area employers love to recruit Mercy students, mainly because of the amount of real world experience they get.

My lady was enrolled at a community college for a couple years. Some of the courses she took were prep courses for the nursing program. But in her case, the hospital-based program she's currently in is way stronger than that of the local community college.

Answer 5

Night courses at a technical or community college in your area will more than likely suit the bill.

Technical or Community colleges usually are inexpensive alternatives to the University and focus on career training. The degree of Associate of Applied Science AAS( or Arts..AAA) is what you should be shooting for or your nursing certificate...what ever is required in your area. The AAS or AAA is designed to get people into a specific career. The Associate of Science (or Arts) is more geared to transfer students and includes more general education courses and less focus on career centered course work.
Once you get hired as a nurse, many large companies (hospitals included) will pay for your additional schooling through tuition reimbursement programs.

Follow your dream and good luck

Answer 6

Either an LPN course or a RN course, neither will be cheap, but nurses are in sharp demand , as so many are retiring. It's a profession , especially with the baby boomers aging that you'll probably always have work with.