# Most practical way to advance to RN.



## NYMedic828 (Jun 2, 2012)

So I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about putting a jump start on my slow return to school.

I left college originally when FDNY called me for an EMT job which has since led to paramedic (on their dime) and hopefully a year from now firefighter.

I have no desire nor reason to leave FDNY until retirement.

That said I have roughly 30-40 liberal arts credits and I'd really like to slowly make my way down the line from RN to NP some day. (far away)

What's the most realistic way of doing this while working full time?

I don't know of any part time 4 year RN programs, but maybe start with LPN few classes here and there and work my way up?

Would love to hear from anyone else in the same position.


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## Avenrii (Jun 2, 2012)

Why LPN? In a lot of areas, LPNs are being phased out. Most colleges that I've seen (though admittedly I've not looked in your area), offer an associates degree in Nursing. After your A.D.N., you can get your B.S.N. online from an accredited college. I highly suggest Western Governors University at that point.

Here in Texas, there is a Paramedic certification to A.D.N.. The cert takes one year and going into the A.D.N. afterwards takes another year. This is what I've chosen to do, with WGU in mind for a B.S.N. after graduation.

As for working, it really depends. Do as many courses online as you can, and try to have a steady schedule. I've done college and two jobs at once before, and though it is difficult, it is workable with a routine.


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## mycrofft (Jun 3, 2012)

Look into the burgeoning field of adult education, some schools pride themselves for being friendly to part time students.
LPN is not  step towards RN, just go for it.


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## Akulahawk (Jun 3, 2012)

mycrofft said:


> Look into the burgeoning field of adult education, some schools pride themselves for being friendly to part time students.
> LPN is not  step towards RN, just go for it.


LPN/LVN really isn't much of a step towards RN. If you're going to do RN, just do that program. Out here, most of the LVN to RN transition programs are 3 semesters long and the LVN programs are 3 semesters long... and RN is 4 semesters long. You "save" one semester in the RN program portion but you pay for it with 3 semesters... 

Definitely look at adult education programs. They may have an RN program that is designed for the part-time student. 

As to my particular plan, I'm in an ADN program. Once I graduate, I'll get into a post-bac or even a 2nd Bachelor's program and complete the BSN, and perhaps look at a MSN of some sort. If you already have a Bachelor's, you may consider an accelerated BSN program. Had that been a possibility, that would have been something I might have done... because I'd be done in 13 months (or about that) instead of 20-ish.


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## mycrofft (Jun 3, 2012)

Another name for the type of program Akulahawk is doing is "articulated baccalaureate". That's how mine was, youy earned your associate's degree and got yor license, then pressed on for the baccalaureate.


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## Pneumothorax (Jun 3, 2012)

All nurses. Com is a great site to look into that has the info u are prob looking for


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## flhtci01 (Jun 4, 2012)

Just graduated from a hybrid course with an ADN while working full time. (NCLEX in two weeks)  It worked the best for me, especially with cooperative employers.  Hopefully will find work shortly and then look into a BSN.

Hybrid - online classes with scheduled clinical time.  I know of one paramedic that was doing online studies but no one would schedule clinical time for him.


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## mct601 (Jun 13, 2012)

Bridge course. Look for them, they are becoming more prevalent. Many CC's are allowing paramedics into LPN to RN bridge programs, and some are allowing medics to enter in as a 3rd semester student. Some are even mostly online. Colleges see the trend of EMS professionals going into nursing, and of course they will capitalize on it. I know many nurses in the ER, ICU, and air med setting who are products of the bridge courses and are great nurses. 

As far as BSN, once you get your ADN from the bridge look for an online ADN to BSN bridge. We have one here at the University of Southern Miss (unless something has changed). Its entirely online, from what I understand the upper level classes in the BSN program are almost if not entirely didactic. 


Good luck.


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## JakeEMTP (Jun 13, 2012)

If you are in NY, try to go straight for the BSN. But, if you only want the title of RN and not wanting to work as one then it might be okay to do just an ADN. Your state is going to all BSN soon just like New Jersey. ADNs are having a hard time finding finding a job anywhere since the hospitals are only hiring BSNs now and there are alot of them.  The ADN programs which are still around have a 2 - 3 year wait list after you make the requirements to apply.   Don't know what good an LPN license would be in NY. But that would be a long route to take to get to RN.


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## Akulahawk (Jun 14, 2012)

Being that your (OP) location is NYC and therefore, the State of NY, I would suggest looking for a BSN program as first and foremost, they're more likely to get RN jobs in that area than an RN that got an ADN. Also, you may wish to look at a Paramedic to ADN bridge course. They do exist and many states accept grads from those programs for RN licensing. California does have some colleges (two or three) that give Paramedics some credit toward RN, but typically they put the student through a short semester course (bridge course) and then the student begins the 2nd Semester of a 4 semester program, thus having to do 3 semesters. 

Since you seem to have some college units, take your prereqs, get yourself ready for transfer to a 4 year, and start applying to their BSN program. Most of those are upper division (Junior and Senior years) and if everything goes right, you'll take a couple of upper division Gen Ed requirements and then your 4 semesters of Nursing School and you'll graduate in about the same time as you would have if you'd pursued an ADN. 

As mycrofft said, the path I chose is an articulated BSN program, but that's because I already have a Bachelor's and I can get the ADN, take about 30 units of classes and graduate with a BSN about 1 year after completing my ADN, or I can take 4 classes (about 20 units) and prepare for entry to an MSN program. Those upper division courses that I would have to take are primarily didactic and do not have a clinical component as I will have already done that by then...

Really, had there been an Accelerated BSN program available to me, I probably would have jumped on it, precisely because I would be about 6 months from graduation as of right now rather than about 12...

Whatever you do, if you're contemplating RN, go for that and not LVN along the way unless that's part of what your specific program does. I know of an ADN program that takes their students through CNA, then to LVN, and then to RN over a 5 semester program. Yes, their students get LVN licensed. It's not efficient, but it does allow the _possibility_ that their students could get some work as an LVN. At least this way, if the student fails the NCLEX - RN, they still have their LVN...


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## VFlutter (Jun 14, 2012)

If you seriously want to be a NP one day just go straight for your BSN. Also keep in mind if you want to be a more advanced practitioner (CRNA/ACNP) they can be VERY picky about previous education so bridge programs may put you at a huge disadvantage.


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## 46Young (Jun 14, 2012)

NYMedic works for FDNY EMS. They work eight hour shifts and can be subject to mandations (mandatory OT). NYMedic intends to backdoor into FDNY as a FF. This will be a rotating schedule as well. Many nursing schools have a steady supply of teeny boppers, so I've found that they are generally unwilling to cater to professionals that do rotating shift work.

When a program can solve for this, NYMedic will have something, and I would be interested as well. As it stands, their programs are full of people that have no such work issues, so it does not behoove them to make concessions for students that may be held over for forced OT or that cannot commit to set days every week. As such, I've yet to find a nursing program with *asynchronous distance learning with flexible hours for clinicals. 

For example, in a nine day rotation, I work 24 hrs on days 1,3, and 5. I can't commit to doing a M/W, T/H, M/W/F or whatever without burning a ton of leave and hopefully getting work exchanges. To top it all off, if the job holds you over in the morning when you have class, you can quickly fail out of the program due to absences. I'd hate to fail out of the program in the last semester for this reason. This is why we look for shortcuts such as Excelsior and such. There are many degrees with 100% online asynchronous distance learning options, and others with flexible lab hours, but it seems that medical courses do not provide this option.

This is a major reason why I'm switching gears from pursuing a nursing or RT degree, and going into Emergency Management or something similar that I can do after the FD instead. 

And we wonder why American EMT's and paramedics are resistant to education - rotating shift work is prohibitive to earning a degree. Even if you can pull it off, you burn most or all of your leave, and have to pay back a lot of exchanges. It's not even worth it if you don't need a degree, as is the case for a field paramedic with only a cert.*


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## 46Young (Jun 14, 2012)

ChaseZ33 said:


> If you seriously want to be a NP one day just go straight for your BSN. Also keep in mind if you want to be a more advanced practitioner (CRNA/ACNP) they can be VERY picky about previous education so bridge programs may put you at a huge disadvantage.



Pursuing a BSN while doing rotating shift work with the risk of mandatory OT is a long four years. Too much can go wrong. It's a wise choice to get the RN, and then complete the BSN online at your own leisure instead of being committed to a full time program. 

If you're a 19 y/o teeny bopper living with your parents and only work PT, getting the BSN right away makes a whole lot more sense.


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## VFlutter (Jun 14, 2012)

46Young said:


> Pursuing a BSN while doing rotating shift work with the risk of mandatory OT is a long four years. Too much can go wrong. It's a wise choice to get the RN, and then complete the BSN online at your own leisure instead of being committed to a full time program.
> 
> If you're a 19 y/o teeny bopper living with your parents and only work PT, getting the BSN right away makes a whole lot more sense.



I understand that completely however I would just suggest looking into the requirements for whatever school you want to get your masters at. For example my program takes 6 students a semester for CRNA with 50-100 applying so they can be very picky. However a BSN is a BSN is a BSN so I am not sure how much difference it would make how you got it but I do know they were strict on what they except as transfer credit from other schools.


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## 8jimi8 (Jun 15, 2012)

the fastest way is get your ADN and if you are planning on NP, you can take an RN to MSN/NP program.


i dont know much about states that are requiring BSN, but it is NOT hard to get a job as an ADN. 

my second travel assignment and i'm at a level 1 here in south carolina in the medical icu.


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## Anjel (Jun 15, 2012)

8jimi8 said:


> the fastest way is get your ADN and if you are planning on NP, you can take an RN to MSN/NP program.
> 
> 
> i dont know much about states that are requiring BSN, but it is NOT hard to get a job as an ADN.
> ...



Jimi where have you been all my life!? 

& I am very happy for you! You have a bad *** job!


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