NRP to RN?

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MedicVA11

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I am debating on possibly attending nursing school due to the large amount of nursing jobs in my area and very few jobs for paramedics. I have had my NRP for about 5 years and have loved working in the field and ED as a medic. I also have a background of a critical care undergrad degree, have almost finished a master's, and have quite a few classes that will transition over to nursing school....I am looking at a program at the community college.

I guess my main question is for other medics that have transitioned over to nursing for one reason or another is how difficult was nursing school for a medic? (I already know some of the nursing skills...accessing central lines, inserting foleys, using g-tubes for meds, etc.)I have heard so many nursing students talking about the difficulty of nursing school (whether ADN-RN or BSN-RN) and I was wondering how hard it is for a medic with a fairly diverse science background as well. I would attend a hybrid-type program and just go in for skills and clinicals because I need to work full-time.
 
With hybrid programs, you need to be very careful about which states will accept them. The programs that will generally allow you to endorse your license into most (if not all) states are ones that have concurrent (same quarter/semester) didactic and clinical subjects. This usually means that you would have to attend a more traditional program, or at least one that has some brick & mortar status. Nursing school is hard, but it's usually not the clinical stuff that's difficult. The hard part is learning to think like a nurse. Once you "get" that, you'll do well. Get all your prerequisites out of the way for entry into a program and then apply.

I'm a Paramedic that went RN. There are lots of skills that do transfer but Paramedics think about the short-term stuff and nurses tend to think about more long-term stuff so the reason why we do certain skills will be different at times. Probably one of the more difficult parts of nursing school is learning to do efficient time-management so that you can do all those things that all your patients need. On a med-surg floor you may have a 1:4 to a 1:6 ratio and you'll be very busy with doing assessments on all your stuff, doing all your med passes on all your patients, doing needed procedures for patient care and comfort, and so on. It's very, very busy!

I'm an ER nurse and while I'm having a great time learning, it's not easy when/if you have high-acuity patients in all of your assigned beds. I was also a Paramedic and really loved that work too.
 
Thank you for the reply...it was interesting to hear the differences between medic and nursing school. That did help!
The hybrid program I am looking into is accredited, accepted by the board of nursing, and I know quite a few people that went through the program and are working in some very large hospital systems now. I can choose either the traditional or hybrid route, but with work, the hybrid would work better for me.
 
You have a BS degree already and healthcare experience.

Apply to an accelerated BSN program from one of your CCNE accredited state universities. They require you already have a BS (and your prereqs) and you can be done in 12-16 months (of very very full time avg 6 days a week) for a typical program.

Reputable, time efficient, and economical.

You likely won't be able to work FT, but if you can balance your checkbook, it will absolutely pay off because you will be earning the significantly higher RN salary much sooner.
 
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Summit said:
You have a BS degree already and healthcare experience.

Apply to an accelerated BSN program from one of your CCNE accredited state universities. They require you already have a BS (and your prereqs) and you can be done in 12-16 months (of very full time) for a typical program.

Reputable, time efficient, and economical.

You likely won't be able to work FT, but if you can balance your checkbook, it will absolutely pay off because you will be earning the significantly higher RN salary much sooner.
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This is the best way to go, if it is an option for you.
 
As the others above suggest, if you can get into an accelerated BSN program, you'll be better off in the long run. In my particular situation, an ABSN was not an option and the traditional BSN (even though it was "just" a 2 year program for me) was also not an option. I had to do the ADN route. If you can find a way to work part time, do the ABSN, and keep the checkbook balanced, that may be an excellent option for you as you'll likely complete the program in about a year.

Hybrid programs (mix of online and in-person classes) along with clinicals where the subjects studied "in class" match the subjects covered in clinical match will likely pass muster with California's BRN. Excelsior students and students from the Philippines bump into that problem. Excelsior's clinical isn't done the same way as most other programs. Students from most Philippine schools usually have their clinical rotations happen whenever there's an opening. As an example, they may take the Peds didactic in the Fall and the Peds clinical in the Spring. That's not OK for California licensure and the BRN considers that a "deficiency" that has to be corrected.
 
The program at the two-year college in my area is offering an ADN in traditional and hybrid....both result in the same degree
and same prep for NCLEX. It is definitely not the same as Excelsior and the hybrid is only suggested for those with a previous bachelor's degree and clinical background because it is supposedly rigorous. I have checked with BON and VA accreditation and they look at the ADN in either format as the same as long as students can keep up with the work. Thankfully, the clinicals on both programs are held at the same time at the designated facilities in the area.

Akulahawk said:
As the others above suggest, if you can get into an accelerated BSN program, you'll be better off in the long run. In my particular situation, an ABSN was not an option and the traditional BSN (even though it was "just" a 2 year program for me) was also not an option. I had to do the ADN route. If you can find a way to work part time, do the ABSN, and keep the checkbook balanced, that may be an excellent option for you as you'll likely complete the program in about a year.

Hybrid programs (mix of online and in-person classes) along with clinicals where the subjects studied "in class" match the subjects covered in clinical match will likely pass muster with California's BRN. Excelsior students and students from the Philippines bump into that problem. Excelsior's clinical isn't done the same way as most other programs. Students from most Philippine schools usually have their clinical rotations happen whenever there's an opening. As an example, they may take the Peds didactic in the Fall and the Peds clinical in the Spring. That's not OK for California licensure and the BRN considers that a "deficiency" that has to be corrected.
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MedicVA11 said:
The program at the two-year college in my area is offering an ADN in traditional and hybrid....both result in the same degree and same prep for NCLEX. It is definitely not the same as Excelsior and the hybrid is only suggested for those with a previous bachelor's degree and clinical background because it is supposedly rigorous. I have checked with BON and VA accreditation and they look at the ADN in either format as the same as long as students can keep up with the work. Thankfully, the clinicals on both programs are held at the same time at the designated facilities in the area.
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Sounds like you've picked a reasonably good place then. The transcripts likely won't show any significant difference in courses (online vs traditional) but just make sure that whatever you're studying in class, you also cover the same stuff in clinical. That's called "concurrency" and as long as your class/clinical stuff runs concurrent, you'll easily be able to endorse your license to any other state.
 
Is the program ACEN accredited? That can be important for both employers and continuing to a BSN
 
If you have take 18 months off from working, paying bills, and living your life to get your accelerated BSN, do it.

If you can't (and I know I can't), look at www.achievetestprep.com. They run a program that is affiliated with excelsior, and one of my coworkers is going through it now, and she seems happy. When you finish, you take the NCLEX and come out with an ADN.
 
Summit said:
You have a BS degree already and healthcare experience.

Apply to an accelerated BSN program from one of your CCNE accredited state universities. They require you already have a BS (and your prereqs) and you can be done in 12-16 months (of very very full time avg 6 days a week) for a typical program.
Reputable, time efficient, and economical.
You likely won't be able to work FT, but if you can balance your checkbook, it will absolutely pay off because you will be earning the significantly higher RN salary much sooner.
Click to expand...


Just wondering, if one already has BS with nursing pre-req, what's the "advantage" going to accelerated BSN versus MSN?
In my area, MSN programs for none RN is 24 months.
 
Summit said:
Is the program ACEN accredited? That can be important for both employers and continuing to a BSN
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Yes, the community college nursing program is ACEN/CCNE accredited. I am glad you brought that up though because I hadn't checked that aspect at first.
 
MedicVA11 said:
Yes, the community college nursing program is ACEN/CCNE accredited. I am glad you brought that up though because I hadn't checked that aspect at first.
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Cannot possibly be CCNE because AACN "recognizes BSN as the minimum educational requirement for what the organization holds to be professional-level nursing practice." Therefor they only accredit graduate and bachelor programs. ASN programs seek ACEN (formerly NLNAC) accreditation. Confused yet? ;)

TimRaven said:
Just wondering, if one already has BS with nursing pre-req, what's the "advantage" going to accelerated BSN versus MSN?
In my area, MSN programs for none RN is 24 months.
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If you are saying they have a BS -> MSN + RN initial licensure program, it is a very hard question to answer without more details, particularly about the curriculum. Is it extra patho and clinicals or research or theory? It will be time intensive. Assuming that is a non-profit school, it might not cost that much more. MSN entry to practice programs don't necessarily make you much more marketable as a new RN nor give you a huge pay boost (only $1-2.50/hr most places). Basically, you get extra education and a little more salary at the cost of tuition and opportunity cost of time spent in school vs working. However, it will allow you to promote higher/faster at some employers and it may also may set you up competitively for NP/CRNA admission and may let you skip a class in a NP program.
 
Summit said:
Cannot possibly be CCNE because AACN "recognizes BSN as the minimum educational requirement for what the organization holds to be professional-level nursing practice." Therefor they only accredit graduate and bachelor programs. ASN programs seek ACEN (formerly NLNAC) accreditation. Confused yet? ;)
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Nope, not confused, just tired - I guess I didn't finish my thoughts on that last paragraph....too many night shifts in a row. Yes, ACEN accredited at the CC level ...and immediate entrance into the local university which is CCNE accredited. That was the option presented to me as it was the less expensive route.
 
MedicVA11 said:
Nope, not confused, just tired - I guess I didn't finish my thoughts on that last paragraph....too many night shifts in a row. Yes, ACEN accredited at the CC level ...and immediate entrance into the local university which is CCNE accredited. That was the option presented to me as it was the less expensive route.
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That is good that they have an articulation agreement for direct transfer to a BSN completion (major reason to choose an ACEN program). With your previous BS it probably means that after your ADN you'll have your BSN in another year.

But... I again urge you to consider the economics and timing of an accelerated BSN program. Do the math and consider a loan vs how soon you'll earn a RN salary and how much sooner you'll acquire experience and get where you want to be. You gotta do what works for you, but, do run the numbers.
 
TimRaven said:
Just wondering, if one already has BS with nursing pre-req, what's the "advantage" going to accelerated BSN versus MSN?
In my area, MSN programs for none RN is 24 months.
Click to expand...

That would be a very rigorous 24 months, and as Summit said, you won't get much back for the extra time and money spent getting the "basic" MSN. The only way I'd say it's worth it is if you know for certain that you want to move into nursing management or hospital administration, in which case you might be better served by a different grad degree anyway, or at least a MSN with a focus on management.

It may also be worth it if you plan to do an APN program soon after becoming an RN, as there are "post-masters" NP programs that are designed for someone who already has an MSN. In the big picture, I don't think it would save you any time, it just shifts some of the overall course hours to your initial education and subtracts it from your advanced education.

Summit said:
But... I again urge you to consider the economics and timing of an accelerated BSN program. Do the math and consider a loan vs how soon you'll earn a RN salary and how much sooner you'll acquire experience and get where you want to be. You gotta do what works for you, but, do run the numbers.
Click to expand...

I would agree that, barring specific personal circumstances, the best route is probably the one that gets you into practice the soonest, so you can start earning money and gaining experience ASAP. There are lots of options for getting your BSN and even your NP while working full time, though the BSN certainly does make it easier to get a good position in the first place.
 
Summit said:
But... I again urge you to consider the economics and timing of an accelerated BSN program. Do the math and consider a loan vs how soon you'll earn a RN salary and how much sooner you'll acquire experience and get where you want to be. You gotta do what works for you, but, do run the numbers.
Click to expand...

For me, the economics is kind of the bottom line and BSN school can be pricey. I am in a full-time medic job with very good benefits and I have some financial responsibilities already, so part-time isn't an option and I have never accepted loans for school. I only need 8 classes at the associate level to test for the NCLEX and community college is really affordable. :) In my area, RNs with medic experience are hired just as quickly as a BSN and I kind of need the fastest option available to me. A BSN sounds good, but just due to my personal responsibilities, the fastest option of ADN is probably the best for now.
 
Remi said:
That would be a very rigorous 24 months, and as Summit said, you won't get much back for the extra time and money spent getting the "basic" MSN. The only way I'd say it's worth it is if you know for certain that you want to move into nursing management or hospital administration, in which case you might be better served by a different grad degree anyway, or at least a MSN with a focus on management.

It may also be worth it if you plan to do an APN program soon after becoming an RN, as there are "post-masters" NP programs that are designed for someone who already has an MSN. In the big picture, I don't think it would save you any time, it just shifts some of the overall course hours to your initial education and subtracts it from your advanced education.



I would agree that, barring specific personal circumstances, the best route is probably the one that gets you into practice the soonest, so you can start earning money and gaining experience ASAP. There are lots of options for getting your BSN and even your NP while working full time, though the BSN certainly does make it easier to get a good position in the first place.
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At the EDs in my area, RNs are allowed five additional years to complete their BSN - and the workplace reimburses for it ;) Thus the reason I am choosing the cheaper ADN option for now :D
 
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