Calling all nurses...2 year school or 4 year????

[KristaTX]

I went straight to college after high school, and after a few changes in major, I graduated with a BSN in 1995. I wouldn't have done nursing any other way, and if a person has a choice, I always advise them to get the BSN. I would not have been able to get the first three nursing jobs I had without a 4-year degree.

 

[golfgal]

DD is currently a junior and looking into nursing. One thing we've considered is for her to do her first two years at a local community college and then transfer to the State University to finish the remaining two years. The community college has an excellent LPN program and the tuition, fees, books, etc. run about $6k a year. The University is about $20k a year. This way she'll be able to get through her first two years without any loans and, hopefully, minimal loans for the 2nd two years.

I don't know how things are in your state, but in Ct. LPN's are not worth the time nor effort. I have a very good friend who has been an LPN for years. She has worked Med/Surg, ICU, CCU, nursing homes, and lastly spent the 5 years or so working in a free standing dialysis unit. She was recently laid off. The trend is, RNs of any educational background AD or BSN or CNA's. They don't want to pay the LPN pay when they can train a CNA to be a technician. She can't get a job anywhere at this point, despite her excellent references and years of experience. LPNs will be a "thing of the past" in the not too distant future.

I agree with Dawn, an LPN here makes about $14/hour, an RN makes about $25/hour--HUGE difference. After about 10 years an LPN makes about $16.50/hour and an RN makes close to $100,000--you do the math.

Also, community college credits don't often transfer over to 4 year colleges and you might find that you just spent 2 years paying for nothing.

As for the private school vs the state school-I know the price tag is higher and the private school but with an honor student count on receiving a LOT of money from the private school and not so much from the state school. It was about $15,000/year less for me to go to a private school vs a state school way back when. We have several friends with kids in college now and most of the kids that graduated from high school with 3.5's and above on a 4.0 scale are paying next to nothing for their private school tuition. I know at the school I attended if you have a 3.75 or above you get a $12,000 scholarship just for showing up.

 

[lsyorke]

She needs to think about where she wants to go in nursing. If she wants to be at the beside, then an ADN/diploma program is great(alot more clinical experience), if she wants management, then BSN/MSN is going to be required.

I'm a diploma/ADN nurse who never wanted management. I've been at the beside for 24 years, and the last 2 in wound care. A BSN would not have changed what I'm doing, and in my hospital(and all of those that I have worked at) there is not increased compensation for BSN. More "value" is placed on specific certifications ie. CCRN,WCC,WOCN etc....

Nursing is what you make of it. I've never seen a big difference in ADN vs BSN in level of functioning....it is the person and what they make of it.

I would not recommend doing the LPN program. Unless your goal is long term care, it's time that would be better put towards an RN. I was an LPN first, but it was during a time when we were hired in hospitals and actually functioned as nurses..today LPN's work as aides.

 

[Judy from Boise]

In our community we only have two major hospitals, and one of them is a Magnet. Because of that they have strict hiring ratios for BSN to ADN, so even if you want bedside in our town without a BSN you are limiting your chances by 50% without a professional degree. Also I have never worked in a hospital where a BSN didn't make a difference on the clinical ladder. In most you could not advance past a level 3 without a BSN, and only a MSN could be a 5. That translated to big $.

 

[yeartolate]

She needs to think about where she wants to go in nursing. If she wants to be at the beside, then an ADN/diploma program is great(alot more clinical experience), if she wants management, then BSN/MSN is going to be required.

I'm a diploma/ADN nurse who never wanted management. I've been at the beside for 24 years, and the last 2 in wound care. A BSN would not have changed what I'm doing, and in my hospital(and all of those that I have worked at) there is not increased compensation for BSN. More "value" is placed on specific certifications ie. CCRN,WCC,WOCN etc....

Nursing is what you make of it. I've never seen a big difference in ADN vs BSN in level of functioning....it is the person and what they make of it.

I would not recommend doing the LPN program. Unless your goal is long term care, it's time that would be better put towards an RN. I was an LPN first, but it was during a time when we were hired in hospitals and actually functioned as nurses..today LPN's work as aides.

This has been my experience as well. I have a $3/hour differential for my CCRN. The demand in my area seems to be for certifications that indicate a specific skill set. For example, we only hire RN/LVN/RT's with Advanced Life Support.

But we have a serious nursing shortage. If you are in an area without such a significant shortage the BSN becomes more of a necessity.

I also would not recomend LPN program. The LPNs I know that have tried to transition - it has been a miserable experience. Only the most basic college courses go towards their degree. None of the LPN coursework does.

Good luck to all the folks pursuing this career!

 

[cigarboo]

Definitely go for the 4yr BSN if she can do it financially. She's got the rest of her life to work. Is she sure she really wants nursing instead of pharmacy? That's my one regret(among a few others). Got my BSN... loved college, loved nursing school, but hated nursing. I worked less than a year in floor nursing, then did marketing and then worked in insurance as an RN. Wish I had gone into pharmacy instead. Better pay, better hours, less strenuous and treated with more respect. However, having a recession proof job is always nice as a back up. I don't plan on going back to nursing, but if I need to, it's nice to know it shouldn't be too hard to find a job. What is great about nursing is the flexibility to do other things besides hospital nursing and if your daughter is interested in getting her Masters, then nursing is a great choice, and for that, she'll need her BSN first.

 

[WL Fan]

I agree with the BSN path, especially for a young person like your daughter. I did want to add that while you're looking at all the different programs, be sure and ask about their acceptance procedures, most schools allow just about anyone into the prerequisite classes, then have a selection process for the actual nursing program. Some schools rely only on grade point and essay applications, others have a waiting list that can be YEARS long, and others have a mix. There are several local community colleges that, while they are economical, make their students wait a very long time to begin their actual nursing education. So what starts out as a "short" program of a couple years, turns into a long, drawn out process.

Good luck to your daughter! Nursing is a difficult profession. There are definitely days I wish I'd become a librarian! And then there are days that I wouldn't want to do anything else.

 

[horseshowmom]

I don't know how things are in your state, but in Ct. LPN's are not worth the time nor effort.

LPNs will be a "thing of the past" in the not too distant future.

I agree with this too.

.
Also, community college credits don't often transfer over to 4 year colleges and you might find that you just spent 2 years paying for nothing.

This must be a regional thing, because in our area they transfer just fine. Eng. Comp., etc. is the same credit regardless of whether you take it at the university or a community college (but a lot cheaper at the community college).


My recommendation to you is that it all depends on your finances. I do agree with the others who say that she should go ahead and get her B.S.N. (with the possibility of an eye towards the M.S.N.). Personally, I wouldn't spend extra money to go to a private school (or incur student loans to do so).

If finances do factor in, go to a community college for the first two years. Just get a catalog from the university she'll go to later and have her follow their curriculum listing so she knows she has the courses they require for her to graduate (whether she gets the associate's degree from the CC doesn't matter if she's progressing to a B.S.N.).

JMHO (And I agree with Sandy V. about how often students change their minds about their major - while my daugher didn't, lots of her classmates did.)

 

[Disneylover79]

I am a 2 year nurse here....I did the 2 year tract first because I needed to get out in the real world and start making money... so I did that first then went on and got my BSN and now I am almost done with my MSN...

So I say if she can and plans on going on for her Masters then go for the 4 year degree right away... some hospitals pay more for your BSN and some do not... good luck

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

BSN

I went to the local Community College right out of high school for my ADN. I now have a M-F RN job in a same day surgery center. I love it, but I said I would go back for my BSN but never did, almost 20 years later.

Once she gets married and has kids the degree will never come. I may go back someday. Right now there is really no need to, but if I had it to do again I would have went for the BSN.

I also agree about the LPN, don't waste your time.

 

[yeartolate]

I agree with this too.




This must be a regional thing, because in our area they transfer just fine. Eng. Comp., etc. is the same credit regardless of whether you take it at the university or a community college (but a lot cheaper at the community college).


My recommendation to you is that it all depends on your finances. I do agree with the others who say that she should go ahead and get her B.S.N. (with the possibility of an eye towards the M.S.N.). Personally, I wouldn't spend extra money to go to a private school (or incur student loans to do so).

If finances do factor in, go to a community college for the first two years. Just get a catalog from the university she'll go to later and have her follow their curriculum listing so she knows she has the courses they require for her to graduate (whether she gets the associate's degree from the CC doesn't matter if she's progressing to a B.S.N.).

JMHO (And I agree with Sandy V. about how often students change their minds about their major - while my daugher didn't, lots of her classmates did.)

I think alot of the 4 year colleges accept community college credit. I think an earlier poster brought up LVN training and I believe alot of those credits (courses specific to LVN) would not transfer - and thus cause an extra year on the University end. But the English, etc should be fine.

 

[lsyorke]

I think alot of the 4 year colleges accept community college credit. I think an earlier poster brought up LVN training and I believe alot of those credits (courses specific to LVN) would not transfer - and thus cause an extra year on the University end. But the English, etc should be fine.

I got my LPN at a vocational school...The only "credit" it got me was for Nursing I(we did a transition course for 4 weeks instead) and we were able to test out of Nursing II. All of the prerequisites had to be taken, since they were not part of the LPN program.

 

[yeartolate]

I got my LPN at a vocational school...The only "credit" it got me was for Nursing I(we did a transition course for 4 weeks instead) and we were able to test out of Nursing II. All of the prerequisites had to be taken, since they were not part of the LPN program.

Exactly. And my guess now, it would be difficult to test out of Nursing 1

 

["Got Disney"]

4 years for sure....but if money is an issue of she cant get a loan for some odd reason....than do a 2 year CC and than 2 years through a training hospital. But remeber not all hospitals do this.

she is young and she should just get it all done the first 4 years. 4 years will go faster than you think. Than it is done.

I have been a L&D nurse for 28 years...practiced for 22. Still keep my licence active just in case. Although I really have no plans on going back to Nursing....I'm 51 and the politics in Nursing drove me crazy. But Loved Nursing and always will....just not the political side of it.

Kudos to your daughter wanting to do something so rewarding. Best of luck to her

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I would go with a four year simply because with a Bachelor's she will have more than just nursing open to her.

My mom works in a hospital that may have to resort to lay offs soon. They have had a hiring freeze on nurses for six months and have been significantly cutting the hours of the nurses they do have. My mom is a microbiologist and her entire department was just told that they have to take a 40 hour unpaid furlough before May. The next step is lay offs. Sadly, it sounds like the nurses are going to bear the brunt of that as well (though micro is also going to be given the boot and the tests sent out to private companies).

Due to the economy, people are not paying their bills. They also are not doing nearly as many elective procedures which is where my mom's hospital makes a lot of their money. They are also going without preventative care and are less likely to seek treatment for problem. Add to that so many people have lost money in their 401k's ,many baby boomers are no longer considering retirement any time soon.

This recession is going to take time to turn around. Hopefully by the time she is done with her four year school things will hae changed.

 

[npmommie]

I would go with a four year simply because with a Bachelor's she will have more than just nursing open to her.

This recession is going to take time to turn around. Hopefully by the time she is done with her four year school things will hae changed.

I think there will always be nursing jobs, the job location may not be your first choice, but I do think the jobs will always be there somewhere for a nurse

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

SUNY/Upper Division...brutal nursing course, but they turned out some incredible nurses.

Another way to approach nursing is to enroll in a nursing school affiliated with a hospital. One example is St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Central NY. The nurses there have their associates when completed, and absolutely formidable clinical skills. There are multiple programs, some full time, some for working students, etc. There is one program there that allows for the student nurse to test for the LPN and earn additional salary while working toward the associates.

It's then a matter of going on of course, but having the additional education paid for by someone other than the nurse is always beneficial, eh?

All depends upon how much out of pocket money the student wants to invest, and the time frame in which the student has between education and working for income.

Having said all of that, more and more a bachelor's is far preferred over an associates. Nursing is one of the few areas where an associates is still marketable. Most 2 year degrees are simply stepping stones to the 4 year.

Good luck to her!!

 

[DawnCt1]

I think that her age is another issue. I graduated from a diploma school of nursing which I started at 17 yrs old. When I graduated, had my RN license I was only 20. 20 is young to end up being a charge nurse on the evening or night shift. A couple of years in age and experience contributes greatly to confidence and comfort level.

 

[D L and K's Mom]

I knew she would get some great feedback here! DD will be reading all posts. She is at work at one of her 2 jobs right now. Thank you again!!!!!!! I still say State college 4 years!!!

 

[Cool-Beans]

In my first post, I'd forgotten that her 2-year program was LPN. I was thinking it was RN. Our community college does both and I often forget that people go LPN first, then RN. If it is at all possible, I'd skip the LPN bit.

If she goes LPN first...well, we all know (as old people who've had lives and seen lots of others have lives) that crap happens. Sometimes people don't go back.

Try to get the RN. Because while (at least around here) there isn't much difference between 2-year and 4-year RNs, there is a big pay difference for LPNs. And LPNs work just as hard and do almost everything RNs do. I've known LPNs who were better technically and more caring than RNs around them and it must kill them to know that and still make less.

But you have to do what your finances allow, of course, and I totally get that. And there are all kinds of programs for advancement now...from like every level to every other.

Have your daughter check out allnurses.com. Kind of like the DIS for nurses. I go there. I was on yesterday trying to see what the buzz is on this whole "Ohio will no longer have paper nursing licenses" thing I read about in the flyer the Board of Nursing has. It isn't bad enough that we now have to get one of our CEU hours from an Ohio-headquartered place that teaches law as it relates to section 123Whogivesacrap.12 of the Ohio Revised Code, we're going to have to get new Official Stupid ID License Cards With Pictures Because Nobdy Who Wants To Impersonate You Could Get A Fake ID Card cards. Wonder what we'll pay for THAT. Grrr.

It is an interesting site - like the DIS, you get a lot of good info, not all of it accurate. But good nonetheless.

And, again, best of luck in whatever she choses!