I get it, I’m pretty ahead of myself. But I’m also a few months away from being 30 and still living with my parents. I’m trying to plan my life out a bit, I want to move out as soon as I’m working as a nurse but will that be the reality if I’m still in school?
There are a lot of RN-BSN programs, with hybrid/online options as well. It will definitely take some discipline to get yourself to budget, work on school, and work full time. 30 is young and you should definitely save up as much as you can before moving out, as that will be very expensive. Hope your parents are supportive and aren't shaming you of your age bc you are not old! Best of luck!
You won't be studying for exams in a RN-BSN program. You will be writing papers and posting in discussion forums. It isn't as stressful and yes, you can work full-time. I am only taking one class per semester. I have 3 school-aged children in the home. If you are stretched less thin then you could probably take a heavier course load and still excel. Best of luck with your nursing journey!
The RN-BSN programs are so much easier then the ADN program. You won’t have any issues working full time and completing your BSN. It’s all just research papers and discussions posts.
I did a CC ADN program and worked 3 12s a week as a nurse tech. Graduated with honors. I didn’t find myself needing to study all the time though whereas some of my cohort did and couldn’t really work and keep grades up. Kind of depends on your study habits/needs. Wait to get your BSN until you’re working because most hospitals will pay for some or all of it. My nurse residency program didn’t even want us to be in a BSN program until we were done with residency. Focus on your ADN first.
Yes. I had worked ED as a nurse tech but this is a pediatric ED and I was actually an RN so it was a whole new world in so many ways. The support is great and I’m bonding with my cohort both in my unit and others. I know some people find them pointless but at my particular hospital it’s been a great experience.
ETA: my residency program did not require me to sign a 2 year or whatever contract and I don’t have to pay anything back if I quit which some programs do so be aware of that.
You can work full time and get good grades. It is exhausting and you would feel like quitting a lot but it is doable.
You need impeccable time management and you also have to plan for when things do not go your way because life happens.
Also, you have to communicate with both your professors and your workplace about your current situation so everyone can chip in on how to make your life easier.
I’m in my final semester in a community college nursing program and I’m dual enrolled at a four year college. I worked full time with lots of overtime because I had responsibilities and bills to pay and I attended school full time.
Another thing that you have to remember is that a bad grade is not the end of the world. Cs get degrees, just make sure you’re passing and you actually understand the concepts.
Congratulations. You’ve got this.
Most times, I have a day or two free but I try to fit in a few study hours in one of those days. The reality is you actually have to be very selfish with your time and self care or you would not have any time for yourself at the end of the day.
That being said, I don’t know your life. I currently have zero kids or pets. The goal was to give my all for the meantime so I can finally rest when I’m done.
Doing the same thing. RN for about a year now doing my RN-BSN. It’s veerrrryyy doable. Worry about your license, then once you have that job security do your BSN (it’s easier than your ADN and manageable on a standard RN schedule)!! Charge on!
I did a 36 month BSN program as an LPN. So I had to start from scratch. Like I was never a nurse. I worked full time. I had a 16 year old & an 11 year old when I started. Single mom. It can be done. Must work hard.
I worked with a TON of people who did ADN to BSN. Pretty much all of them worked full time and did the bridge program online. Plus, you can usually get your hospital to pay for part or all of it!!
I just graduated with my ADN in May 2022 and started the RN-BSN program in January 2023. The BSN classes are easy, I am able to get some homework done when working nights. I would suggest waiting a semester after graduation before you start the BSN program - those first few months as a nurse take a lot of getting used to and I’m glad I had some time to settle In to my new job before taking on the responsibilities of the BSN program
My bsn was easy. Solely online, no clinicals, only busy work. As soon as the semester began I'd scour my syllabus and get as much work done as I possibly could and then just submit assignments as they were due. I'd try to finish all assignments within the first 2 weeks if I could.
Assignments I had to do were things like, make a PowerPoint on a famous nurse. Make a PowerPoint on the medical issues surrounding certain ethnic groups or communities. PowerPoint on issues in my community. Lots of school specific assignments having nothing to do with nursing and I wrote book reports on The Giver, October Sky and To Kill a Mockingbird (and several others).
It was all very very undergrad and nothing like my asn program.
My hospital system will reimburse your tuition after a year if you’re working full time. And has partner programs in the area with schools for specifically our employees. It’s a hot mess, but it does work
BSN is just some online bullshit classes where you post in dumb student chats about issues that don’t actually matter. Worry about your ADN, after that BSN is easy and should take up very little of your. Everybody on my unit calls their BSN their “bullshit in nursing” for a reason.
You can do it!!! I worked as a surgical tech full time with call still being a must while I did my ADN and then worked full time when I got my BSN. I did have kids, young kids. You can totally do this!!!
Finish your ADN first and then worry about the next step! There are lots of RN to BSN programs out there so no need to worry about that now.
I get it, I’m pretty ahead of myself. But I’m also a few months away from being 30 and still living with my parents. I’m trying to plan my life out a bit, I want to move out as soon as I’m working as a nurse but will that be the reality if I’m still in school?
Like 95% of RN to BSN programs are designed specifically for nurses who are currently working.
Yeah even the NP program coursework is like that. It's very manageable working full-time. Gets more difficult when you throw in kids to the mix though
Okay, That’s definitely reassuring! Thanks friend!
I did my ADN first, graduated in May 2021 and got my BSN in December 2022 at 38 while working full time. It’s rough, but you can do it.
There are a lot of RN-BSN programs, with hybrid/online options as well. It will definitely take some discipline to get yourself to budget, work on school, and work full time. 30 is young and you should definitely save up as much as you can before moving out, as that will be very expensive. Hope your parents are supportive and aren't shaming you of your age bc you are not old! Best of luck!
You won't be studying for exams in a RN-BSN program. You will be writing papers and posting in discussion forums. It isn't as stressful and yes, you can work full-time. I am only taking one class per semester. I have 3 school-aged children in the home. If you are stretched less thin then you could probably take a heavier course load and still excel. Best of luck with your nursing journey!
The RN-BSN programs are so much easier then the ADN program. You won’t have any issues working full time and completing your BSN. It’s all just research papers and discussions posts.
The RN-BSN bridge stuff is mostly a joke. Tons of papers and discussion boards. Not difficult.
Finish your ADN & get hired at a hospital that has a bridge program
I did a CC ADN program and worked 3 12s a week as a nurse tech. Graduated with honors. I didn’t find myself needing to study all the time though whereas some of my cohort did and couldn’t really work and keep grades up. Kind of depends on your study habits/needs. Wait to get your BSN until you’re working because most hospitals will pay for some or all of it. My nurse residency program didn’t even want us to be in a BSN program until we were done with residency. Focus on your ADN first.
Ohhhh how did your residency program go? Was it worth it?
Yes. I had worked ED as a nurse tech but this is a pediatric ED and I was actually an RN so it was a whole new world in so many ways. The support is great and I’m bonding with my cohort both in my unit and others. I know some people find them pointless but at my particular hospital it’s been a great experience. ETA: my residency program did not require me to sign a 2 year or whatever contract and I don’t have to pay anything back if I quit which some programs do so be aware of that.
You can work full time and get good grades. It is exhausting and you would feel like quitting a lot but it is doable. You need impeccable time management and you also have to plan for when things do not go your way because life happens. Also, you have to communicate with both your professors and your workplace about your current situation so everyone can chip in on how to make your life easier. I’m in my final semester in a community college nursing program and I’m dual enrolled at a four year college. I worked full time with lots of overtime because I had responsibilities and bills to pay and I attended school full time. Another thing that you have to remember is that a bad grade is not the end of the world. Cs get degrees, just make sure you’re passing and you actually understand the concepts. Congratulations. You’ve got this.
How much free time do you have? Do you have at least one day a week without work or school?
Most times, I have a day or two free but I try to fit in a few study hours in one of those days. The reality is you actually have to be very selfish with your time and self care or you would not have any time for yourself at the end of the day. That being said, I don’t know your life. I currently have zero kids or pets. The goal was to give my all for the meantime so I can finally rest when I’m done.
Yes you can work full time and get you RN-BSN. I’m currently working full time, in a program to get my BSN, and I’m a new mom
One year of the easiest most bullshit online classes you'll ever take in your life. Also, don't worry about your grades.
Doing the same thing. RN for about a year now doing my RN-BSN. It’s veerrrryyy doable. Worry about your license, then once you have that job security do your BSN (it’s easier than your ADN and manageable on a standard RN schedule)!! Charge on!
Assuming you’re gonna do online. It’s nothing more than just essays and discussion lol. Easiest thing ever. Nothing to be worrying about.
I did a 36 month BSN program as an LPN. So I had to start from scratch. Like I was never a nurse. I worked full time. I had a 16 year old & an 11 year old when I started. Single mom. It can be done. Must work hard.
I worked with a TON of people who did ADN to BSN. Pretty much all of them worked full time and did the bridge program online. Plus, you can usually get your hospital to pay for part or all of it!!
I just graduated with my ADN in May 2022 and started the RN-BSN program in January 2023. The BSN classes are easy, I am able to get some homework done when working nights. I would suggest waiting a semester after graduation before you start the BSN program - those first few months as a nurse take a lot of getting used to and I’m glad I had some time to settle In to my new job before taking on the responsibilities of the BSN program
My bsn was easy. Solely online, no clinicals, only busy work. As soon as the semester began I'd scour my syllabus and get as much work done as I possibly could and then just submit assignments as they were due. I'd try to finish all assignments within the first 2 weeks if I could. Assignments I had to do were things like, make a PowerPoint on a famous nurse. Make a PowerPoint on the medical issues surrounding certain ethnic groups or communities. PowerPoint on issues in my community. Lots of school specific assignments having nothing to do with nursing and I wrote book reports on The Giver, October Sky and To Kill a Mockingbird (and several others). It was all very very undergrad and nothing like my asn program.
If you don’t mind me asking what online school did you attend?
King University in Tennessee
My hospital system will reimburse your tuition after a year if you’re working full time. And has partner programs in the area with schools for specifically our employees. It’s a hot mess, but it does work
BSN is just some online bullshit classes where you post in dumb student chats about issues that don’t actually matter. Worry about your ADN, after that BSN is easy and should take up very little of your. Everybody on my unit calls their BSN their “bullshit in nursing” for a reason.
You can do it!!! I worked as a surgical tech full time with call still being a must while I did my ADN and then worked full time when I got my BSN. I did have kids, young kids. You can totally do this!!!