List of courses required for Bachelor's in Nursing? (And possibility of early grad?)

countingthestars · 03-05-2010, 12:53 AM

Hello,

I am new to the College Confidential forums. Just found you after a quick search on Google.

I tried search engines and the official websites but I can't seem to find much...

I am a high school senior (Class of 2010). As for what I plan to do for the rest of my life, I wish to become a Registered Nurse. However, I will be entering a community college in June 2010 for a head start. I would like to know which classes to take in order to obtain the degree.

Also -- those of you who have any experience with medical, or better, nursing -- do you know if it is possible to graduate in three years instead of four? I would be just barely twenty years old upon graduation (April birthday, May or June graduation). Obviously, I know it involves much more work and more classes, but which specifically?

Thanks in advance.

aglages · 03-05-2010, 07:54 AM

Are you planning on becoming an RN or getting your BSN and then becoming an RN?
Does your community college offer an RN program?

countingthestars · 03-05-2010, 05:15 PM

Being the second largest community college in LA County, they do indeed offer what is supposedly a pretty quality and stable nursing program.

I was aiming for a BSN to become an RN, because I plan on having some experience overseas in my twenties. While it'd be much easier for me to walk away with the Associate's, I feel I need to at least anchor it with the Bachelor's. Currently sixteen, I'll be seventeen next month and I've already completed all studies needed for high school graduation, so newly minted seventeen when I begin college in June. Therefore, three years would make my college (and education) graduation finished just a month after turning twenty. I understand it is difficult for engineering or other medical majors, like physicians and psychiatrists, but thankfully I am not going for that long of a course of a study. Also, I've looked it up to find widely offered and accredited online courses and alternatives to bring me up.

However... anyone have a list of classes? I do know what I desire to do, just not how exactly to do it.

aglages · 03-05-2010, 05:27 PM

^^^
I guess I'm having a difficult time understanding you question(s). If you plan on getting your RN through the community college that you are going to begin in June 2010, then you take the classes they require for licensure.

If you plan on starting at a community college and then transferring to a 4 year program to receive your BSN, then you should check with the four year program and determine which classes they will accept from the CC. The community college may also have a pre-BSN curriculum for students pursuing their BSN.

Sorry if I've misunderstood your questions.

countingthestars · 03-05-2010, 05:32 PM

Well, I was wondering if anyone knew what classes they generally take. I've heard mostly science and algebra, geometry. But do they vary from each program?

Any basics? Tips?

Yeah, my thread might be confusing. I feel sleep deprived and unsure of explaining right now.

aglages · 03-05-2010, 05:41 PM

Yes they vary from program to program. Why would you request non-specific information from anonymous posters on a forum instead of checking directly with the schools you are planning to attend?

countingthestars · 03-05-2010, 05:51 PM

I actually don't know anything about this. I haven't even attended the first day of classes in the college yet. I was wondering, but I guess it really is a specific case sort of thing. I've seen people post threads about early graduation and stuff, however now that I think of it, never credit requirements.

Anyway, thank you for the help.

SingDanceRunLife · 03-05-2010, 09:12 PM

At my school, graduating from the nursing program early is pretty much impossible. There are too many courses, too tightly packed to be able to do it.

Neonzeus · 03-06-2010, 06:49 AM

Countingthestars:

You're going to have to do research school by school. The prereqs for nursing programs can change by school. I'm guessing you're talking about possibly getting your RN through a CC program and then transferring to a BSN program. There are some accelerated RN to BSN programs, but I don't think any of them will rush you through both programs in 3 years. One nurse told me that she went through a RN to BSN program that took about a year and a half, and she went year round with no time off at all. A lot of clinical hours and classes are required that just can't be scrunched.

If you're talking about transferring from a CC to a BSN college program without getting an RN, you will also need to research whether the BSN program will give you credit for BSN classes that you took at CC. The BSN programs usually (at least based on my D's experience) require that all of the nursing requirements be filled at their own school. If you take a class like nutrition at CC, you may have to retake it.

greenwitch · 03-07-2010, 12:03 AM

I've also heard from many nursing programs that they won't accept credit in certain critical course (like biology) from a CC. They would be more likely to accept transfer credit for Intro to Psychology or Intro to Sociology or English Composition.

Just go to a college's web site that offers a BSN. It is always possible to download a sample nursing curriculum and then you can see what is generally required.

One college we visited, Hartwick in NY, offers a compressed (and probably torturous) 3 year option. It probably includes summers though.