What Qualifications to you need to Become a Nurse as a Second Career?
A second, third or fourth career is a new phenomenon. Past generations often stuck to one career from the time they graduated until they retired. For most of the human history, people learned a trade or worked for a company and never left. Similarly, most of us often feel solidified in our first career at a time when it’s not only possible but very common to choose a different career.
Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned professional in a relatively different field and you’re looking for a career change, now is the time to become a nurse. The current shortage of nurses and high demand for qualified nurses all over the country makes nursing more attractive. Many nurses you find in hospitals today have worked in different fields before entering into this profession, and several other students have worked in other industries before they listened to their calling and joined a nursing school.
While it’s not an easy decision to change your career in the middle of your life, if you’re considering becoming a nurse, it can be far much easier compared to other career changes. Nursing is a noble career, which can be both fulfilling and rewarding, and it is accessible to almost everyone. In case, you’re thinking about nursing as your second career, and here’s one way to accomplish your goal.
Moving from your Bachelor's to BSN
Do you always wish that you had studied nursing in college? Now is the time to stop the “coulda, shoulda, woulda” and take action. In a span of one year, you can become a nurse practitioner if you choose the right accelerated program that can use your BS degree to quickly earn your BSN.
While you might be able to complete your BSN in as little as 12 months, you may be required to complete some prerequisite courses before you’re admitted. However, this will depend on your previous field. If you’re a Biology degree holder, you may have the biggest timing advantages because you’ll have completed most of the required prerequisites which can include chemistry, microbiology, and statistics. Regardless of how many prerequisites you’ll need to take, an accelerated program is the fastest route to earn your nursing degree.
What you Need to Get Accepted to a BSN Accelerated Program
When researching the best accelerated BSN programs, one important thing that you should remember to check are the prerequisites. To get into an accelerated nursing program, you have to know what you haven’t accomplished yet. What if you discover that you don’t meet all the admission requirements? Don’t give up on your dream of becoming a nurse.
There are often three standard requirements to qualify for an accelerated program: a bachelor’s degree, minimum GPA, and a non-nursing coursework. You may also be required to take TEAS among other things that can help you get into an accelerated BSN program.
Bachelor’s degree: Although each accelerated program is different, all programs will typically require you to have a bachelor’s degree in any other non-nursing field.
Non-nursing courses: Apart from your bachelor’s degree, hopefully, you have taken some non-nursing courses that may be relevant to the career. Most accelerated programs focus on nursing-related courses and the prerequisites may include a list of courses that you should complete before you get started.
Minimum GPA: Most programs often require a minimum GPA of 2.75 or higher. Ensure that you find out this during the research of your ideal accelerated nursing program.
What will you Encounter While Going to School?
If you thought that going to college was tough, you won’t imagine what it takes for one to become successful in a nursing program and get licensed as an RN. First, when pursuing your BSN, learning is your responsibility. While all teachers and staff members will be there to facilitate your learning, you will need to have self-direction, discipline, and motivation.
Learning requires a lot of effort, energy, perseverance and time. You will be responsible for completing assignments, discussions, interactive modules, reading, clinicals, labs, journals, quizzes, case studies, and exams among a myriad of other things.
How Education will prepare you for your Career as a Nurse
Not all people can fulfill the responsibilities and duties nurses have to endure on a daily basis. As a trusted profession, nursing has several rewards. Education can help solidify your career by helping you improve patient outcomes. According to research, nurses with a BSN and higher are well-prepared to handle more complex practices. According to a 2010 report by RWJF, BSN staffing results in more positive outcomes.
Interested in becoming a nurse as a second career? If you already hold a bachelor's degree and want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree, ECPI University offers this program at an accelerated rate. For more information on this exciting program, connect with a helpful admissions advisor today.
It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!
DISCLAIMER – ECPI University makes no claim, warranty, or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content.
Gainful Employment Information – Bachelor’s to BSN
For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.