How Do I Find A Nursing Program?

©2007 Kathy Quan RN BSN
All Rights Reserved

Finding the right nursing program and school for you can be a bit challenging. Many programs are impacted and have waiting lists (some long and some short), so you need to pick more than one and apply to several. You need to ask yourself a few questions first:

The answers to these questions will help you with your search.

For example, you're a high school senior seeking a BSN and you don't want to go away to school, or if you have to, you don't want to go too far. Your financial resources are limited and you'll need to work part time. You are eligible for financial aid in the form of loans. You have a 3.5 GPA and have taken algebra, biology, chemistry and will be taking physiology this year. You volunteer part time at your local hospital as a "Candy Striper." You don't have any particular political or religious beliefs that would influence your choice of school.

Explore Public and Private Schools

You're most likely going to need to attend a public program. Explore private schools in your area as well as sometimes they may have financial programs and aid to meet your needs. Most private schools will help you to find funding. Talk to their financial aid counselor.

Finding the List of Accredited Schools

Start with your State Board of Nursing for a list of accredited schools in your state. If you want to go to another state to study, check out the schools listed from that state board website. Apply to several schools to increase your odds of getting in as soon as possible. Most schools have waiting lists! Yes, you can go to school in one state and take your NCLEX in the state where you want to live and work.

You can also find a list of nursing schools from Petersons.com. Your school library or career center (or public library) will have many resources for finding schools as well.

Peterson's Nursing Programs 2009 is a valuable resource as well. (See Amazon.com link below)

Make Sure It's Accredited

The most important point is finding an accredited program. Nursing schools are accredited by the National League for Nursing. The NLN also publishes the Official Guide to Undergraduate and Graduate Nursing Programs, Second Edition (with CD-Rom). (See Amazon.com link below)

BSN, MSN and PhD programs for nursing can also be accredited by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (AACN/CCNE).

(Outside the U.S., consult your national nursing organization for information about nursing programs and their accreditation.)

Consider Community Colleges for General Education Courses

You may also want to explore the community colleges in your area. Some may offer ADN programs and others may not. To obtain your BSN you'll have to complete all of the general education courses required (such as English, history, humanities, etc.) as well as the math and science prerequisites for nursing. You can complete these at any community college, and then transfer to a 4-year university or college, so long as you know which math and science courses will transfer and are required by the 4-year school.

You need to refer to the nursing schools you have selected to see specifics about the prerequisites. For instance, not all Introductory Chemistry classes count, or the Anatomy and Physiology may not be as complete as needed to meet the nursing program's requirements. Don't just assume they'll equate...Ask!!!

Need a CNA Course?

Some nursing programs will require you to have your CNA (certified nurses aide certificate) as well. Again, you need to be familiar with the entrance requirements. If you need a CNA, you'll need to explore programs in your area. These usually require a high school diploma or GED and can be taken through a community college, adult education program or vocational school.

Consider Becoming and LPN/LVN First

If the RN programs in your area are significantly impacted, you might want to explore the LPN/LVN programs to see if you can get into one of them. These programs are becoming quite impacted as well but the waiting lists may be shorter. You can then go on to an LPN-to-RN or LPN-to-BSN program. The LPN program is usually 12 to 18 months long.

Apply To Several Programs

Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Apply to several schools and give each your best effort. In addition to a nursing shortage, there is also a shortage of nurse educators so nursing programs have limited openings and the competition can be very stiff. Most require an entrance exam and you'll need to score high on this. Even if all of the local programs have waiting lists, apply anyway. This will get you on their waiting list, and qualified applicants are usually accepted in the order in which they applied.

Advanced and Accelerated Nursing Degrees

Nurses seeking advanced degrees can find a list of schools offering Master's Degrees from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.  This list also includes schools which offer accelerated nursing degrees for those looking for a second career in nursing or to change the focus of their education after completing another Bachelor's degree program.

Here are a few books I recommend from Amazon which may be helpful in your search and decision to become a nurse:

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(updated 9/2008)

©2007-8 by Kathy Quan RN BSN PHN, all rights reserved. No portion of this document may be used in any format without written permission. Email me. Reprints may be purchased in single or bulk quantities.