Yvonne Said:

Help me choose my college/career path - Nursing ?

We Answered:

Option 2. The first reason is that regardless of whether you choose a community college RN program or a full university BSN program, you will be taxed with a heavy workload and will want to be focused on one career path at a time. Trying to simultaneously finish 2 degrees is a recipe for failure in nursing school. Nursing school isn't hard, but it's extremely time consuming due to the large volume of reading and writing papers and clinical prep and the clinicals themselves. And you're not even mentioning if you're trying to balance working as well.

My second reason for option 2 is that why would you want to earn only an Associate's Degree in Nursing when you could earn a BSN in the same amount of time? An ADN will still be a minimum of 2 years, which is the same as the accelerated BSN courses you will qualify for once you graduate from Phoenix.

And for your final question, yes, you can work as an RN with only an ADN or BSN. You won't have problems finding a job in most job markets in the US right now. With a few years of experience, holding the BSN will make you more competative of an applicant for supervisory / leadership / administrative positions in nursing beyond regular patient care or "staff nursing" jobs.

Terri Said:

nursing career path?

We Answered:

I am an RN. I started in an LPN program when I came out of the Navy. Then went to a 2 year RN program. Those of us that did this had to start all over, so we did take a lot of classes. Later I did go on for my BSN.
I wouldn't go on for a MSN. Branch off and take something like business, education, or communication. You will limit yourself too much. With an MSN you can be an administrator or directer, with education or communication you can teach.