How to Pick the Perfect Nursing Program
The perfect nursing program for you is definitely out there! It just might take a little bit of sleuthing to find it.
There are so many factors to consider when deciding on a nursing program and this list can help you narrow down your search and gain some clarity on which one to choose based on what’s most important to you.
Degree type
There’s more than one way to become a nurse. Depending on where you are in life with your education and desired path. So, degree type is the best starting point to selecting the perfect nursing program. These are the types of programs that will lead to a nursing license.
LPN/LVN
Licensed practical nurse (LPN) and licensed vocational nurse (LVN) provide what some consider more “fundamental” nursing care and their scope is a bit more limited than a registered nurse. They primarily work in clinics and skilled nursing facilities rather than in the hospital setting. LPN/LVN programs are appealing because they can be completed in about 6-12 months total.
Students that complete LPN/LVN programs take the NCLEX-LN (Licensed Nurse) exam instead of the NCLEX-RN (Registered Nurse).
ADN
An associate degree in nursing (ADN) is offered at many community colleges. But it isn’t always as short a program as it seems. The program typically starts after prerequisites are completed, which can make the total commitment longer than a typical 2-year program. Graduates of an ADN program are qualified to sit for the NCLEX-RN and once they pass the exam, they use the “RN” credentials.
BSN
Because nursing is a very popular degree program, bachelor nursing programs are offered at nearly all 4-year colleges and universities. Depending on the college, you can apply for the nursing major at the time you submit your college application. However, some schools have “pre-nursing” majors that you must choose as your major while you’re completing your prerequisites. In this case, you would officially apply to the university’s nursing program once your pre-reqs are either fully or nearly complete—and an entrance exam may be required.
MSN Bridge
If you have a bachelor’s degree in another subject, some colleges offer an MSN bridge program. In these programs, you obtain your master’s in nursing and complete the NCLEX-RN without having to obtain your BSN first. This is a great option for people that have already earned a bachelor’s degree in another area but want a career change.
Program length
This is another big factor for a lot of people. Nursing programs can take a few months to several years of time. When researching nursing programs, consider the length of the program. Nursing programs are designed to be extremely difficult, so you have to be willing to commit to making the time sacrifice. If a 2-year program is too much because of family or work obligations, that is okay. There are many program options with shorter lengths of time. A BSN may be your goal, but maybe you only have the time to commit to an ADN program. Totally valid. You can get your ADN and then complete an RN-to-BSN program once you’re working as a nurse with a more flexible schedule. Nursing is a great profession in this way.
Cost
Nursing programs can be pricey in most cases. And student loans are not always the most appealing option. So, program cost is a significant factor to consider when making your choice.
Tuition
Tuition rates are easy to find on a school’s website. This will give you an idea of how much you’re going to have to pay and if that amount is reasonable for you. There are often more fees associated with nursing programs for things like labs, simulations, and supplies. These fees are usually listed under the nursing program’s tuition cost details.
Financial aid
So, you’ve got a nursing program in mind, but you don’t really want to pay for it totally out of pocket? Here’s where financial aid comes into play. Most colleges and universities have financial aid programs where you can take out student loans if needed. This option is not always available in some for-profit nursing programs. If you’re trying to keep an eye on the amount of loans you’re taking out, you don’t have to accept the full amount of aid offered to you.
Scholarships & Grants
Free money is the best, right? Scholarships can be really tough to come by, but they can get a bit easier to snag for nursing programs. You’re competing with a smaller number of students for these scholarships and most people won’t even bother applying. A lot of nursing programs will send out email blasts of available nursing scholarships (some that are specific to just that school’s nursing program).
My nursing cohort only had about 48 students and there were only 4 cohorts at any given time. Without a ton of effort, I was able to earn a few scholarships in undergrad and my graduate program. Take a weekend of a little bit of time each day and apply for your state’s nursing scholarships. $1,000 here and $500 there can really add up.
Other tuition assistance
Some employers have tuition assistance that can help offset the cost of tuition. Every dollar counts!
Graduation rates
This one factor is one to take with grain of salt. Nursing programs are designed to be difficult—we’ve already touched on that. But they also require a lot of self-determination from the student.
At my nursing program orientation, the Dean told us that there had never been a cohort that made it through the program without losing people along the way. We were completely convinced that our cohort would be different—we were so wrong.
Some people decide that nursing isn’t for them after all. Some decide that the program is too difficult, or they don’t want to put in the work to finish. And some have kids and it’s just not the right time for them to finish the program. There are so many factors that affect a program’s graduation rates, especially in nursing.
First attempt Licensure rates
This one is a little bit different than graduation rates. You’ll want to choose a school that has proven that it can prepare its students that graduate from their program to pass licensure exams—ideally the first time around. Nursing programs either use HESI or TEAS testing for knowledge assessment at the beginning, during, and at the exit of their program. Personally, my school used HESI and I felt very prepared to take the NCLEX and passed on the first attempt.
Reputation
If reputation is a big factor for you, there are a few ways you can research this.
You can look into the school’s number of years in teaching.
You can ask around about which schools in your area have the most desirable graduates. If you don’t know anyone personally to ask, you can always check out forums on AllNurses which can be incredibly helpful.
So, with just a tiny bit of exploring, you can find the program that checks all the boxes on your wishlist. The perfect nursing program for you is definitely out there. Once you find that program, the next thing you need to do is apply and be accepted. To figure out how to get into the nursing program of your dreams, you can read more [here].