Alyssa
To become a pediatric nurse do I have to look for a college that has a major called "Pediatric nursing" or do I just look for "Nursing, Registered nurse, etc."
I am a sophomore in high school and I am trying to figure out my plan early so that by the time I am a senior I know what college I want to go to. I just want to be prepared so I don't freak out and make the wrong choice because I waited last minute. #nurse #pediatric-nursing
1 answer
Kathy Finney
Kathy’s Answer
You have a couple of options> first and always, you just choose nursing. you will choose a specialty later. I would recommend a 4 year BSN (bachelor's of science in nursing) program; after you pass boards, you will be set to go unless you want to become a nurse practitioner or a clinical nurse specialist. Either way, in my opinion, you should finish school and get a job for a couple of years before getting your masters if that is what you ultimately want. However, another option is to go to a community college to a 2 year program where you will be an RN (after you pass boards), but then you will need to go apply to another program and take the last 2 years to get your BSN degree. It would be less expensive this way, because if you get a job and work full time, they will help pay for your school. Working fullt time and going to school is not an easy task, but lots of people do it!
Thank you so much! I'm sorry but I have a further question I hope it is ok that I ask it. I am a person that needs to ask multiple times to be certain. So you are saying that I can go to a 2 year college get my associates degree in nursing then get my Bachelors degree in nursing at a different college do all of the nurse test I need to take and I can just go and try to get a job as a pediatric nurse at a hospital, medical area, etc.?
Alyssa
Yes, you can go to a 2 year community college for nursing, graduate from the program, take the boards and then practive as a nurse, an RN. Then, if you want your degree, a BSN, you go back to school. It would be a different school b/c the 2 year programs are just that, 2 years. If you are working full time, or nearly full time, usually, the hospital you are working for will pay for part of your schooling (if you are working for a doctor's office, that may not be the case). You would need to check their policy through human resources to see if they have this benefit and what the rules are. Lastly, sometimes it is a bit harder to get a job without a degree, but if you tell them you plan to get the BSN, it is usually OK. It depends on the hospital. Hope that helps!
Kathy Finney
Thank you again!
Alyssa
Hi Alyssa! I wanted to add to what Kathy told you about a 2 year college degree... It can be very confusing but the community college degree (which will give you an associate's degree ) and the Bachelor's college degree (which would be at a university and give you a BSN) take the same amount of time! Regardless, you will need to go to a college to take all of the "prerequisite" courses (the courses required to enter into a nursing program at either community college or a university).
Kimberly Reske Victory
These courses take TWO years alone.. THEN comes the two years for the nursing program.. so regardless of where you go - in order to become a nurse you will need FOUR YEARS of school. Since most hospitals now are requiring all nurses to have a BSN, I HIGHLY suggest that you take all of your prerequisite courses at your community college.
Kimberly Reske Victory