Nursing Students Stuck Between Programs

“2 year minimum to be NICU resource nurse so do with that what you will I wonder what charge’s thinking is here [re: Am I wrong for thinking a new grad shouldn’t consistently be assigned as resource a nurse?]”

“Just wanted to share that I passed my NCLEX-RN. I’ve only been an LPN for two years and my only experience is in LTC if you don’t count tech work on med-surg. I started my bridge program 2 weeks postpartum and struggled everyday with home stress, work stress, and trying to ensure childcare. 85 questions in 40 minutes. I prayed the test would go to 150 so I could prove that I knew something when I realized how quickly I had blown through the exam. I walked out of the testing center and cried befo”

“Finding a nursing job in one of the toughest markets, especially here in NY, has been such a challenge. I graduated with my BSN in May, passed my NCLEX in July, and have been applying nonstop ever since. I applied to practically every hospital I could think of, including out of state positions and places far from home. And what did I get? Nothing but rejection emails day after day. Not a single interview for the longest time. I also worked as a tech for 2 yrs at a hospital assuming that it would”

“So I’ve been thinking about getting my MSN. I have almost 4 years experience as an RN, currently working peds/picu for two years. I sort of thought about pursuing a PNP at NYU but been second guessing if I’m actually smart enough/ will even make it in the program. So I applied to Nursing Informatics at CUNY and did get that. However now I’m second guessing whether to do that now… I like the technical side of things however I been hearing a lot how hard it is getting a job in that field / it’s no”

“If you think AI is going to take over things like ER nursing, bed side nursing, etc then you really do not understand what nursing is. And with 4 weeks of nursing school under your belt, that tracks. You think a 60 year old conservative man is going to let an AI robot start his IV or put a suppository in his ass? In 3 years time? You’re either naive or, well, something else. [re: Nurses/NPs what would you do?]”

“Long story short- applied to a BS to DNP program and was accepted. Also applied and was offered the MSN but between the two, I thought the terminal degree would make more sense given the options, so I matriculated into the doctoral program. It is appropriately rigorous for a brick & mortar school at a state university, although the program is hybrid and the first didactic year is primarily online. When matriculating, I was under the impression that I could change credit hrs even though it&#3”

“i’m an LPN and was wondering if their associate in nursing program was legit. i plan to be an RN, to take my NCLEX-RN and it appears this is the “quickest” path to that. however it seems that they’re ridiculously expensive (my tuition is covered through the military as i’m AD) and even then this program has random additional/unmarked fees i’d have to pay out of pocket for, almost $400 per semester. it’s an accelerated program being that i’m an LPN with medical military experience, and have a lot”

“hi everyone. i recently just graduate with my BSN about a year ago and would like to move on to an MSN but without a cert yet as i just started my career but would like the option to move into either a more clinical role later on or into more leadership roles. what do we think of these schools for any general MSN programs? i know there are not many but if possible, just advancing education before i make a full committment to specializations submitted by /u/united_twink [link] [”

“https://nurse.org/news/educating-future-nurses-act-aprn-medicare/ As an APP with $150k in student debt, I’m just sickened. Why would this exclusively apply to those in nursing and not others? Imagine the impact this will have on our workforce long term. submitted by /u/Capn_obveeus [link] [comments]”

“Hi everyone! I'm a South Korean citizen currently studying BSN in the Philippines. My concern is that I won't have a Philippine RN license after graduation due to nationality and licensure restrictions. I've heard that many countries require nurses to hold an RN license from the country where they graduated. Would it still be possible for me to take the NCLEX, obtain a US RN license, and eventually find an employer willing to sponsor me without a Philippine RN license? I'm also o”

“I’m currently in my 2nd/3rd gap year, graduated in Aug 24’. Was a NICU PCA from Sep 2024 - March 2025. Currently an ENT MA since 03/2025 (1.5 years at this point). Around 3k clinical hours. Reason for gap years is due to caregiving for terminally-ill dad and low GPA (3.68/3.6). I’ve been anxious to take the MCAT, but plan to take in April 2027 for AAMC app 27-28. I’ve been reevaluating my direction for medical school. I understand any medical school will make me a doctor, but I also want to matc”

“I'm trying to do some independent education before the next application cycle for our ICU bridge program. I've passed my CCRN so I've got some foundation but I'd like to have a more solid one. In particular I want to be better at identifying septic vs cardiogenic vs mixed shock. Bonus points if it also breaks it down for patients with pre existing heart and lung diseas submitted by /u/LongVegetable4102 [link] [comments]”

“The menial nursing school complaints are so exhausting, Its nursing school, it’s supposed to be hard . Students today have so many smart resources that older nurses didn’t. Scantrons, full blown care plans ( vs a form to fill out ) with 5 nursing dx and interventions required. Had to use actual eb articles from a library and not ai to complete assignments , no devices to take notes or summarize 4 chapters of reading, and we waited for admittance, no fast track no attitude just grit , hard work a”

“I’m looking for advice from nursing students, nurses, and instructors because I’m honestly devastated by what’s happening. I’m currently in an LPN program, and I was recently dismissed following an incident at a clinical site. The frustrating part is that I’m currently passing all of my classes, and we are only TWO MONTHS away from graduation. From my understanding, someone reported that we were refusing to work or participate in clinical. However, the person allegedly making these claims had ne”

“I graduated from my RPN program last summer, and I’m currently pursuing my RN. I wanted to gain some nursing experience while continuing school, so I applied to multiple positions. Unfortunately, with the current job market, the only offer I received was from an LTC facility. I’ve been working there for about two months now, and honestly, I’m finding it really difficult. Since I have classes during the day, I work night shifts. The sleep schedule itself isn’t really a problem for me, but the wor”

“In school for my FNP working night-charge part-time in the PACU. It’s a great gig with a good amount of downtime despite my hospital’s acuity, and I have lots of time to work on homework/assignments. I’ve been a nurse for about 8 years in total at this point, and I’m ready to leave bedside and go to clinic and try that aspect of healthcare. [re: What’s your exit strategy?]”

submitted by /u/TapEmotional2487 [link] [comments]

“i want to change careers to be a paralegal after 15 years in corporate hr. I will do this by starting a paralegal program at a local university. I have the option of a UNC program (not aba approved, but nationally recognized law school) or a local college that is aba approved but small potatoes and relatively unknown outside of the area. Everything about the programs are essentially the same, including time commitment and costs. Which do I choose? The state does not require certification to be a”

“I’m a lower junior and pretty much a lost cause for these internships at this point. I’m thinking of taking nursing pre requisites and applying to accelerated nursing programs after college. Do you guys think this would be the right move? submitted by /u/East-Wrap7115 [link] [comments]”

“I'm a veteran returning to school, but does it really matter where I get my bsn as long as it is accredited? I've been accepted into Charleston southern pre nursing and I've applied to UNC charlotte, Clemson, and a handful of other schools in sc/nc. so does it really matter at the end of the day which one I go too. all of them are accredited both nationally and regionally submitted by /u/Shot_Can_5203 [link] [comments]”

“Hi everyone, I’m hoping to get some advice from anyone who has gone through California RN licensure/NCLEX with nursing education from the Philippines, especially if you did not receive your Philippine nursing degree. I studied Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in the Philippines at St. Dominic College of Asia from 2021–2024. I completed almost the entire program, but I had to stop after 4th year, 1st semester because I migrated to the United States. So, to clarify: I do not have a BSN degree/”

“I am still in nursing school (graduating 2028), and I think I want to go into L&D nursing but I keep hearing it is hard to get into and most new grads don't get L&D. Is this true and please tell me what steps I should take to ensure I can get a spot or anywhere in women's health. End goal is to become a midwife but that is far from now. My mom suggested I talk to people during clinical and try to gain networking. submitted by /u/doodlefan19 [link] [comments]”

“I’m graduating tomorrow and I never learned to love my course, as my professors told me would happen. It felt like I wasted 4 years of my life but I didn’t really have a choice since my parents were paying for it. I wonder how I’d feel years from now when I’m actually practicing already, so I’m curious to see if there are any nurses who didn’t want to be nurses and how they’re feeling after years into work? I mean I heard the pay is good, and I hope that could fund me to study in a different pro”

“Major help needed! My mind changes every week and I’m fed up! After switching my major 5 times, In May I graduated w my bachelors in cognitive science pre-speech language pathology (hoping to be an SLP in a hospital). During school I shadowed in elementary schools and hospitals, realizing the school setting isn’t for me. I get bored easily and found it too repetitive, I also have a sibling with autism and realized I would rather not work with special ed students, just personal preference. But th”

“Hi, I failed my NCLEX last week and also just found out that my nurse residency program dropped me as well. In hindsight, I wasn’t excited about the unit (neuro step down) but felt that I was excited to have a job in the first place. My question is, can I apply for new grad nurse residency programs still while I wait to retake the NCLEX? I would like to see if maybe I can land a better speciality or something. I’m trying to not give up hope and want to motivate myself that I can pass and get a g”

“Hello! I’ll be getting my CNA license in the winter and wanted opinions on the best place to get a job. I’m pursuing nursing and I think it’d be great to gain experience before starting the nursing program. I’m very interested in working in labor & delivery or mother/ baby. I feel like it’d be difficult to start out there so I need to get my foot in the door in a different area. I have no healthcare experience so hectic areas like the ER intimidate me but I know I’d learn a lot and grown a l”

“I’m 26 years old and currently finishing an accelerated BSN program with a 3.9 GPA. I’ll be graduating this December, and my original plan was to work as an RN for a few years before pursuing my DNP to become a family nurse practitioner. However, a fellow student of mine who previously practiced as a physician in Ukraine has been encouraging me to reconsider my career path. She frequently tells me that I’m extremely intelligent, capable of much more, and that I should pursue medical school inste”

“To be more specific I have a 3.1667 unweighted and 3.3571 weighted gpa and I’m trying to start my applications to colleges, I know I’m a bit late, but all the csu and uc rates for nursing students they admit are so low and the average gpa is like 3.7. I also have 4 years on a jv sports team and I’m a board member on a few clubs but I’ve never gotten an award for anything. I’ll also be working as a certified nursing assistant by November. It’s also a bit late to ask for letters of recommendation”

submitted by /u/Slight-Lie-2292 [link] [comments]

“Hi everyone! I’m 19 and currently a sophomore at a four-year university, and I’ve been struggling with deciding between pursuing social work or nursing. I’m currently on the social work track and preparing to apply to my university’s BSW program. My original plan was to earn my BSW and eventually pursue my MSW, possibly becoming a licensed clinical social worker. However, I’ve also been considering nursing. I’m already a CNA, so I have some exposure to healthcare, and I genuinely enjoy helping p”

“I'm 27 and live in Finland. I've worked in construction for the past few years and I'm now applying to study either nursing or mechanical engineering, starting next year. Nursing keeps pulling me in, but I'm unsure because of my social anxiety. A bit about how my anxiety works: One-on-one conversations are mostly fine. I can talk to people and I'm genuinely interested in them. What gets me is being watched by a group, like presenting or being the centre of attention. I've”

“I currently work for a CA county government, but it was always a fall-back plan to go back to school to get a degree (business) because I kept getting rejected from nursing programs for having a lower TEAS. I’m very confident I can score higher and become a nurse with an Associate Degree in Nursing and getting a nursing job with the local hospital. A lot of my friends have done the nursing program and that’s what I’ve always wanted to do after high school, but no luck as my nursing application w”

“i currently work in a CDU unit and will probably stay for another year. i was thinking about possibly going to the ED. Should i wait to do these certs? i signed up for them just cause my job offers them for free (big teaching hospital). submitted by /u/Clean_Transition_942 [link] [comments]”

“I'm starting an RN to BSN program in january? Does anyone have any advice or insight? Or is the program hard et cetera submitted by /u/NailHot5113 [link] [comments]”

“Hi there, I’m having a hard time deciding on a career path, I’m REALLY interested ultrasound especially Cardiovascular but I’m also interested in Nursing. My issue is that I’m C average student not a A or B . In the state I live in they only accept 12 people in Sonography program per year! I know it’s super competitive. But should I consider nursing instead???? I’m so discouraged right now! Help? submitted by /u/MaleficentHornet1183 [link] [comments]”

“I graduated with my degree in May but haven't been able to land an entry-level IT job yet due to how tough the current market is. I cannot afford to stay stuck in job-hunting limbo forever, so finding a path that guarantees real stability and hiring certainty is critical for me. I am currently stuck between two options for next semester: either taking local community college courses to get my Cisco certification (CCNA) to stand out in tech, or completely pivoting to start pre-nursing prerequ”

“Hi all, as the title states I am currently in a traditional BSN program. I am starting to look at jobs early because my area can be super competitive for new grads. I’ve been interested in LTC for a while now, as I’m not a fan of critical care but am also weary about med surg. Recently one of my professors recommended us to start in med surg even if we are interested in a less acute specialty. I hadn’t considered this before, but apparently it can be hard to move from LTC to a specialty inside o”

“Physical Therapy vs. Nursing? 18F college freshman with ADHD who needs honest advice Hi everyone! I’m an 18-year-old female college freshman currently studying kinesiology, and I’ve been going back and forth between pursuing physical therapy or switching to nursing. I’d really appreciate some honest advice from people actually working in either field. A little background about me: I grew up playing competitive soccer, but when I was 17, I tore my ACL, MCL, and meniscus. I went through surgery, r”

“Long story short, I started my ASN program and am absolutely drowning in it. I barely have my head above the water and its just the first semester. I'm the lowest in my class and am terrified that I will fail the program. I'm working as an ED technician, and in hypothetical scenario of me failing this program, is it viable to make a living from this job? I love working in the emergency department, its technically my first real job. Has anyone managed working it full time living on their”

“Hi everyone! I’m a new grad RN with pediatric LPN experience, hoping to work in pediatric med-surg or adult med-surg with a geriatric population. I’m currently practicing interview questions and how to answer them clearly while still being myself. What else should I be doing to prepare? Any clinical topics I should review or questions that caught you off guard? Any tips would be appreciated! 😊 submitted by /u/MarionberryMiddle592 [link] [comments]”

“I am a 25 y/o registered nurse and midwife. I have no kids yet, and I'm not sure if I'll have kids before at least 28. I have been considering studying to become a lactation consultant for a couple of reasons: I am really passionate about how amazing breastfeeding is and the potential benefits. I live in South Africa and around here only about 22% of mothers breastfeed up until 6 months postpartum. It's something I truly believe in and feel like that would motivate me. Currently I ha”

“I love this way of looking at it. I’m going back for nursing in my 30s and I see it as my second chance. There’s no way I would have figured out this path in my younger years, I was a damn mess. Thank you for your compassion. [re: How do u guys feel about bhad bhabie becoming a nurse 😭]”

“I am looking to go into a nursing school program in January or the summer 2027. I have a non nursing bachelor’s and masters. I live in Georgia. Some of my preqs are old. Im open to going to any school in Georgia, Alabama or South Carolina. I’d prefer an MSN direct program but Im open. submitted by /u/Learnerspermit1994 [link] [comments]”

“I’m interested in the Direct Entry Nursing program and I need guidance on nursing schools that have a good program and affordable tuition. submitted by /u/Ordinary_Pangolin_68 [link] [comments]”

“7 years for my first bachelor's and then an accelerated nursing degree. Didn't get my first nursing job till almost 30. You are going to be fine. Almost all my friends were ahead of me in life at first, lost some because of it, kept some, made new ones. Now I'm in my 40s and no one cares. [re: Delayed Graduation]”

“Nursing IS a great way out of poverty. Source: my son got his ADN RN and was out-earning everyone in our family right out of the gate. Now he is SET. And there are SO many different types of jobs for nurses! if one is not the right fit for you, you can always can find another type of nursing job. There is a huge variety of nursing environments and job descriptions. If you have what it takes to get through nursing school, go for it! [re: what can i do to not stay poor forever]”

“I’ve been struggling with figuring out what do for next steps. I’m 26 with some college credits but a low GPA. I’m currently working as a certified clinical medical assistant and I am not sure if I should continue my healthcare admin or go into nursing. I love clinical work but also like admin. I also want something that allows me to add in legal/policy aspects into my role. I am just not sure what route would give me the best chance to get this done. I feel like I am behind due to my age and mi”

“I’m really struggling to decide between pursuing nursing (RPN or eventually RN) and going to law school to become a lawyer, specifically a Crown attorney. I would really appreciate hearing from people who have been in a similar situation or have experience in either field. For some background, I graduated from Carleton University with an Honours BA in Law and Political Science with Distinction. I genuinely enjoy law, and becoming a lawyer, particularly a Crown attorney, is something I have serio”

“What's wrong with a career change at 22? [re: new nursing student with imposter's syndrome( who doesn't like science) having second thoughts]”

“I've been out of nursing school for 6 years now. Since completion of nclex, I have not been able to go into bedside due to health concerns, and have been doing outpatient work for the majority of the time . Now that I am able, I really need to review, but I dont know what exactly I need to focus on. Or what i better know before walking onto a floor. I know im basically going to be trained as a new grad which I am grateful for, but my book knowledge probably isnt as sharp as the typical new g”

“I’m currently a student nurse and graduate in December. I have received two offers. One on half ortho surg and half regular med surg with a 3k sign on bonus that pays $2 more than the next offer. The second offer is for the emergency department. They’re both 30 minutes away but there is a possibility I would eventually have to drive 1hour to the emergency room for 4 weeks. My dream nursing position would be in pediatrics, Nicu, or L&D. Was wondering which you all think would offer me the bet”

“Let’s say that you decided to work as an RN years after never using your license. Once you renew that license, and if you had the ability to work anywhere in the country as a solo/no kids person, would you be able to land a job at a hospital in an undesirable area in order to gain experience? Obviously you’d have no chance going up against actual new grads in competitive locations, but if you set your sights on more rural areas that aren’t especially popular/desperate for staff for example, I wo”

“I (22) am currently in Nursing School (RN/ADN) and I graduate in March 2028. I plan on trying to get a job right out of school, and continuing to get my BSN online while working as a RN. I go to school in Upstate South Carolina, but my parents recently moved to North Carolina. I'm debating on if I want to continue to find a job after school in South Carolina, or just trying to find one in North Carolina and moving up there to be with my parents. The thing is, I already work at a hospital as”

“Congratulations on your new job and for graduating from hell school. All new grads learn nursing on the floor. School only prepares you for nclex, so no one expects you to know everything. DON’T be afraid to ask questions and don’t be afraid to try skills during your preceptorship! Now is the time to practice skills you’ll use for the rest of your nursing career. Even if it’s not your patient. Someone needs an IV, foley, NG tube? Get in there with your preceptor and try to do these skills any ch”

“hi, thanks for the reply! can i dm you? [re: non-medical degree after nursing]”

“Hi everyone! I'm currently a nursing student at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, and I'm working on a research project about workplace violence against nurses and the need for stronger legal protections. I'm looking for 3 currently practicing bedside RNs working in Florida hospitals who would be willing to participate in a brief interview for my project. I have reached out to several nurses already, but unfortunately, many have been unable to participate due to workplace rest”

Stay tf outa medsurg if you wanna do OR lmao. [re: NEW GRAD CHOICES]

“There is no such thing as “meh” hospital. Be thankful for the opportunity. At this time of a challenging nursing job market, all hospitals are good hospitals. [re: NEW GRAD CHOICES]”

“I’d say it’s easier to get a job as a nurse. There are always places hiring, unless you live in a place that’s super competitive like California. [re: Is it that easy?]”