So You Wanna Be a (Second-Degree) Nurse: Nursing FAQ Volume II

After graduating from UC Davis with my Bachelors of Science in Psychology with a Biological Influence, I blindly stumbled through applying to nursing school. I didn't know a single person who was a second-degree nurse, and I had absolutely no idea what I had to do to be competitive enough to get in, or what getting in even entailed.

So, it comes as no surprise to me that I receive a few questions each month from undergraduate students or individuals wanting to switch careers to nursing.

I already posted an FAQ about nursing in general, but are some of the most commonly asked questions people ask me when considering applying to nursing school:

1. What are the different "second degree" nursing programs?

• Accelerated Bachelor's of Science in Nursing (ABSN)
• A "fast-track" to receiving one's BSN when they already have a Bachelor's in another field.
• Entry Level Masters in Nursing
• A "fast-track" to receiving one's MSN without previously having a BSN, but already having a Bachelor's in another field.
• There are programs that prepare you to be an entry-level RN with an MSN.
• There are programs that prepare you to be an entry-level NP with an MSN.

2. Should I pursue an MSN or a BSN?

• Up to you! There are so many factors (money, time commitment, level of academic rigor) that may impact your decision, but I LOVED my MSN program, and obviously I'm biased so it's all I can really speak to. 
• *Please note: Pursuing a BSN will provide you an excellent education and prepare you for a very successful career. I was hired as a New Grad PICU RN alongside many recent BSN-graduates*

• Many of the program's classes, such as pathophysiology and pharmacology, are "advanced", more in-depth, and a little more difficult than those in a BSN program. However, two of my "fundamentals in nursing" courses were taken with BSNs, so we had the same lectures and labs, but sometimes different assignments and exams.
• MSN degrees can still prepare nurses for the bedside, but they also open more doors for research, leadership, public health, teaching, quality improvement, and much much more. 
• I also really appreciated the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) curriculum I learned, which is only offered to select Masters programs. 
• Entry-level Masters programs are often only roughly half a year longer than an ABSN program (mine was a total of two academic school years).
• I was concerned as an undergraduate student that if I pursued an Entry-level Masters, I would not be hired out of school, because I'd be eligible for higher pay without the experience. 
• I've found the opposite, and that the hospitals I applied to did value the higher education. If a hospital is "Magnet" status, they need a certain percentage of nurses to be MSN prepared, meaning they are often seeking Masters-level nurses to hire.

3. What do I need to do to apply to a second-degree nursing program?

• Check the websites of the schools you are applying to. Each program has different requirements.
• They'll likely have the list of prerequisites (usually chemistry, biology, anatomy, physiology, etc.) required to even apply to the program.
• This was rarer at least when I was applying a few years ago, but they may even have a minimum requirement for healthcare related hours.
• There will be differing amounts of letters of recommendation required (and type required [i.e. academic vs. work-related]) per institution.
• Each program will have a different prompt for a personal statement or short-answer questions.
• Optional: call the admissions counselor for the program you're applying to and set up an appointment! I brought my transcripts and resume and asked what else I could do to become a more competitive applicant, what they look for in a personal statement, etc. 

4. Where did you take your nursing school prerequisites?

• I actually took almost all of my nursing school prerequisites at UC Davis, where I did my undergrad. 
• I took a few online courses after I graduated, but there was no comparison in regards to the baseline knowledge these provided me. 
• There are SO many valid factors impacting the decision where to pursue prerequisites (you may have graduated college a few years ago, may not have the money to take classes through an extension-program, may need to boost your GPA, etc.), and I've witnessed people be successful no matter where they took their prerequisite courses. However, I will say this: 
• I personally felt so prepared for my nursing education due to the comprehensive baseline knowledge I acquired at UCD, and I cannot say that to the same extent for the few online courses I took.

5. What health-related work did you have on your resume prior to applying?

• My junior year in college, I landed a one-year internship with a student run clinic for IV drug abusers, transgender individuals, and sex workers. I had the title "medical intern", and I took vital signs and health histories, roomed patients, charted, and presented patients to a physician and medical students. 
• For one year out of college, I worked in a primary care physician's office as a clinical research assistant.

6. Did you take a gap year?

• I did indeed! I worked in healthcare (see above), saved money, and took the time to dedicate myself to my graduate school applications. 
• I also have great friends in my program who came straight out of undergraduate and we had similar success rates/stress levels throughout :)

7. Is it important to have research experience on your resume?

• Look at the institution you're applying to. If you're trying to go to a school with an affiliated research-based hospital...they may value research more. 
• Talk to admissions counselors! They *should* be honest with you about what's most important to them.
• Personally... I had both laboratory and clinical research experience prior to applying.

8. What did you write your personal statement about?

• I talked about why an entry-level MSN program vs. an undergraduate BSN program.
• I talked about the experiences I had in healthcare. 
• Mostly, I talked about why I was prepared to be a good nurse. I tried to focus more on why will I be a great nurse as opposed to why do I want to be a nurse. I figured everyone applying "wants" it, but why should the school want ME?
• To be honest, I didn't have a special story to tell, so my personal statement was a simple and transparent account of my journey to nursing!

9. Can I ask you more questions as they come up?

• YASSSSS! I was drawn to nursing because I love to help people, and I don't limit desire that to the acute care setting. I'm happy to answer as many questions as anyone has about the application process or nursing in general. If you have more questions, contact me at forbetterorfornurse@gmail.com!