Masters in Healthcare Admin or certificate?? Any ideas or suggestions??

[cookderosa]

Thanks for all the replies!!! I have researched the hell out of this and have tried an alternate route to get the RN to no avail. There is one LPN program locally which does not meet the criteria for transfer into an RN program. There used to be 4 programs, but they have all folded due to the fact that most hospitals at least where I live, are phasing out LPN's. CA does have an LPN by equivalency which I applied for. The program is bit odd in what they ask you to prove. I was denied because I lacked the time in maternal child nursing. They gave me credit for my CNA and CMA if I recall. At the time, I thought well I might revisit this another time. It wasn't very pressing at the time. I again talked to Excelsior about getting into the RN program if I got the LPN by equivalency and they kind of acted like had never heard of that and it wouldn't work. I have heard that in SC, there are roadblocks to getting the RN if you graduated from Excelsior. However, there are now a handful of schools that have the LPN to RN bridge. I guess this has been sooooooo frustrating for me that I just decided that the door must be closed if I cannot get through it no matter how hard I try. Again, that was before I really needed the job with the $ attached. Now I have looked into several MSN programs that do not require you to have the RN before applying. You actually get the RN a year into the program! This is the best option except for the fact that the schools that offer this are nowhere close by and are extremely competitve to get into. So, I would have to try and move for 2 years somehow. I am getting nowehere fast with all of this. I think I might just go sell cars......

Those programs are full time (40+ hours per week) and very expensive. I don't think it's 2 years unless you have a non-nursing bachelor's, but that could be wrong. The ones I looked at that were direct entry MSNs did, but that might have been because I "did" have a BA at the time, I can't remember. I think you're up touching the 70k range.
Still, the traditional RN path (ADN--> BSN (or BA) --> MSN) is the cheapest by a landslide. Aboout $45k for the whole process, with a time investment of about 4 1/2 years (assuming you use the BA instead of BSN option).

If I were starting this path, I would earn my BA at TESC using all of the typical pre-reqs inside that degree. This includes lab sciences and A&P with labs. This would fill the natural science requirements plus the general education electives. I would test out of EVERYTHING except nursing pre-reqs, and all the while working as a CNA or CMA part time. If I had to, I'd apply for financial aid to support this process, taking advantage of the Pell grant and 1 year of a student loan. This process would allow me to apply to the local community college RN programs (by local, I'd go up to about 45 minutes around my town). I'd start the first cycle I was accepted. I'd transfer in all my TESC courses, and essentially be left with clinical +
With my uninterrupted CNA/CMA experience, a kick-butt score on my NCLEX, and stellar letters of rec from my employer for the past 2 years, I'd look for a med surg job at the local hospital. I'd pay off my 10k student loan at break-neck pace, picking up every shift I could. I'd "pay my dues" for 1 year, and start investigating distance learning options for an MSN/NP option. At the 1 year mark, if I had the option of employee reimbursement, I'd use it- if not- I'm paying myself. I'd get through the next 2 years of advance practice nursing school WHILE working locally, and I'd graduate. I'd apply back to work with one of the doctors I'd impressed over the past 2 years, and bam, I'd have a career. It would be summer/fall 2017. In the direct entry option, it would be 2016. Not a big enough incentive *for me, when you look at the cost and time involved.