Not until I shifted gears and went into photography did I ever consider that getting an associates degree could be a goal unto itself.
I briefly considered transfer to a photography bachelor's program while in school, but I couldn't find any practical use for it. At the time I was looking at six years in school and was more than eager to get to the big city (Chicago baby!) and start working. Having a bachelor's degree wouldn't help that goal one bit... hell, having an associate's degree didn't help in and of itself. Having a portfolio and the know how to produce good photographs was all that was needed to land a job as a Photo assistant (oh... and a work ethic!).
So I dropped the idea of graduating college. But it still burned a bit in the back of my head... yes I went to college. No.. I didn't graduate from college.
A decade later, when I decided to go back to college and become a nurse I had to re-think that situation. I of course looked at all options of nursing. Becoming a certified nursing assistant (CNA) took about $3000 and a six week course. But it only paid around $10/hour. Becoming a licensed practical nurse (LPN) took about $5000 and two years of school (but no degree). It started out around $17 an hour and topped out around $25 an hour.
Both of these were appealing as it was a fairly quick way to get 'working'. But as I talked about with my computer, I wanted to 'future proof' my career. Both of these nursing careers were quickly capped. Going to school to become a registered nurse (RN) seemed to offer a lot more advancement and pay opportunities. Just getting my foot into the door (getting an RN license) would require getting an ADN (Associates Degree in Nursing). Sure, at face value that's the same two years as an LPN, but it had more pre-requisites and would really take at least three years of school... about $7500. They pay would start out closer to $22/hour and it's cap? Well... there isn't really one. Sure, as an RN with an ADN I couldn't expect to make $100 an hour, but with experience and the right job I could certainly get close to $50/hour.
There was another option as well. A BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). That's a four year degree... graduating college! But when you look closely at what a BSN gets you over an ADN... well there's not much at the beginning of a career. I remember seeing a reputable website saying that while it might increase your chances of getting into a job, it wouldn't necessarily mean getting paid more. Maybe $1000 a year (about 50 cents an hour!). What a BSN really gets you is more advancement possibilities. Moving into nursing management or research. Most of those careers are closed off to ADNs.
So, without much of a difference in beginning pay and a major difference in time spent before getting that first job (not to mention the money needed for those two extra years... they don't come cheap as a community college can't offer a BSN in my state), I opted for what seemed like the optimal choice... I have my ADN and my license and now have a job as an RN.
But that desire is still in the back of my head. I want to be a college graduate.
When I look at my career... well first off it's way to early to make any truly declarative statements. I've only been a working RN for 16 months, all of them at one place. But so far as I can currently tell, I can see working the remainder of my career where I'm at. I could do this job for 20+ years. Even if I wanted to 'move up' from being an RN to a Nursing Supervisor or even a Health Unit Manager (HUM), I wouldn't 'need' a BSN. All three of my current nursing supervisors (as well as the one that retired earlier in the year) lack a BSN. The HUM that I work under also lacks a BSN. I don't know if that's true across the state... maybe she's one of the only HUMs without a bachelor's degree. But even if that's so, it shows that it's possible to 'move up' to her position without any further school.
Let's say I come to a cross road. I want to move into a position that requires I have a bachelor's degree. I can always get one fairly easily and fairly cheaply. I wouldn't be looking for something stellar on the resume, I'd simply be looking to add those three little letters after my name. There are a lot of RN to BSN programs out there. State Schools, Local Schools, Private Schools, For Profit Schools... they run the whole gamut.
But if I want to follow my dream for the sake of following my dream, I don't want just any degree. I want a degree that I'm proud of. I want to be able to say "I'm a graduate from BigImpressive University" and not "I have a BSN and neveryoumind where I got it"
This whole thought process came back into focus when the State sent out an email reminding us that they have a partnership with a private university. We can get up to 50% off tuition. I still can't get my head why the State wouldn't make that arrangement with a State University, but that probably has more to do with our Republican Governor than I want to get into right now.
Anywho... if I'm going to get a degree I have to have a plan. What would I find acceptable? What sacrifices would I be willing to make? How much would I be willing to pay (so far as I know, I'm more or less tapped out on government subsidized Student Loans)?
Let's tackle 'acceptable' first. Keep in mind, this is getting a degree for ME, not necessarily my career. My first thought is getting a degree from a major state university. The two that are most easily on my list would be the University of Michigan (GO BLUE!) and Michigan State University. But while I'm a fan of those schools, really any State University that has a good educational reputation could be on that list. Central Michigan, Eatern Michigan, and Western Michigan could all make the list (Ferris State... sorry, no). Even out of state schools could be appealing... Arizona State, Ohio State (ick), Wisconsin, Cal.... there are plenty of colleges that I would be proud to call my alma mater.
Sacrifices: I don't want to have to take time off of work. I'm not talking about taking a day off for a test, or a week or so for clinicals... I'm talking about taking a year or two away from work. Nope. No Way. Not Going To Happen. As this wouldn't be for getting a better paying job, I can't afford to not gain the $100,000 or so that would 'cost' me. Bills Bills Bills. Online programs would make the most sense then. I also have two preferred paths... the first would be taking one or two courses a semester that could drag out the entire process for years. The other would be to get it over with as soon as possible while still being able to hold down the job. The first option there just really isn't available. Every BSN program that I've looked into wants you to take the classes at their pace and get your degree in the standard two or three year (or less) manner. The second option is available, but you pay for the privilege of hurrying through your degree... the tuition price per credit hour can go up by as much as 30%.
Paying For It: Hmm... I make good money. But I'm not exactly tucking away thousands of dollars per 'semester'. I'd either have to save up for years (that's hard for me to do), or take out loans. Now I said earlier that tapped out on government subsidized loans. That's both true and untrue. I AM tapped out if I went back for undergraduate work. I can't take out loans to get another associate's degree. But so far as I know, I can still get more for bachelor's level courses. Any program I get into would probably require me to take some entry level programs to get into their program (think of things like English, Math, basic Science). I could probably transfer some of my current classes into those, but I won't believe that I'll get them all. So I'd probably at least have to pay for those types of courses out of pocket. And even if I couldn't get government student loans, I can always get private student loans. Let's face it, I make enough to qualify for the $25,000 or so this might cost me.
So... with those put together and the little bit of research I've already done at work (hey... it's been slow the past few days!), I think I have two options. First would be Arizona State University. They are making a HUGE push for their online system. I can get a BSN from them completely online. They do require a little bit of clinicals (I think it was like 40 hours), but they claim they will work with you to find a local place to work with. Being an 'out of state' student it would cost me about $25,000 and take about two and a half years. The second option is Michigan State University. They have a new completely online RN to BSN program. Their literature claims that it's designed with working RNs in mind. It's an accelerated program, so once I get all the pre-reqs out, it will take about 18 months. That's with taking only 6 to 8 credits per semester. It does require 117 hours of clinicals but they also claim that they can find local positions to help. They even claim you can do it where you currently work, just not in the department you work in. I MIGHT be able to have that happen at my correctional facility, but it would require me to stretch the truth a bit. I could argue that I don't work in the North Clinic.
Sadly, the University of Michigan doesn't offer a program that seems feasible. The closest they have is an RN to BSN hybrid program where most of the course work is online. But you still meet as a class several times a semester and do your clinicals close to their campus (this is their Flint campus and that's 90 miles form my house or work.
So... maybe one day I'll be a Spartan (the mascot of Michigan State University). It's definitely very attractive as their Nursing Program is held in very high esteem (the only program held in higher esteem in the state is UofM, and most of that esteem comes from their Master's programs).
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On a kind of related note, I finally have my 'raise'. To remind myself (and anybody else reading this), I was hired in as a contract nurse at just over $25 an hour. Four months later I as hired in as a state employee at just over $26 an hour (plus all the benefits). Our union recently renegotiated our contract and that got me a raise to about $26.60 an hour.
Now that I have my year in as a state employee I am off probation (all new hires have one year of probation) and am reclassified from an RN11 (a nurse with less than a year's of experience) to an RN12 (a nurse with a least a year's worth of experience). I was 'topped' out for pay in the RN11 category.. I couldn't get any more raises outside of what the union does. The RN12 ccategory starts slightly below what I was getting paid, so I wasn't necessarily guaranteed to get a raise.. just the ability to get future raises. Thankfully my supervisor gave me a spectacular review and I now make $28.63 an hour.
!!!!!!
It's certainly not 'change my life' money. But that's an extra $160 a paycheck. That's an extra four grand a year! WOO HOO!!!
When I add in all the holiday pay, shift premium, 'working in a secured area' premium, and overtime that I work I will gross over $60,000 a year!
I'm not one to constantly think about money. I went a long time without it and never had people that I respected think less of me because I wasn't making much. I will be the same type of person and not outwardly brag about it. But for this moment in time... WOW! I now make more than my father did at the height of his career. I make more than one of my best friends (the other makes a LOT more than me!). I make more than either of my brothers and am close to making more than B's household (his wife works too).
Ok... back to reality. I simply make 'good' money. Dad made enough for his family. B's family has enough for them. R has enough for him. My friends make enough for their lifestyles. I can't say that I make enough to live the lifestyle I want, but that's more about the massive student loan I've built up rather than what I get paid an hour. To realistically be able to afford what I want (an apartment or house of my own and the bills that go along with it) I'd have to make an additional $5 an hour. I'm closer to that, but not there yet.
For now... I make enough. And that is still YAY worthy!
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