Many people who want to go into a nursing program have simply given up on the idea because they can’t allow themselves the “luxury” of quitting work and dedicate at least two years of their life, full-time, to their education. After all, two years is a LONG time to give up a salary.

And the two years we’ve mentioned is just for an Associate Degree! The standard Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree takes four years.

That’s fine for recent high school graduates whose parents will foot the entire bill, or for someone who has a spouse who is working and can support them for the entire length of their schooling, or for people who don’t mind graduating from school with massive debt.

For everyone else who doesn’t fit into any of these categories, here is the best way to go:

Begin by enrolling in a part-time evening LPN degree program. This will generally be an 18-month program. Full-time LPN programs are shorter — about 12 months, but they are much more intense, and it will be very hard to work even part-time during such a program.

Once you have a degree as a Licensed Practical Nurse, you can then take any pre-requisite courses that you will need before you can be accepted into an LPN to RN bridge program. There are usually about eight classes required. These include college level Algebra, Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Psychology, Nutrition, and Human Growth and Development. You may already have taken some or all of these classes previously but if not, you can take a few at a time. Even while working full time, you can enroll online or at a local college.

And then, you can apply to an online LPN to RN bridge program . With this, you can earn an Associate Degree in Nursing. This will take about a year to a year and a half – but the good news is you will be working the whole time you’re in school. AND – it is very likely that your employer will help defray expenses for your continuing health care education, especially if your employer is a hospital or other large health care facility.

You should have no doubts about it now – the traditional nursing school model is not the only option for aspiring nurses any more. There are lots of paths to a nursing degree, and we just showed you one which will allow you to hold down a full time job without flunking out of nursing school!

LPN nursing programs are an excellent way to get your nursing career off the ground even if you have a full-time job. Visit us to learn more about these nursing programs and to find schools in your state that offer them.