RN's or LVN'S help please confused what courses am i supposed to take to become a nurse? medical assistant?

Question

so i just graduated highschool and i would like to be a nurse but not sure how i become a nurse like what courses am i supposed to take to become a nurse?i live in california and was thinking of going to UEI for medical assistant but i dont know if to be an RN or LVN you have to go to medical assistanting school first or take other classes please help! confused do i have to go to school for medical assistant first or something to become a RN, or a LVN? please help confused!

Answer 1

When you go to college, an advisor asks you what you want to be. Then they’ll tell you what degree(s) are good for that and there’s a magic list of all of the classes needed for that degree.  You’re not expected to figure this out on your own.

I believe that for either an RN or LVN, you would enroll in a college nursing program.  

Answer 2

If you're interested in nursing, you don't want to do anything with Medical Assisting. It's a non-degree tech program which really isn't all that valuable in today's job market. You don't hold a license and therefore aren't all that valuable to most employers, and not only that, so many for-profit schools out there are cranking out hundreds of graduates into cities where there might only be a handful of clinics that hire MAs.

You want to be a nurse, you need to decide if you want to go for your LVN (about a year long program) or an RN (minimum of a 2 year program). You are better off professionally in the long run as an RN, but you could start as LVN and later on take a LVN bridge to RN program. You are not required to be an LVN before an RN however.

Call schools in your area to inquire about their nursing programs, and meet with their admissions reps.

Answer 3

Medical assistant training is something different.  To be a nurse, you go to nursing school, then pass a state licensing exam.  It's not just courses, it's a whole series of courses and actual experience in different areas of nursing.  Check with local community colleges and hospitals - some of them probably have nursing training.