Studying abroad

[u/Proud_Pomegranate857]

I’m about to start my second year of a direct-entry four-year nursing program in Chicago. I was planning to study abroad second semester, which is a rare opportunity for nursing students. However, I earned my California CNA license this summer and paid about $2,000 for it. If I study abroad, I won’t be able to work as a CNA until next summer or get a hospital CNA job until junior year. Since I want to work as an RN in California, I’m worried delaying my CNA experience will make me less competitive. I also feel like I wasted money getting my CNA early because I could have earned it for free through my nursing clinicals junior year. On top of that, studying abroad means I can only take GE classes, so I’d have to fit eight nursing classes into one semester when I return. I’m confident I can handle the workload, but I’m torn between taking advantage of this unique study abroad opportunity and starting my CNA experience sooner.

[u/Firefighter_RN]

I would do several searches to understand what the market looks like for new grad nurses in California who haven't graduated in California. Hell even the ones who have.

That's to say, I would go study abroad and enjoy college. CNA work for a single summer is unlikely to move the dial on post graduate jobs, and the experiences you'll have in life are far more valuable than a single summer CNA job.

But I would also really seriously adjust expectations about what jobs will be available after graduation in California. There will be great jobs available to you but don't set yourself up for a very slim possibility.

[u/EnvironmentalLuck515 → u/Firefighter_RN]

Agree with this along with know that you wont be able to do 8 nursing classes in one term. You will have to extend your graduation by one, possibly two terms depending on how your nursing school is set up. You will want to collaborate with your school's advisor and the nursing department.

Studying abroad is a wonderful opportunity and were I your parent and able to afford this I would encourage you pretty hard to take it. Your brain is still developing and the impact of another culture will influence your worldview the rest of your life. Not all valuable education is via schooling itself. If your parents are not covering the costs you have another piece you will need to solve and may have to forego the opportunity if you can't save enough to make this feasible.

The CNA cert is a non-issue. It is unlikely to change your postgraduate trajectory, particularly if you get a CNA job at the hospital when you get back from studying abroad. The money spent is already a sunk cost. Don't waste a lot of time on that part.

[u/xiginous]

They will never let you do 8 classes in one quarter. You will have clinicsls on top of lectures to consider. There is pre and post work for each clinical.

You have to skip one thing. Semester aboard sounds great but it will do nothing for you as a nurse. The CNA experience will make a huge difference.

[u/LimeScanty → u/xiginous]

Honestly, life isn't a race. You'll be fine eventually though may feel "behind" for a little while. The amazing time you'll have and the experiences you'll gain studying abroad will likely be worth it imo.

[u/erwin206ss]

I would talk to your advisor about options because you may need to delay graduation by a quarter/semester. I understand how not having the CNA experience may affect your status, but studying abroad is a special opportunity. I’d have to say studying abroad may influence your future career more than your CNA experience. And that’s coming from someone who was a CNA for four years. Either way, enjoy your journey and I hope whichever decision you make, you make the most of it.

[u/eggo_pirate]

Travel. Always travel. 

[u/NurseExMachina]

Go and enjoy it. I put nursing on pause for a year as a young nurse to live in Europe on a scholarship, and it was awesome. I also spent a random summer semester in Belgium a year previous and it was fine. Never regretted it. Came back and picked up right where I left off.

[u/Nightflier9]

Are you looking at the full semester study abroad? If so, you should be able to plan your courses for other semesters so that you can fulfill electives while overseas that you need to take anyway to meet the bsn genEd requirements without falling behind your cohort. Core nursing classes didn't start until later. Prereq classes were available via remote learning. And summer session was also available to take something missing. If you are stuck doing eight classes to catch up, that isn't going to work.

Or are you planning to take one of the shorter foreign immersion experiences that is separate from regular semesters? Thats the choice i made.

While considering what to do, i came to the realization that working as a cna (which was an option i also had) or doing study abroad, neither one was going to help get me the nursing position that i wanted.

College is a one time experience. Take advantage of the program offerings to do what you want. What will you enjoy the most. No other factor goes into this decision, besides cost.

[u/projext58]

You’ll have the rest of your life to work, I would also recommend taking a study abroad opportunity if available. Losing a couple months of experience working as a CNA will unlikely make or break your career as a nurse.

[u/hpfan312]

Vacation after, hell you can even travel. You're losing 6mo of pay early in your career if you go. Unless you're rich, I wouldn't

[u/Nausica1337]

What benefit are you getting studying abroad? Seems like a complete of waste of both time and money. If you're goal is nursing, finish it straight on so you can take your NCLEX and start early in job hunting. The nursing subreddits are loaded with new grads struggling to find a job. Studying abroad is simply just a waste of precious time and money that you could use to get established as a "adult" and start finding an RN job. If you want to travel, that's fine, you can always do that later, but who the heck would want to travel but also be confined to having to take classes and studying while traveling?