Can one earn a four year nursing degree in no more then four years while serving in the army?

Yes you can. It's hard, but you can.
Join as a 68WM6. This is a LPN (practical nurse) in the Army. The school is long. You go through basic training, medic school and then follow-on school -which is nursing school. Unlike in the AF where their LPNs are trained, they do not have their licenses and have to challenge the boards themselves. In the Army you HAVE to have your license to graduate and they prepare you well to pass the boards.

After you pass the boards submit your credits into Excelsior - talk to the Education Center at your duty station you are assigned to. They will give you a plan to get your associates degree in nursing. It is an independent study program so you do it at your own pace. At the end of the program you do a practical exam and you're given your AN (associates in nursing - remember you still have to pass your NCLEX) You have to have your associates before you can get your bachelors throught that specific program - but going on to getting your bachelors won't be hard at all. There are several other programs you just have to find one that suits you.

It's possible to get your bachelors degree in four years or less, but you have to work hard at it. Hope that you work clinic work or work shift work at a pretty "slow" hospital where you'll have time to study in between patients.

If you have any questions let me know.



EDIT: I wrote a reply to your email, but I wanted to finish it off. Sorry. haha. They cut me off.

All I'm trying to say is that M6 is always available even if they have to push back your basic training date a few weeks. When I signed on with MEPS (Military entrances) I left for basic training a few weeks later - knowing that I already had a spot in the M6 class. Tell the recruiter that it really is available or your not signing up. Don't take no for an answer. Getting your RN this way will provide you with valuable training that NO RN out of school will have. If you plan to get out of the military after your done with your contract, your experience will not compare to that of someone just out of school.

No. Its takes four years of FULL TIME college attendance to earn a BSN.

By all means, there are shortcuts on many things available such as 30 credit hours for taking (and passing) 5 CLEP tests.
And many posts have college classes right on post. Then there's also DANTES testing

Theoretically yes, but it probably won't happen.

Not really. Your job in the Army comes first, then schooling. Most people find they can earn a 4 year degree in around 7-8 years. You may have to work 12-14 hour shifts, impossible to squeeze Nursing courses in since most of them cannot be taken online. Your job as a soldier will always come first.

i was on the nursing track while ad army...can be next to impossible because R.N. tracks require chem and bio lab time. the post I ended up being @ DID not have the facilities to make those types of lab courses avail. (overseas in katterbach, germany near nuremberg). However, if you're in ca and you were a medic/91w you can challenge the LVN board if you have 3 years of experience in the job and at a hospital facility. from there I've seen an array of programs. for example, san jacinto community college (pasadena, tx near houston) has a 3 semester lvn-rn program that's not as impacted as CSUS/sac state is. overall, it's not so bad if you need some college money and the mil. can be used as a stepping stone. I would suggest something more specialized such as 91p (xray tech) b.c. u go through medic training as well plus xray tech training which pays well in the "real" world. than u can be a nurse w/ xray skills /just have something to fall back on to put yourself through nursing school.

unlikely. First, not all duty stations have colleges conveniently nearby. Second, most military jobs make it difficult to attend school as your hours at work are not very predictable. Third, even if you military job was 9 to 5, monday through friday, few people can complete a BS in only four years going to school at night. Fourth, most nursing schools are not hospitable to part-time night students and offer most classes only in the day. I got my BA while in the service, by attending school at night for 7 years but I had a great military job and a very cooperative boss. My situation was unique. Some folks use on-line classes, and correspondence classes, but nursing school does not lend itself to that effort.

Yes.

But only if the Army decides to send you to the nursing program so you can become an Army nurse. I have never seen them send someone for FOUR years of college. You will have to have 2 years done on your own.

If you want to do it outside of the Army program, you have to take night classes and that will take you considerably more than four years.