I'm an RN and I don't know of any hospitals that do that. I've heard of them for PCA's (nursing assistants), but never for nurses. My recommendation would be to get student loans (actual student loans, not borrowing from other sources). You don't start paying them back until 6 months after you graduate, and you'll be making enough money by then that it shouldn't be too much of a drain on your money. Plus, many hospitals have loan repayment programs. They'll pay a certain amount of your student loan (add it to your check) every month. I never got to take advantage of that program because by the time I started working for a hospital that did that, they only did that for the new grads, not someone who had been working for a few years. =( So, before you accept a job, check into that, because that may make a huge difference in your pay. Either way, the education is worth the investment (assuming you work, of course =) ) and if you love working with people, you won't regret spending the money and time to get your degree. One other thing- many hospitals pay you based on your education. They'll pay you more per hour for a 4 year degree than for a 2 year degree, and even more for a masters. There are programs that transition you from a 2 yr to a 4 yr program, but you may just want to get it over with. The slump in the econonomy is putting a hold on nursing jobs, so consider that as well before you go back. My hospital (in Southern MN) isn't hiring nurses right now, but they are planning to start hiring again later this year. I'd check the hospitals in your area to see how nursing is being impacted. Also, I'm not sure how wide of an area this mamasource reaches (maybe it actually does reach down to Lincoln), so you might want to make sure your current zipcode is on your profile so you are reaching people in your area. I know it's a pretty big area, but I haven't seen anyone else say they were from Nebraska yet. Worth checking so people can help you with questions from your area. Anyway, good luck! I hope you enjoy nursing as much as I do!
