Is it hard to get a real job like a nursing job with a degree from a community college? Or should I go to a 4 year university and have to force myself through the process?
I would post your questions regarding nursing programs in this thread: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/nursing-major/
Community colleges will offer you the courses needed to apply to a Nursing program. Many 4 year universities will offer a 2+2 program or a direct admit. 2+2 will work like a CCC, in that you take the prerequisite courses and then apply to the nursing program at the 4 year university. Direct admit programs are where you are directly admitted into the Nursing program as a Freshman (you still take the pre-req classes but you are guaranteed admission into the nursing program as long as maintain eligiblity (GPA).
The Nursing program at my community college can’t turn out nurses fast enough, as they already have been hired for a job the moment they graduate. Also, just to be clear, an RN program, even at a community college is essentially a 4-year degree. Yes, the nursing classes take 2 years, but it is a full 2-years of prerequisite coursework before a student is able to be admitted to nursing classes.
Having said, that, there is clearly a trend in the healthcare industry toward favoring BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) degrees over RNs (who may not have a BS). I’m seeing huge growth in RN-to-BSN programs, which take 6 months to a year to complete.
At my community college (Everett Community College, WA), about half the students who complete their nursing prerequisites go on to our (or another CC) nursing school, while half transfer into BS programs. AT this point, there is very little difference int he preparation for either track, so my advice would be to go to a CC and take all the prerequisite coursework, then transfer to a BS program.