Looking back here, I think reading that CR was trying and failing to get into the UAB nursing program after already earning a bachelor's Degree in Psychology-- because she wanted to be a Registered Nurse (RN), is confusing if not misleading.
For clarification, I offer the following:
A registered nurse (RN) is not something obtained by being admitted into a nursing program or earning a college degree but by passing a nurse licensing exam by the State Board of Nursing.
While one can certainly go the 4-year+ University route, and earn a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Nursing, meeting the pre-licensure qualifications to sit for the State Board exam, the same can also be achieved by completing a 2-year community college nursing program-- earning an associate in applied science degree.
For example, reportedly, CR is/was attending Jefferson State Community College which states the following about its two-year, pre-licensure nursing program:
THE PROGRAM:
The Registered Nursing Program at Jefferson State Community College is a two-year associate in applied science degree program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc. (ACEN) and approved by the Alabama Board of Nursing. The nursing program combines general education and nursing courses in sequence while providing knowledge related to professionalism, nursing skills, and the tools needed to practice as a registered nurse.
In other words, 7 years ago CR could have graduated high school, and entered the community college nursing program, and provided she successfully passed the State Board exam, today she could have been practicing as an RN for 5 years already.
And this is not to discount going the baccalaureate route to becoming an RN, but somehow I get the feeling that CR requires instant gratification-- where at age 25, she's been floundering for more years than not. Also, it seems to me that CR probably could have benefited from focusing on a two-year program for either the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) or RN license, until she gained some maturity to further both her education and her career. JMO
ETA: I come from a family of RNs -- Grandmother and Mum went the Bachelors and Masters route, becoming Hospital Administrators, but my favorite Aunt, at age 17-- followed the way of the Registered Nurse Apprentice which in UK was something like work-study and nursing school combined. However, she was also able to retire long before Mum and could then work on-call for emergency relief services. What I know for certain is that nursing is a calling -- a profession best suited for the selfless, and those of a caring and compassionate nature, plus the ability to work well under pressure!