How can I get paid to become a nurse?

I want to become a nurse, willing to start out as an LPN and work up from there. Trouble is I can't afford to stop working and go to school full time. Is something like a community college going to get me there/be worth the time or should I bite the bullet and jump into a four year BSN program? What about "medical assistant" jobs? Is it possible/likely to get a hospital to help with or cover the tuition costs of a degree?

Nursing is a fantastic career with great job opppurtunities. Getting through school is the hardest part. I don't know where you live, but in some places, nursing schools have begun to offer alternative nursing programs so that one can still work and go to school. When I went through nursing school, most of the students worked at least part time while in school, so while its difficult, you don;t have to stop working to go to school. A community college program is cheaper, generally takes about 4 years, and usually offers less scheduling flexibility than a BSN program, which also takes four years full time, but may have more part time options. There are many very expensive options to becoming an LPN, such as those that advertise on TV, but they usually require full time attendance and the classes don't transfer to a community college or BSN program, meaning that you would still have to take science prerequsites before transferring to one of those programs. Many community colleges offer better options for the LPN and their classes are transferrable.
Medical assistants are people who are trained to do simple procedures, such as taking vital signs, and are also able to do medical billing. The pay is not very high, and the hours are very limited, a medical assistant has to work during the day, usually at the same time nursing classes are held. A certified nursing assistant job offers much more flexible hours, and the experiene can also help you get into nursing school. In addition, its very likely that the hospital you worked as nursing assistant at would have tuition reimbursement programs to help pay for your nursing school. (I got some tuition reimbursement to get BSN after my ADN). Some hospitals will also give you money in return for signing a contract to work for them after you graduate, though thse are generally hospitals in underserved areas.
Some good websites are www.allnursingschools.com which has lots of information on nursing schools, and www.discovernursing.com which can help with scholarship information.
I've been a nurse for 4 years, and I love it. The nursing profession is in dire need of great nurses, and I hope you stick with it.

Join the Army.
If you have no degree now you arent going to start as an LPN. I am a nursing student. You will have to take your generals first. That takes about a year to a year and a half. You can take some generals while your in the nursing program. Once you have your LPN, which is usually after your first year in the actual nursing program, some hospitals will hire you and will pay for you to become an RN while you work for them full time. But you also will have to sign a contract saying you will work for them for X amount of years after you get your RN. And as far as Medical Tech jobs my friend was in that prog and graduated this year and she has had a hard time finding a job because she isnt willing to relocate. They do have scholarships for those programs though. Also there is a clause in the student loans that if you get your RN and work in a area that is in great need for nurses, it has to be an approved area, that they will cancel your student loans.
Can you stop working for six weeks? Save up enough dough for six weeks, take a class to become a CNA (nurse's aide) or see if there is a night class available near you. Call the local hospitals and ask around. If you are already working as a CNA, often they will pay your tuition to go to school for your LPN, then RN while you are working. Of course, you'll have to continue to work for them for 1-3 years after you're finished, but it pays the bills. There is also Pell Grants and other gov't funding. Armed services pay well, too.

I'd recommend getting your LPN then RN. If you enter medicine with a BSN, you might not get paid what you're worth due to lack of experience. But that's only my opinion.
nursing student.